Devolution - Let’s get Lancashire the deal we deserve

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill has now moved to committee stage, where it will be examined in detail.

This landmark Bill represents a transformative opportunity for our home county of Lancashire to achieve greater autonomy, drive economic growth and improve public services. 

For too long local government has been overlooked and underfunded. Decisions that should be made close to the people they affect have instead been handed down from Whitehall.

Blackpool South, and Lancashire as a whole, has felt this deeply. This Bill begins to put that right.

It offers Lancashire the chance to take back control of our economic future, to rebuild strong public services and to give local people a proper say in the decisions that impact their daily lives.

This Bill represents a simple principle – decisions about Lancashire should be made in Lancashire.

Lancashire is a proud county with a proud history. From mills and factories to entertainment and tourism, our communities have powered Britain’s growth. But under the last government those same communities have been overlooked, let down and left behind.

Investment has not kept pace with need. Decisions have been taken without local knowledge. And opportunities that should have been ours have gone elsewhere.

This Bill represents a simple principle – decisions about Lancashire should be made in Lancashire.

Local leaders understand our communities far better than policymakers in Westminster. They see the everyday struggles and the untapped potential across our towns and cities.

In Blackpool, I know we already have the solutions to our problems, but until now, we haven’t had the tools to put them into action.

This Bill lays an important foundation, giving us the potential to act in the interests of our communities and the power to make sure local people are heard.

In Blackpool, nearly 23,100 people of working age are economically inactive. That’s over 28% of the population. These are not just statistics. They represent lives stuck on the margins, potential going to waste and families struggling to get by. 

With more control over employment support and adult education, we can make sure people are job-ready and employers get the workforce they need. This is about more than reducing unemployment. It’s about dignity, security and opportunity.

When I hosted Blackpool’s biggest ever jobs fair earlier this year, it was clear that we already have the drive to succeed. This Bill will help us scale up that ambition and allow Lancashire industries to thrive.

Hospitality is a particularly significant industry in Blackpool. As MP for the town and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for hospitality and tourism, I also welcome the government’s commitment to ban upward-only rent review clauses in commercial leases.

These clauses have been punishing small businesses for decades, driving up costs, draining investment and causing too many pubs, cafes and shops to close their doors for good. The damage has been felt on every high street in Lancashire.

Changing the law is the right step. It means small businesses and community groups will have a fair chance to compete. It means fewer empty shops and stronger local economies.

Lancashire people can’t be left waiting on the platform while investment speeds past us to Manchester and Liverpool.

Of course, strong economies also rely on decent transport and devolution gives us the power to shape transport investment for our area. Lancashire needs that.

We have watched as our neighbours in Greater Manchester and Merseyside have enjoyed significant boosts to their transport infrastructure. Lancashire people can’t be left waiting on the platform while investment speeds past us to Manchester and Liverpool.

A fully integrated transport network would close the geographical gap between Blackpool and the rest of the county, making travel more efficient, boosting tourism and allowing us to retain and attract talent.

The Prime Minister recently recalled a trip to my old sixth form where he asked young people if they felt they could stay in Blackpool to fulfil their ambitions. In a packed room only a handful of students raised their hands.

Now is the time to turn that around by unlocking investment, making travel affordable and reliable, cutting emissions and supporting growth.

I was pleased to welcome the Aviation Minister to Blackpool earlier this year, and I am determined that Blackpool Airport’s potential to grow our regional economy is part of this conversation too.

Blackpool has always been somewhat separate from the rest of Lancashire – geographically, culturally and structurally. It’s time for us to build stronger connections with our neighbours and face our challenges together. Because Blackpool's struggles aren’t isolated – they’re felt throughout Lancashire. The need for investment, better public services and economic opportunity is just as pressing across the county

But Lancashire lacks many of the powers enjoyed by mayoral combined authorities. Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region are already reaping the rewards of strong devolution – billions in investment, control over housing and transport, and the ability to shape their economies. Lancashire deserves the same.

This Bill opens the door to the kind of system, with an elected mayor, that would bring Lancashire the full benefits of devolution – real powers, long-term investment and a stronger, fairer future.

I will work with the government to ensure our communities get the investment, the powers and the opportunities they need to thrive – and that our great county of Lancashire gets the deal it deserves.