MP warns West Midlands must not be overlooked in devolution plans

A Conservative MP has called for the West Midlands to be taken into consideration as the government advances its new devolution plans.

Saqib Bhatti, MP for Meriden and Solihull East, has said that attention may be directed too heavily towards the Greater Manchester region, leaving areas such as the West Midlands without similar political gains.

Speaking on an episode of ‘Any Questions?’ hosted at the University of Birmingham, Bhatti highlighted the national importance of the West Midlands region, pointing to the value of Jaguar Land Rover and other regional manufacturers.

We’ve had a really good run as the West Midlands, as being a really confident, powerful region of the country, and we are absolutely important when it comes to the economic growth of this country

Saqib Bhatti, MP for Meriden and Solihull East

Bhatti said: “We’ve had a really good run as the West Midlands, as being a really confident, powerful region of the country, and we are absolutely important when it comes to the economic growth of this country.”

This follows Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s creation of ‘Number 10 North’, a new government office based in Manchester set to bring the UK’s decision-making closer to Northern England.

Responding to Bhatti, Labour peer Lord Falconer argued that the prime minister’s plan is about giving places outside of London a greater role in national politics, rather than positioning Manchester as a singular alternative to the capital.

Falconer said: “Don’t look at it as if it’s Manchester instead of Birmingham, look at it on the basis places outside London are at last going to start playing their part in the national story.”

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority, has since said he is “in lockstep” with the prime minister, adding that the two remain in regular contact via Burnham’s chief of staff.

The purpose of Number 10 in the North is to drive devolution and growth across the whole country

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority

Parker also voiced his support for devolution, stating: “The purpose of Number 10 in the North is to drive devolution and growth across the whole country.”

The prime minister is also expected to release a 10-year plan later this year, aiming to take Britain “from where we are now to where we all want Britain to be.”