Reacting to Andy Burnham MP’s speech on a new devolution settlement, Community General Secretary Roy Rickhuss CBE said:
“Community welcomes the plans set out today by Andy Burnham MP to radically devolve power to local people and his commitment to economic growth in every postcode.
“He has promised to continue and build upon the programme of reindustrialisation that this Labour Government was elected to deliver. Making this the central mission of Government is good news for Community members across the country whose communities have borne the brunt of the UK’s industrial decline.
“Andy Burnham is right to propose bold reforms to the structures of Government including greater powers for regional Mayors to redress this trend and create good jobs in the parts of the country that need them most. He is right that these places can no longer be written off as they were under the last Conservative Government.
“It is encouraging that Andy Burnham has affirmed his commitment to our steel industry as core to this mission of reindustrialisation, following the positive example set by Sir Keir Starmer in this Parliament so far who has taken impressive steps to back steel communities like intervening in British Steel and publishing the UK Steel Strategy.
“Building on this work by combining greater powers for Local Government to develop industrial strategies for steelmaking areas and support workers through industrial transitions, backed by a Government in Westminster determined to safeguard steelmaking capabilities and underpin UK manufacturing through public procurement, would reinforce Labour’s ambition to secure the future of this strategic industry.”
© Community Trade Union 2026
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