I'll cut red tape to free up firms to focus on what matters

WHEN I became Chancellor, I made a simple promise: that this government would be unashamedly pro-growth and pro-business - backing the people and places that drive our economy forward.

- Rachel Reeves

Because for too long, Britain has felt stuck. Wages have flatlined and costs have risen.

Birmingham Post readers know that hardworking families - including right here in the West Midlands - have felt that no matter how hard they graft, they're running just to stand still. Communities struggled with a lack of investment, our towns and cities felt left behind and held back.

However, I do not believe that investment, prosperity and opportunity should only be found in London and the South East. That’s why this week, Birmingham hosted the UK’s first-ever Regional Investment Summit. It brought together hundreds of business leaders, investors and mayors with a focus on unlocking investment in every corner of the UK's cities, towns and industrial clusters.

There's no better place to hold it than here - a place built on enterprise, hard work and ambition. It’s a city that makes things happen. From the workshops and factories that powered the industrial revolution to the clean-tech and digital firms shaping our future today, Birmingham has never stood still.