Thursday 15 July 2021
Responding to the Prime Minister's speech to outline the government's 'levelling-up' vision, Richard Burge, Chief Executive of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said:
"Whilst the Prime Minister has given welcome mention of the need not to level down London, he will be judged on action, which we await to see, in the form of the white paper.
"London's challenges have only been exacerbated by COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic, the capital has suffered some of the highest unemployment and furlough levels in the country. The challenge in some of our boroughs is all the more acute as a result and it's imperative that our skills system, and the new business funding of it, is capable of responding to emerging local skills requirements.
We must also continue to invest in the capital's infrastructure, whether physical or digital. That must include a long-term agreement for how Transport for London is funded.
"London is the UK's world city. It of course must assess its role in UK-wide prosperity, but it must stay globally competitive in order to fuel inward investment into the UK."