King’s Speech (4th Day)

Lord Grantchester Excerpts

Monday 22nd July 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Grantchester (Lab)]

How exhilarating it is to speak again from this side of the House. How refreshing that, at long last, the opportunity to deliver on ambition comes our way; to bring stability and certainty back through an industrial strategy that will help economic growth, which is the subject of today’s debate. There is so much in the gracious Speech to celebrate, and I must mention first the football governance Bill, by which sporting opportunities will be enhanced, not least through the growth of the women’s game, which is one of the fastest growing sectors in sport. It is interesting that in the Women’s Super League all the forthcoming season’s clubs will be the same as in the men’s Premier League, reflecting the investment being made by our leading clubs.

The most pressing issue facing us today is climate change. Along with a healthy environment and housing, it is paramount in the programme ahead and can be tackled only through science matched with changing our behaviour. I congratulate my noble friend Lord Vallance on his appointment and maiden speech today. He quoted Karl Popper, who I recall was prominent in the thinking of the philosophy department at the London School of Economics during my university days. In congratulating my noble friends on these Benches on their appointments, I must celebrate the appointment of my noble friend Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, as he introduced in this House what became the Climate Change Act 2008. Equally vital today will be introducing the Great British Energy Bill to set up a new publicly owned company to galvanise clean power projects nationally and bring forward plans to decarbonise electricity by 2030. Urgency is highlighted by the continual warming of the planet that, to my mind, has already passed the threshold of 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, and, with it, increased the importance of adaptation and resilience that fall under Defra’s responsibilities.

I welcome my noble friend Lady Hayman of Ullock to her appointment and urge her to re-examine your Lordships’ report on the future of land use, which was constrained and diminished by Defra in the previous Government. The report has important messages on planning, rural policy and multifunctional aspects of demand for land, none the least of which is demand for infrastructure and housing. My noble friend Lady Young has put forward her credentials for this today, and I will gladly join her in her endeavours.

Stability of policy and certainty for business can be enhanced through devolution of power to the regions, reflecting priorities better initiated by local communities. This can be underpinned only by a clear long-term industrial strategy. In the north-west, the most important aspects of growth are infrastructure and skills, with focus on the region around Merseyside, Manchester and Warrington, not just on the Atlantic Gateway and bringing energy onshore to distribute through necessary national investment in the grid but on skills and training.

Local investment around Crewe was devastated by the sudden cancellation of HS2, reversing vitally needed connectivity. The creation of a mayor for Cheshire and Warrington to co-ordinate with Liverpool and Manchester and reach towards the West Midlands would be a major impetus for igniting economic growth. The focus of a mayor would enhance with solid foundations an area that already has a strong economy. I declare my interest as being asked to help Cheshire business leaders after my experience serving on public and private partnerships, now that LEPs have effectively withdrawn from providing leadership at a subregional level. Cheshire has a population of over 1 million, with a GVA of £31.2 billion in 2020, and it is growing jobs at 3.9% against a rate of 2.9% in England, with a balance of the workforce across all sectors of the economy. The opportunities for growth are extensive. They are also now available from unblocking trade with Europe. They need to be urgently seized.