Prime Minister hails Birmingham’s ability to get the job done

THE collaborative, ambitious projects being delivered by Birmingham stakeholders will help drive a post-Brexit ‘Global Britain’ towards economic prosperity, the Prime Minister has said.

Speaking exclusively at an event hosted by the Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP – and echoing the message of her party at this year’s Conference – Theresa May said empowering cities like Birmingham was vital in building an economy that worked for everyone.

She also hailed HS2 as a catalyst for regeneration and praised Andy Street for his work as chair of the GBSLEP and described him as an “exemplary candidate” for West Midlands elected mayor.

The event, hosted at the Birmingham REP, also reflected on the region’s ability to attract top talent and increase the inward investment helping to unlock jobs.
 
Mrs May said: “We need to be backing innovation, helping our educational establishments to grow their ideas and inventions into real life businesses.
 
“That means having a proper industrial strategy and supporting not only the sectors that are traditionally successful, but also those that are up and coming – the innovators and disruptors who will be the JLRs and JCBs of tomorrow.
 
“And it means trading with the world and seizing all the opportunities that are opening up to us as we exit from the EU.”
 
The Prime Minister cited the upcoming UK-Qatar Trade and Investment Conference, being held in Birmingham next year, as a strong signal of the confidence showed by foreign investors in the city and the wider region.
 
She also congratulated the GBSLEP for helping to drive economic growth within the region and for creating thousands of new jobs.

“With 600 businesses supported, and 17,000 people helped into employment, the GBSLEP is a great example of what can be done when you have vision and go out there and help your area,” added Mrs May.
 
Those attending the event were told how the Midlands was attracting global talent by focusing on developing key sectors, together with harnessing the potential of infrastructure projects such as HS2, UK Central, Curzon and Smithfield in Birmingham.
 
Steve Hollis, interim chair of the GBSLEP following Mr Street’s decision to step down and run for West Midlands Mayor, said: “We’re attracting global talent as we shape our sector thinking in areas such as advanced manufacturing and life sciences – at the heart of this is unlocking more jobs and more growth.

“The successes we have achieved have been underpinned by the strength of our partnership working – and by building on this collaboration between businesses, academic and the public sectors we can fully realise our ambition of being the top global city region by 2030.”
 
Other speakers at the event included Cllr Bob Sleigh, chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority; Sir John Peace, chair of the Midlands Engine as well as Leader and Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council, Cllrs John Clancy and Ian Ward.
 
It was second time in less than 24 hours that Cllr Sleigh had hosted the PM, having welcomed her and her party to Birmingham for their annual conference.

He said: “I am delighted that this year’s Conservative Party Conference is being hosted by Birmingham, right at the heart of the country, giving you the chance to meet people here and understand the scope of our ambitions.”

An approach she seems to have recognised bearing in mind her comments to the LEP event.

Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said it was good to see Birmingham and the West Midlands finally getting their long overdue moment in the spotlight.