Commenting on the government’s Local Growth Fund announcement of funds for Local Enterprise Partnerships, Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna MP said:

“This week Labour has announced bold plans to decentralise powers and budgets to give local areas the tools they need to power local jobs and growth. Andrew Adonis’ Growth Review recommended devolving £30bn of spending to local areas.

“But the government’s announcement today falls far short of Labour’s plans, with only a small fraction of the £30bn being devolved, no decentralization of powers over skills, infrastructure and employment and no proposals for City Regions to benefit from increased business rates revenue.

“The Tory-led government came into office promising to rebalance the economy and spur regional growth, but instead we’ve seen things go into reverse as regions and local areas have been held back. We need to see growth built on the talents of all and producing better-paid, high-skilled jobs in all parts of the country.”