Participants at our London HQ City roundtable at Labour Party Conference
Labour Party Conference provided an important opportunity to champion London’s role in driving growth, investment and prosperity across the UK, while engaging with policymakers, business leaders and industry partners on the challenges and opportunities facing the capital.
A highlight of the week was our London HQ City roundtable, hosted in partnership with Centre for London. Bringing together representatives from MHCLG, the House of Lords, City of London Corporation, Westminster City Council and other central London boroughs – as well as WPA and CPA members, partners and major investors – the discussion explored what London needs to remain a leading global headquarters city. We discussed the importance attracting investment and talent to delivering the high-quality workplaces businesses increasingly demand. A recurring theme was that London’s challenge is not attracting businesses, but ensuring it has enough of the right workspace to accommodate future growth.
We also joined the City of London Corporation’s Labour Party Conference dinner, where discussions focused on the City’s continuing role as a global financial centre and the contribution London’s economy makes to jobs, investment and tax revenues across the country. Speakers including Mayor of London Lord Sadiq Khan and City Minister Lucy Rigby MP highlighted the City’s role as a gateway for international investment into businesses and projects across the UK, underlining the importance of maintaining London’s global competitiveness.
While London featured less prominently on the main conference stage, conversations about cities, growth and devolution featured heavily on the fringe of the conference. Much attention centred on Prime Minister Andy Burnham MP‘s vision for a ‘devolution revolution’ and the significant new powers and responsibilities being handed to Mayoral authorities. Although much of this vision focuses on areas outside the capital, the implications for London were a frequent topic of discussion, particularly around governance, infrastructure investment and transport, and how the capital fits within an increasingly devolved England.
There was also a clear recognition that devolution is ultimately about equipping cities with the tools they need to deliver good growth. Discussions throughout the week explored how greater powers and funding flexibility could help London invest in the transport, infrastructure and development needed to support future economic success.
These themes surfaced across a range of events we attended, including in-conversation sessions with Growth Minister Dan Tomlinson MP and Deputy Mayor of London for Business & Growth Howard Dawber. Whether the focus was infrastructure, investment or planning reform, there was growing recognition that cities will be central to delivering the Government’s growth ambitions.
For us, the week reinforced the importance of ensuring London’s voice is part of that conversation. As discussions around devolution, growth and investment continue to evolve, the London Property Alliance will keep engaging with politicians across the political spectrum to champion the interests of our members and make the case for central London’s continued success.
