KEIR Starmer is set to hold the first meeting of the council of nations and regions in Scotland next week.
The initiative was announced at a meeting with English mayors shortly after Labour‘s victory in the General Election in July.
The meeting is intended to bring together the 11 English metro mayors, the leaders of the devolved administrations, and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to discuss “shared challenges” and “opportunities”.
Downing Street has now announced that the first council of nations and regions will take place in Scotland on Friday and focus on opportunities for investment in the UK.
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It is unclear where in Scotland the meeting will occur however First Minister John Swinney has already confirmed his attendance.
Starmer said he is “determined to bring forward a new era of stability, trust and partnership with businesses, investors, devolved governments and local leaders to boost the economy, and restore the UK’s reputation one of the best places in the world to do business”.
He said the UK Government is “delivering our promise to convene the first Council of the Nations and Regions”.
He added: “No more talking shops of the past. Genuine, meaningful and focused partnership to change the way we do business, redefine our position on the world’s stage and unlock the whole of the UK’s untapped potential to make everyone, everywhere better-off.”
The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham
In July, Andy Burnham (above), mayor of Greater Manchester, told the BBC that the plans for a council of nations and regions were “music to my ears”.
“To have a council of the regions and nations meeting regularly just means we can be sure that the voice of Greater Manchester, of the North of England, is heard at the heart of Whitehall on an ongoing basis,” he said.
At the time, however, the Scottish Government said it had not been given any information about the council prior to its announcement.