It is a huge honour to have been elected as the new Leader of the LGA’s Labour Group.
I’m proud to be the first woman to lead it and am thankful for the support I received from across the country.
It was great to see so many Labour councillors attending the LGA’s annual conference in Bournemouth.
Our strength is a reminder that, after the fantastic local election results, Labour now has more councillors than any other party for the first time in 20 years.
Many of our new Labour council leaders were keen to share how they are already making a difference to their communities and ready to show the difference Labour makes in power.
“Labour’s five missions can only be delivered through a partnership with local government”
We welcomed Deputy Leader Angela Rayner MP and Shadow Levelling Up Secretary Lisa Nandy, who emphasised the Labour Party’s commitment to shifting power and resources out of Westminster and into communities.
Labour’s Take Back Control Act, a central plank of Leader Sir Keir Starmer’s first King’s Speech, will give councils and metro mayors more responsibility for areas crucial to the nation’s future, including housing, economic development, net zero, and skills.
Keir has made it clear that Labour’s five missions – to secure the highest sustained growth in the G7, make Britain a clean energy superpower, build an NHS fit for the future, make Britain’s streets safe and break down barriers to opportunity – can only be delivered through a partnership with local government.
We’re all looking forward to the chance to make the future local.