Stuck in the Midlands with you: Mayor Andy Street on Levelling Up and wrangling with Westminster

The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Podmasters

News, Government, Politics, Society & Culture

4.6 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 8 June 2023

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Andy Street took a risk in leaving his role as managing director of John Lewis to become West Midlands mayor. He’s one of two Tory combined authority mayors, a role he describes as “trailblazing”. But despite his party loyalty, he hasn’t shied away from criticising Westminster – especially when it comes to Levelling-up. He sat down with Hannah Fearn in The Bunker to discuss his priorities and time in office. “For me, it wasn’t about representing the party in Westminster. It was first and foremost about being an individual representative for the West Midlands.” – Andy Street “The truth is that Michael Gove and the Levelling-up Department have spent billions. But are we getting that message across? No.” – Andy Street “My relationship with Whitehall is positive, but immature. We make our proposals, and Whitehall will decide.” – Andy Street “Mayoral models are becoming popular because people want someone they can relate to, and with whom the buck stops.” – Andy Street www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer & Audio production: Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	My name is Stan. I'm at. Nice to meet you. So you took up photography where? I've always loved
0:05.5	photography but I turn it into earning a living at 60. I enrolled on a day course.
0:11.8	Well college. I loved going to college. It's good you can retry. I'm enrolled on the day course. But college?
0:13.0	I loved going to college.
0:14.0	It's good you can retrain and do something.
0:16.0	Yeah, yeah.
0:17.0	Let's talk about working, learning, saving and making the most of living longer.
0:22.0	Phoenix Group is the UK's largest long-term savings and retirement business.
0:28.0	Search Phoenix Group living longer.
0:30.0	Pets brings so much joy.
0:32.0	From those happy greetings at the door to the warm cuddles on the sofa
0:36.7	so give a little love back with dental life from Purina a range of delicious chues made for dogs and tasty snacks for cats that help clean and support your pets, teeth and gums, essential for their overall well-being and a happy, healthy life. They give you plenty of smiles so
0:55.3	look after theirs with dental life. Pick up dental life in the pet food aisle. Hello and welcome to the bunker I'm Hannah Fern. Given the omnisambles that is a leveling up agenda you could be forgiven
1:15.5	for thinking that the government really doesn't give a monkeys about local communities and
1:19.0	the principles of localism but ye of short memories cast your minds back.
1:24.0	Only a decade ago when George Osborne was Chancellor,
1:28.0	the Conservatives offered new powers to local councils
1:30.0	over matters including housing and transport in return for them electing their
1:35.8	own metro mayors.
1:37.5	And there are 24 now, 24 directly elected mayors in England.
1:42.0	I'm joined today by the most well-known and
1:44.2	influential Tory Andy Street who is mayor of the West Midlands combined
	...

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