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Sir Keir Starmer said “boosting growth across every region” will be top of the agenda in Labour’s devolution plans as he brings together his party’s newly-expanded team of mayors.

The Labour leader will invite the group to help develop a “gold standard” for boosting local economies when they meet for the first time since the contests.

They will work together to shape Labour’s proposals for new 10-year local growth plans, ensuring they can be delivered quickly if – as polls suggest – the party wins the next general election.

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Existing work Labour highlighted includes Andy Burnham’s Greater Manchester Strategy, Tracy Brabin’s West Yorkshire Business Board, as well as Sadiq Khan’s plans to create 150,000 jobs in London by 2028.

The party accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Tories of failing to fulfil their flagship policy of levelling up UK regions, pointing to its analysis of Office for National Statistics data showing the average gap in gross domestic product per person between London and other combined authorities in England averaged £29,000 in 2022.

Sir Keir will set out how a Labour government could help enhance mayors’ efforts to drive growth, including by extending devolution, establishing a new body called Skills England to help meet industry’s skills requirements over the next decade, building 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament, and setting new standards for public institutions to drive regional growth.

The Labour leader said ahead of the meeting: “These local elections showed that the British public is ready to put their trust in this changed Labour Party. We will repay that trust by delivering economic growth for everyone, everywhere in partnership with our Labour mayors.

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“Our growing team of Labour mayors is already setting the agenda and delivering for local people despite a failing Tory Government that is choking off our economy and hoarding power in Westminster.”

Labour’s wins included David Skaith winning the new York & North Yorkshire mayoralty – which includes Mr Sunak’s Richmond constituency – while it retained mayoralties in West and South Yorkshire.

Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden said: “The worst thing Labour could do for regional growth is hike up taxes across the country – for that reason they should immediately rule out both the business rates and council tax revaluations they have opened the door to. We all know exactly why Labour would do that – to raise taxes on communities everywhere.”

It comes as manufacturers called on the next government to make local economic growth a priority in order to bring the benefits of devolution to areas currently left behind.

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Make UK suggested local authority and devolution legislation should be brought into one Devolution Act, and include the introduction of US-style “bond referendums” to raise funds for regional infrastructure projects which are struggling to get national funding.

Around a third of manufacturers say skills should be further devolved to local decision makers to make sure the right training and skills are being prioritised, said the report.