Yorkshire mayors to join Labour's Council of Nations and Regions this week

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin is unable to attend due to her trip to Nashville, in the US, to drum up investment for the region.

The government has said that the first council meeting on Friday will focus on growth ahead of the International Investment Summit the Treasury is organising.

Ms Brabin said: “This new era of genuine partnership working between the Government and mayors will help us to unleash the potential of our great regions and boost growth.

“Mayors are champions of their regions at home and abroad, attracting investment, creating good jobs, and putting more money in people’s pockets.

"Our investments in transport, skills and homes, create the right environment for growth by connecting businesses to the talent and finance they need to succeed.”

The Prime Minister said: “I’ve set out that we will be doing things differently, and that’s exactly why we are delivering our promise to convene the first Council of the Nations and Regions as we work as one team to maximise opportunities ahead of the Investment Summit.

“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 three Yorkshire metro mayors are also expected to attend the investment summit.

The first council meeting comes as Sue Gray has been appointed envoy to the nations and regions of the UK.

Ms Gray resigned yesterday as Sir Keir’s chief of staff after weeks of briefing against her, saying her role “risked becoming a distraction to the government’s vital work of change”.

This article originally stated that West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin would be attending, however it has since been clarified that she is unable to due to her trip to the US.