@markgregory21.bsky.social
We agree there isn’t enough funding but it is vital we think harder about the growth model to maximise U.K. growth in a sustainable and inclusive way. As the start of this thread shows, there is a major gap in the thinking of the current administration
December 27, 2025 at 10:12 AM
We agree there isn’t enough funding but it is vital we think harder about the growth model to maximise U.K. growth in a sustainable and inclusive way. As the start of this thread shows, there is a major gap in the thinking of the current administration
Future funding as set out in the Industrial Strategy and confirmed in the recent Budget. Across the priority sub-sectors. I think we are talking at cross purposes, you are talking about the past, I am concentrating on all the sources of growth funding going forward. There is an explicit bias to MCAs
December 27, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Future funding as set out in the Industrial Strategy and confirmed in the recent Budget. Across the priority sub-sectors. I think we are talking at cross purposes, you are talking about the past, I am concentrating on all the sources of growth funding going forward. There is an explicit bias to MCAs
I agree historically. Going forward the guidance is clear that MCAs will be prioritised. There is no London or South East bias in policy. I am Chair of the Staffs/Stoke Local Innovation Board and it is clear the pot of funds available to us to bid for is about one fifth per capita compared to MCAs
December 27, 2025 at 9:48 AM
I agree historically. Going forward the guidance is clear that MCAs will be prioritised. There is no London or South East bias in policy. I am Chair of the Staffs/Stoke Local Innovation Board and it is clear the pot of funds available to us to bid for is about one fifth per capita compared to MCAs
As long as we frame the battle as London v the North, we will leave huge amounts of potential untapped. Gaps between places within individual cities & between nearby places are greater than those between London and Manchester. We need a much more sophisticated approach of which MCAs are just 1 part
December 27, 2025 at 9:23 AM
As long as we frame the battle as London v the North, we will leave huge amounts of potential untapped. Gaps between places within individual cities & between nearby places are greater than those between London and Manchester. We need a much more sophisticated approach of which MCAs are just 1 part
Is there any evidence in the data that relative place outcomes compared to the city centre have improved under a Mayor in GLCA or others? Lot of real estate gains in Manchester’s GVA but what else? Adam Leaver’s work raises questions. Similarly the TPI work in Rochdale
December 27, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Is there any evidence in the data that relative place outcomes compared to the city centre have improved under a Mayor in GLCA or others? Lot of real estate gains in Manchester’s GVA but what else? Adam Leaver’s work raises questions. Similarly the TPI work in Rochdale
2 Not a London issue. Funding for digital and other priority sectors (and innovation) is explicitly skewed towards established MCAs. Limited consideration of where capability and potential might exist. Flawed data used in cluster mapping just makes the situation worse
December 27, 2025 at 9:17 AM
2 Not a London issue. Funding for digital and other priority sectors (and innovation) is explicitly skewed towards established MCAs. Limited consideration of where capability and potential might exist. Flawed data used in cluster mapping just makes the situation worse
On this you are wrong on 2 fronts. 1 It isn’t a Bet365 story, more about 2 universities that were early into computing degrees so creating a talent pipeline. Stoke has leading digital businesses in cyber, HR, marketing & food delivery plus a createch group.
December 27, 2025 at 9:15 AM
On this you are wrong on 2 fronts. 1 It isn’t a Bet365 story, more about 2 universities that were early into computing degrees so creating a talent pipeline. Stoke has leading digital businesses in cyber, HR, marketing & food delivery plus a createch group.
Exactly. That we are talking about Oldham illustrates the limits of MCAs. If there isn’t enough trickle out in GMCA or trickle in to Birmingham from WMCA, obvious we need place based policies
December 26, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Exactly. That we are talking about Oldham illustrates the limits of MCAs. If there isn’t enough trickle out in GMCA or trickle in to Birmingham from WMCA, obvious we need place based policies
Region is a meaningless geographic entity with no correlation to economic activity & daily life outside of London. We need to think bottom up and aggregate as appropriate across different domains not start everything with an inappropriate top down framework
December 26, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Region is a meaningless geographic entity with no correlation to economic activity & daily life outside of London. We need to think bottom up and aggregate as appropriate across different domains not start everything with an inappropriate top down framework
It would be good to have some thinking about a growth model for places that are not the largest cities. Stoke-in-Trent has the 7th most productive digital sector in the U.K. yet is largely excluded from industrial strategy digital funding due to the fixation on agglomeration and mayors.
December 26, 2025 at 6:24 PM
It would be good to have some thinking about a growth model for places that are not the largest cities. Stoke-in-Trent has the 7th most productive digital sector in the U.K. yet is largely excluded from industrial strategy digital funding due to the fixation on agglomeration and mayors.
Not about institutions but people. Like Frank, he struggles with the top players who resist detailed coaching. See Alonso at Real as another example. Manager-player relations not institutions major driver of success in football
December 21, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Not about institutions but people. Like Frank, he struggles with the top players who resist detailed coaching. See Alonso at Real as another example. Manager-player relations not institutions major driver of success in football
It was a 450 plus pitch as the Aussies showed )and England batted when the bounce was most consistent). Pope and Smith not good enough, most of the others gave their wickets away. Failure of 8,9 and 10
to knuckle down and support Root was shocking
to knuckle down and support Root was shocking
December 7, 2025 at 5:55 PM
It was a 450 plus pitch as the Aussies showed )and England batted when the bounce was most consistent). Pope and Smith not good enough, most of the others gave their wickets away. Failure of 8,9 and 10
to knuckle down and support Root was shocking
to knuckle down and support Root was shocking
Do you believe competitiveness is a thing for countries? Do we compete at a country level. If we do, for FDI say, do tax levels matter, never mind competitiveness? Most international businesses can shift tax at will. Ability to write off investment, skills, infra, grants all more important
November 14, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Do you believe competitiveness is a thing for countries? Do we compete at a country level. If we do, for FDI say, do tax levels matter, never mind competitiveness? Most international businesses can shift tax at will. Ability to write off investment, skills, infra, grants all more important
Incredible some of the suggested impacts. I was a beneficiary of the regime but could never understand why it was allowed. So many tax benefits of partnership (car scheme was incredible) and no downside when liability was limited.
October 24, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Incredible some of the suggested impacts. I was a beneficiary of the regime but could never understand why it was allowed. So many tax benefits of partnership (car scheme was incredible) and no downside when liability was limited.
The major challenges of Devo/LGR are no-one is sure what will happen where and how will unitaries of 500k connect with citizens. Neighbourhoods/communities/parishes/towns/strat auths/unitaries is a complex landscape
October 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
The major challenges of Devo/LGR are no-one is sure what will happen where and how will unitaries of 500k connect with citizens. Neighbourhoods/communities/parishes/towns/strat auths/unitaries is a complex landscape
Anyone who has spent time in the last 20 years working with BEIS, DTI and their variants, Ministries of local govt and the Foreign Office would have no doubt about the lack of challenge to accepted wisdom. It was like the BRICs, accepted with no challenge to fundamental assumptions egg country risk
October 1, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Anyone who has spent time in the last 20 years working with BEIS, DTI and their variants, Ministries of local govt and the Foreign Office would have no doubt about the lack of challenge to accepted wisdom. It was like the BRICs, accepted with no challenge to fundamental assumptions egg country risk
And domestically accepting markets are sovereign hence nothing can be done to address the income/wealth and geographic distributional effects of trade. Or to spend no time considering if increased immigration might have negative consequences. Many more examples of eyes off the ball…complacency
October 1, 2025 at 9:28 PM
And domestically accepting markets are sovereign hence nothing can be done to address the income/wealth and geographic distributional effects of trade. Or to spend no time considering if increased immigration might have negative consequences. Many more examples of eyes off the ball…complacency
Of course it does. It is reasonable to question if your utilities should be foreign controlled, whether shifting production abroad without considering the risks and costs of IP being stolen is wise, failing to have the in-depth trade knowledge to meaningfully input & shape EU negotiations
October 1, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Of course it does. It is reasonable to question if your utilities should be foreign controlled, whether shifting production abroad without considering the risks and costs of IP being stolen is wise, failing to have the in-depth trade knowledge to meaningfully input & shape EU negotiations
Old news in the North and Midlands, been ongoing for months. Very easy as a Mayor to pop in to local parties to share knowledge
September 11, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Old news in the North and Midlands, been ongoing for months. Very easy as a Mayor to pop in to local parties to share knowledge
Seems the public agree with you
July 19, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Seems the public agree with you
It is a huge bet on agglomeration with little thought to what happens in smaller places. A debate we were trying to start at the Centre for Towns a decade ago. Thats why so many mixed rural/urban counties are at back of Devo
line, much harder to make it work. Huge electoral issue for Labour.
line, much harder to make it work. Huge electoral issue for Labour.
July 17, 2025 at 7:53 PM
It is a huge bet on agglomeration with little thought to what happens in smaller places. A debate we were trying to start at the Centre for Towns a decade ago. Thats why so many mixed rural/urban counties are at back of Devo
line, much harder to make it work. Huge electoral issue for Labour.
line, much harder to make it work. Huge electoral issue for Labour.
It’s that time of year. Articles in what Wimbledon tells us about the U.K. economy etc etc. Oh for a politician n willing to set out the choices facing us rather than hiding behind growing or cutting our way to utopia
July 12, 2025 at 12:49 PM
It’s that time of year. Articles in what Wimbledon tells us about the U.K. economy etc etc. Oh for a politician n willing to set out the choices facing us rather than hiding behind growing or cutting our way to utopia
No it’s a tennis tournament that doesn’t encapsulate the characteristics of the U.K. economy. Wimbledon tells us nothing about our wider challenges. Just the same lazy journalism year after year
July 11, 2025 at 5:56 AM
No it’s a tennis tournament that doesn’t encapsulate the characteristics of the U.K. economy. Wimbledon tells us nothing about our wider challenges. Just the same lazy journalism year after year
It really isn’t. It is a tennis tournament nothing more, just as the Premier League only accounts for .25% of GDP. Regulation is not a major factor in relative UK competitiveness, more FDI goes to France. Having effective infrastructure & skills matter more than regulation & tax for investment.
July 10, 2025 at 9:48 PM
It really isn’t. It is a tennis tournament nothing more, just as the Premier League only accounts for .25% of GDP. Regulation is not a major factor in relative UK competitiveness, more FDI goes to France. Having effective infrastructure & skills matter more than regulation & tax for investment.