Logic-i

With Chancellor Jeremy Hunt preparing to deliver his Autumn Statement in late November, what measures do you believe the country’s chief financial minister should prioritise to stimulate economic growth?

And, with a General Election tipped to take place next year, what areas do you believe the new Government – regardless of political colour – should set at the top of its to-do list?

By Stephen Priestley, Director of Logic-i

I’d like to see renewed commitment to levelling up. It means different things to different people but, whatever the government’s political hue, bringing prosperity and jobs to ‘left behind’ areas must remain a key policy.

Infrastructure investment can act as a real impetus to reviving a region’s fortunes, something we have seen first-hand in the North East.

However, levelling up should not just be an aspirational pledge by the Chancellor or a soundbite for an upcoming political broadcast by whichever party assumes power.

We are still experiencing the economic aftershocks triggered by the pandemic, the Ukraine conflict and Brexit, and economic recovery is crucial if we are to achieve long-term growth and become less dependent on imports.

As a director at Logic-i, a consultancy firm specialising in commercial, planning, and project control across the construction and industrial sectors, I believe we must continue to champion measures that stimulate regional economies.

Public and commercial infrastructure have a pivotal role to play, and government must prioritise significant investment in research and development, housing and construction, green initiatives, and digital infrastructure, with a particular focus on those ‘left behind’ areas to stimulate job creation, create lasting opportunities and reduce regional disparity.