Jonathan Reynolds MP Proudly serving the communities of Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley, Longdendale and Dukinfield
Last week I attended the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. This annual event is a meeting of politicians, business leaders, academics and campaigning organisations to discuss business and economic issues. I attended as there is a big job to do. Attracting investment to the UK to improve our economy and living standards after a decade and a half of stagnation is essential. Despite the tremendous innovation and science base in the UK, we are currently bottom of all G7 countries for business investment. I see my job as Shadow Business Secretary as getting out there to make the case for why people should bring their investments here and what opportunities there will be under a Labour government.
I was there for three days alongside Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and held engagements and meetings on industrial strategy, renewable energy, trade, investment and more. I am absolutely certain that, with a change of Government, we can get our economy moving faster and see the kind of rising living standards essential to a better future. It was great to see the international business and thought leadership community showing huge enthusiasm for our plans. You can watch me discussing the imperative of aligning industrial and political cycles here.
Meanwhile, on the Horizon scandal which I wrote about in the last Reynolds RoundUp, I continue to demonstrate Labour’s willingness to work with the Government on a way to exonerate the sub-postmasters and get them compensation as quickly as possible. The proposals will have to be imperfect, but they represent a clear option for resolving this terrible issue. In the House yesterday, I asked that, as a way to ensure safeguards against any potential future misuse of precedent, could cross-party agreement be established as an essential provision for the exercise of powers of this kind? I also asked the minister to confirm that all prosecutions that arise from the Horizon pilot scheme will now also be included in the exonerations. You can read his answers here.
It was also good to speak the annual Fabian Society conference about why getting the economy growing more strongly is so integral to Labour’s plans to get Britain its future back.
Last week I made a really interesting visit Boots UK with Keir Starmer to talk to pharmaceutical and retail staff about their important work and the daily challenges they face. Labour’s mission to reform the NHS will revitalise our pharmacies and boost our high streets, with a focus on preventing illness and delivering more care in your community. Prevention is both better than cure and a sounder investment would be good for public wellbeing, good for NHS budgets and good for our high streets. While Rishi was rudely walking away from members of the public trying to discuss the state of our NHS, Keir is ready to transform it. You can read Labour’s plan to reform our broken NHS here.
This week, the Reynolds Roadshow was back on the road, taking to more small businesses across the country, this time in Wellingborough. There was of interest in Labour’s Plan for Small Business, and great conversations with local business leaders on taking our plans forward. Massive thanks to Visku for hosting us and the Chamber of Commerce for their support.