Mansfield MP says new brand of government is ready to transform the country

This weekend, ministers laid out plans to bring institutions closer to the people, to make sure that policy in our area is made by and for our area.

That means a shake up of our institutions that is long overdue:

In a major speech, Michael Gove, the cabinet secretary, said: “Wouldn’t it be better for those deciding how taxpayers’ money is spent to be living and working alongside those citizens across the country, from Mansfield to Middlesbrough to Merthyr Tydfil, for whom every pound in tax is a significant inroad into their income?

The answer to his questions, of course, is ‘yes we should’.

We need government to understand and be representative of communities like ours and we're going to get on with it – reform of local government, reform of our tax system, reform of the way our institutions and services work.

To make the big change we need, we have to get back to brass tacks and make fundamental changes of culture and direction.

Michael Gove laid out plans to make government less southern and less middle class and more representative of the communities it works for.

And the Prime Minister has explained how he will boost investment and start the economic recovery.

I'm looking forward to hearing more this week about plans to turbocharge the ‘levelling up’ of infrastructure and opportunity, and how we're going to break down the status quo and reshape it for a new start.

As coronavirus fades, we need to look to the future.

We’re not safe yet and we still need to take health precautions to avoid a second spike.

We also need to make big, bold moves and interventions to create jobs and to make sure people can support themselves.

We can begin to move on from having to solely focus on the virus, to get back to the real agenda of this government: creating opportunity and boosting the life chances of places like ours.

To deliver on the priorities of people in Mansfield, we need to change the shape and nature of British institutions.

It’s going to be a massive job, but now is the time to deliver.

Ben Bradley is MP for Mansfield.

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