West Midland mayor Parker calls on new PM Burnham to appoint minister for night-time economy

The elected mayor for the West Midlands has called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to appoint a dedicated minister for the night-time economy.

The call comes after the new PM announced that Kanishka Narayan, minister for artificial intelligence, will be attending cabinet.

Mayor Richard Parker said the night-time economy should be given the same recognition, supporting approximately 324,000 jobs across the West Midlands, almost one in four of the region's workforce.

Of those, about 100,000 are in nightlife itself at pubs, restaurants, music venues, theatres and cinemas, which he said gave our towns and cities their character.

He called for the new minister to sit within the expanded Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade led by Jonathan Reynolds.

Mr Parker said: "Andy Burnham understands the night-time economy. He championed it in Greater Manchester with a night-time economy commissioner, so he knows what it means to a place and the people who live there. He’s previously called for support and relief for the industry, so he gets it.

"This is one in four jobs across our region. But more than that, it’s the cultural life blood of our places. It gives people somewhere to go, something to do, places to meet. The industry has taken a battering from Covid, rising costs and business rates. They need someone in government whose job is to fight their corner."

Last year Mr Parker set up a night-time economy commission, which in May came back with 25 recommendations for reviving the sector. Among them was a call for a national champion in government to join up policy on tax, licensing and transport. The commission also called for later buses and trains, safer streets and stronger support for grassroots venues.

The mayor said: "We're getting on with our part here in the West Midlands - we’ve got a plan to address the challenges locally. But a minister in Government would pull the national picture together, so the whole country works to the same plan. We need to look out for the thousands of people who make their living after dark - giving our places the vibrance we all love."