Part of Birmingham’s role is to be the city at the centre the West Midlands, as our mission to renew our region continues. It saddens me that this self-inflicted wound could make that more difficult.
The real returns we are seeing on Birmingham 2022 show what can be achieved by devolved decision making and local leadership.
With 1.5 billion people estimated to be tuning in, the Games will be a fantastic opportunity for my region – and the economic benefits are already apparent.
Regional control over adult education is already helping to deliver significant results in skills.
They are at the heart of my plan to create skills, and opportunities across the region, as well as 35,000 jobs.
It’s not surprising that I do things differently, since I came to the role from a business background, rather than via the world of politics.
With the help of government funding, the region is pioneering new technologies to create vital jobs and build more homes.