Mayor Tracy Brabin brings Good Growth message to Leeds North East AGM
- Nov 28, 2025
- 3 min read
We were delighted to be joined by a special guest panel of Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire and Praful Nargund, Director of the Good Growth Foundation, as well as our Member of Parliament, Fabian Hamilton for the Leeds North East Labour Party AGM on Thursday 27th November.
The Mayor gave a rousing speech celebrating the trailblazing work she is leading to build a fairer and more prosperous West Yorkshire. From the Mayor's Fares (bus fares capped at £2.50) to the Fair Work Charter, Tracy is taking action to bear down on the cost of living and help the communities of our region flourish. Combining tangible, local improvements with an authentic presence and approach to communication ("living the lives of the people you represent") was Tracy's recommendation for combating the rise of Reform UK and Green Party over the coming months. She also welcomed measures in the budget that will enhance devolution, such as West Yorkshire's first ever £2 billion integrated funding settlement. Tracy said:
“It’s the culmination of years of hard work and partnership, and shows the government’s confidence in our ability to deliver for our region and the growth mission. This will enable us to take bold, long-term decisions that will transform our economy, create good jobs, and make West Yorkshire an even better place to live and work.”
Praful Nargund gave valuable insights into the sorts of policy and political storytelling that Labour needs to enable both economic growth and political survival. His speech included recommendations for how progressives can respond to rising concerns about immigration, how the OBR can be reformed to fully recognise skills, participation and regional devolution as core drivers of growth, and how housebuilding can be delivered in ways that secure public support. Speaking about the Good Growth Foundation's proposals on skills and migration, Praful said:
"Where jobs are good, pay is fair and training offers people a way forward, immigration is seen as a benefit. Where these are missing, it becomes a source of fear. By championing skills reform - which voters see as a proxy for better jobs and greater opportunity - and using immigration to shift the system in this direction, progressives can tackle the problem at its root."
Fabian Hamilton MP gave an update on his work in Westminster and the constituency. Over the last month he has supported 494 local residents with issues related to housing, welfare, immigration, transport, legal services and more. Fabian celebrated the choices made in the budget such as:
Ending the two child benefit cap, lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty overnight.
Beating the forecasts with growth this year upgraded to 1.5% (from 1%).
Freezing train fares and prescription charges.
Increasing wages more in the first year of this Government than the first decade under the Conservatives.
Cutting the cost of living with around £150 off average energy bills, with the Budget bringing down inflation by 0.4 percentage points.
Cutting NHS waiting lists with 250 new Neighbourhood Health Centres.
Cutting government borrowing every year so interest rates, cut 5 times since the election, can keep falling for cheaper mortgages.
Fabian said:
"It was a truly Labour Budget, with Labour values at its heart. Based on fairness and social justice, there will be no return to austerity with Labour. I accept that there is more to do. People elected us to renew our communities, because they wanted change after years of decline. So, this Budget goes further, strengthening the economy by rejecting austerity and instead making fair and necessary choices – choices for a purpose: building a stronger, fairer country, where living standards rise, child poverty falls and public services are renewed in every corner of Britain
The AGM was an inspiring evening of socialising, learning and discussion. Our monthly CLP meetings resume in January. We look forward to seeing you there.
