Liam said:

"Our young people have been sold out twice by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition council. Not only have they sold the playing fields to a supermarket giant for an unwanted and unneeded store, they have agreed a paltry compensation sum.

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Liam Byrne MP today welcomed a huge Government funding boost to get people in Hodge Hill back to work.

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears announced last week that Neighbourhood Renewal Funds will be replaced by a £1.5 billion Working Neighbourhoods grant – targeting areas of high unemployment like Washwood Heath and Shard End. The wards will share in over £113 million to be given to the city over the next 3 years.

The money could help a groundbreaking partnership put together by Byrne to bring together the NHS, the Learning and Skills Council, Job Centre Plus and the City Council to provide medical help and retraining for people on incapacity benefit.

Liam today spoke at the launch of the new West Midlands Economic Strategy and draft Regional Spatial Strategy at the opening of Longbridge Innovation Centre.

The plans will work in tandem to deliver new jobs and new homes for the region. Bringing the two together is a vital first step towards developing a Single Integrated Regional Strategy and the West Midlands is the first region to try something this ambitious.

To read Liam's speech and for a briefing note on the strategies, please click on the West Midlands link on the menu to the right.

To be kept up to date with Liam's work as Minister for the West Midlands, please email Liam.

Liam Byrne MP today argued that Britain needs to put values at the centre of new immigration reforms.

In a speech to think tank, Demos, the Borders and Immigration Minister underlined the vital significance of the values agenda set out by the Home Secretary in her speech yesterday.

Liam said:

“What emerges from the debate I’ve listened to is British reason at its finest. Sophisticated, intelligent views and a profound sense of fairness and tolerance. We are not a nation of Alf Garnetts.

“But the deal we want to put on the table is not unconditional. On the contrary: the rules are unambiguous; speak the language, obey the law, and make sure you're paying your taxes like the rest of us. It is a very British tough-minded fairness.

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To read the whole of Liam's speech please click the link to Liam's Speeches and Publications on the menu to the right.

Local Labour victory – more powers for PCSOs

Liam has proved victorious in his campaign for more powers for police community support officers after new laws announced this week will now mean every police force in the country must give community police twenty standard powers.

Liam said:

"Thank you to everyone who completed the survey and backed our campaign for safer streets and communities - it’s worked! Our superb local police have already cut crime in our area by 13% this year."

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