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Cities still matter: the role of urban centres in tackling regional inequality

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Cities still matter: the role of urban centres in tackling regional inequality

18 November 2021, 12.30pm–1:30pm (Online)

Chair: Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist, Institute for Government

Panellists:
Mirko Draca, Director, CAGE Research Centre
Rebecca Riley, Head of Research and Office for Data Analytics, West Midlands Combined Authority
Paul Swinney, Director of Policy and Research, Centre for Cities

This event will be livestreamed via our YouTube and Twitter channels. Viewers can submit questions before and during the event.
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In the post-pandemic UK, the role of cities as centres for productivity, growth, wealth and skills remains as strong as ever. Rising house prices, and the strain this puts on wages, is not deterring people from choosing to live in urban areas. Meanwhile, remote working has not led to the mass exodus to the countryside some commentators expected. But while the pull of urban centres is strong, not all UK cities are equal. London and its surrounding area remains by far the most dominant force in the UK economy.

The government is working on a white paper to tackle this economic inequality and give the regions a boost. CAGE has convened a panel of experts to ask what part cities should play in this agenda:

1. Can the regions challenge the economic dominance of London?
2. Is it better to invest in cities or towns to address regional inequality?
3. Would more regional independence help to strengthen our cities?

This event will mark the launch of a new Policy Report by the CAGE Research Centre: ‘Economic Challenges and Success in the Post-COVID Era’ which includes new research on the impact of COVID on regional structure.