Prime Minister backs Camden’s ambitions for inclusive economic growth at business event
The Prime Minister today (Friday 16 January) joined the Leader of Camden Council, senior business leaders and local apprentices at an event focused on growing Camden’s economy in a way that creates inclusive opportunity for all residents.
The event, hosted by Camden Council at Victoria House in Bloomsbury Square, brought together leaders from key businesses and institutions to agree shared commitments to unlock inclusive economic growth in Camden.
Camden is uniquely placed as a major driver of the London and national economy, generating around £35 billion a year and supporting more than 430,000 jobs. However, around 40 per cent of children in Camden grow up in poverty, and many residents face barriers to accessing secure, well-paid work.
Speaking at the event, the Council Leader, Cllr Richard Olszewski, said the central challenge was ensuring that new prosperity is shared fairly and that more residents get access and opportunities for well-paid, secure work.
Many Camden businesses are already demonstrating leadership in this space - creating apprenticeships, working with schools, investing in innovation and supporting community wealth initiatives. This event was about building on that momentum and going further.
The Prime Minister’s attendance highlighted the importance of partnerships between national government, local government and businesses in achieving this and creating the economic opportunities that will improve the lives of working people.
Camden is a place of creativity, productivity, ingenuity and economic strength.
Achieving inclusive growth and tackling inequality is a central part of our work in Government, so it has been fantastic to visit Camden today to see how Camden Council is working with residents, with anchor institutions and with businesses of all sizes, and across sectors, to shape a borough where everyone can have access to the benefits of economic strength.
Camden is a place of extraordinary economic strength, but the wealth generated in the borough is not yet delivering flourishing childhoods, or the opportunities and the security our residents deserve. Here, we refuse to accept inequality as the price of success.
Today, alongside the Prime Minister and key institutions and businesses, we committed to act as a shaper of our economy, not a bystander. Inclusive growth does not happen by accident and cannot be left solely to market forces. Camden will set clear ambition and standards, shape development and influence investment, so that every pound of value generated locally benefits our communities. That ambition was met with a strong and positive response from the business leaders we brought together today.
We celebrate and encourage responsible employers and social investors, but we will also challenge those who extract value without contributing back. And we will champion the next generation of productive, mission-driven sectors. Camden will be a place where climate technology, life sciences, health technology and civic innovation grow in ways that create real jobs and real value.
Businesses and institutions attending the event were invited to act as civic partners and support four priority areas:
• Creating new apprenticeship and employment opportunities
• Strengthening the Camden STEAM talent pipeline
• Backing the £30 million Camden Community Wealth Fund
• Helping expand the We Make Camden Kit that enables residents to lead change in their communities.
Camden Council will now work with partner businesses and institutions to turn discussions into tangible commitments that will support these priority areas and the growth of an inclusive local economy.