Ministers emphasise the need to create new manufacturing jobs. But from law and accountancy to retail and hospitality, the UK economy is predominantly services-based – with many high value services jobs concentrated in the South East.

So how can the services sector contribute to economic growth across the UK? What can the government do to help service sector clusters thrive outside London and the South East? And is the government getting the balance right between focusing on manufacturing and services?

To discuss these questions and more:

• Bim Afolami MP for Hitchin and Harpenden
• Bhavina Bharkhada, Head of Policy at Make UK
• John Cooper, Partner, Public Law & Regulation at Gowling WLG
• Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

#IfGlevellingup

We would like to thank Gowling WLG for their support for this event.

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