Two of the country’s biggest banks, Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group, have announced that they are closing another 63 branches across the country, following an earlier raft of closures at the beginning of 2023.

It was a little over a decade ago - whilst at school - that I became familiar with Young Enterprise, as an opportunity to start your own business. It can be seen as a daunting task, but if we can embed the social norm of entrepreneurship across our country, it can be a powerful opportunity to drive social mobility.

Access to more detailed regional data will help deliver more effective social mobility strategies across the country.

NHS leaders have voiced concerns that the continued delay in the publication by the Government of an NHS workforce plan is leaving the NHS in limbo.

The roundtable was an opportunity for the Minister to learn more about the work of private sector Purpose Coalition organisations and the benefits of Young Enterprise for teachers and young people across the UK.

Fundamentally, whether you call it improving opportunities, social mobility, levelling up, or something else entirely, it means the same thing - regenerating communities and delivering change.

As we approach the next election, health will remain a crucial battleground. It’s one of the most important issues facing voters, and any political party putting themselves up for election without a clear plan to deliver the health services people want to see is unlikely to win.

Ramsay Health Care is in a particularly unique position as the largest independent healthcare provider in the country - with over 35 sites across England. It’s comprehensive partnerships with the NHS, large-scale workforce and connection’s with the local community means it has the potential to affect profound change across a range of our Purpose Goals.

Universities play a crucial role in their local areas, outside their primary function of providing degree-level education for their students. The best, purpose-led universities also improve standards in schools and drive economic growth in their communities.

This week, Leader Sir Keir Starmer and Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting unveiled their ‘NHS mission’. It’s a key battleground that undoubtedly commands the public’s attention but its success is also vital to the social and economic recovery of the country.

As the main political parties begin to lock horns on what are likely to be the big manifesto issues of a general election the NHS remains the hot topic, with workforce recruitment and retention at the top of the list.

“Are you thinking what we’re thinking?”. In the 2005 General Election that was the question that Conservative leader Michael Howard asked voters in posters on billboards around the country.

This week I was delighted to welcome Labour’s Shadow Minister for Business and Industry, Bill Esterson MP, to a Purpose Coalition roundtable with senior representatives from leading business members of the Coalition, including Travelodge’s Chief People Officer Hannah Thompson, UK Power Networks’ Director of HR Andrew Pace, and Head of Government Relations at Pearson Education Daniel Pedley.

The University of Chester has formally launched its Levelling Up Impact Report to senior academics, policy makers, plus local government officials and business leaders at the law school’s new base in the Wheeler Building.

Dame Caroline served as Minister for Women and Equalities, working with Purpose Coalition Chair Rt Hon Justine Greening to implement Gender Pay Gap reporting regulations which came into force in April 2017. She also previously served as Minister at the Department for Health, and, most recently, as Minister of State for Digital and Culture. 

Labour’s Shadow Minister for Business and Industry, Bill Esterson MP, has joined leading Purpose Coalition businesses for a roundtable to discuss the party’s approach to engaging with the business community, the importance of social mobility, and how the next Labour government can learn next practice from business. 

Matthew McPherson reviews what might come from a Labour reshuffle, and sets out why Keir Starmer needs a punchier front bench with ‘more Wes Streeting’s’ to take his message to the country.

As prime minister, Rishi Sunak has had some success in steadying the ship after the disastrous mini-budget of his predecessor, Liz Truss. But it’s not going to be enough. Running Britain isn’t the same as leading it. And to lead Britain over the next 12 months, the Conservative party will need to win the battle of ideas and set out a compelling vision of how to deliver them.

While political commentary on local election results is always caveated with a warning against extrapolating them to predict general election outcomes, it doesn’t stop numerous column inches being published about what they mean for the prospects of the main political parties.

A major new Purpose Coalition advocacy campaign was launched today by Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting MP, alongside former Health Ministers Rt Hon Dame Caroline Dineage MP, Rt Hon Anne Milton, and former Member of Sir Keir Starmer’s Shadow Cabinet Nick Forbes CBE.