Ep 37. Sir Andy Street: The Evolution of Devolution

Welcome to the 'This Is The North' Podcast, your source of transformative conversations. An intentional challenge to the systems holding back the North of England. Hosted by Alison Dunn, an award-winning charity chief executive and former solicitor. This podcast is supported by the Society Matters Foundation and is dedicated to curating and sharing knowledge, powering the change we need for a more equal and inclusive society.

In this episode, Alison sits down with Sir Andy Street, a Conservative who spent seven years proving something Westminster insists is impossible: that cross-party collaboration actually works. Street never had a Conservative majority on his board. Fourteen Conservative MPs, fourteen Labour MPs, and for seven years every single financial decision was taken cross-party. When his own government tried to cancel HS2, he held a press conference outside then-PM Rishi Sunak's hotel and led the 10 o'clock news. Region first, party second.

From being rejected by Birmingham City Council and Marks & Spencer to spending 30 years rising to CEO of John Lewis, Street's path wasn't conventional. He joined John Lewis because they hired "mavericks." He became mayor because it was "an executive job rooted in a place."

Street speaks candidly about "the Rubicon moment", fiscal devolution, holding taxes locally and what he learnt from those seven years. Now chairing Birmingham Rep, he draws parallels with the North: "Newcastle has its proud tradition. You had shipbuilding, coal mining. We didn't. But the stories are basically the same. You need to understand your past to be able to plan your future."

Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:23 Sir Andy Street's Early Career and Aspirations 02:15 Joining and Growing within John Lewis 02:46 The Mutual Model of John Lewis 03:33 Challenges and Successes in Retail 07:11 Transition from Retail to Politics 09:43 The Role and Impact of a Mayor 11:25 HS2 and Infrastructure Challenges 16:53 Reflections on Mayoral Achievements 18:23 Integrity in Leadership 19:21 Challenges of National Collaboration 20:37 The Evolution of Devolution 21:57 Fiscal Devolution and Political Regrets 23:12 Conservative Party Conference Insights 31:05 The Role of Arts and Culture 35:05 Future Prospects and Personal Reflections 36:40 Advice for the Next Generation

In an era when frustration is rising and voices offering complaints without solutions are gaining ground, Street's story reminds us what leadership should look like. Values-led leaders who put people and place before party, who understand that serious problems require serious answers, and who refuse to compromise their integrity for political convenience. Seven years proved what's possible when leaders refuse to compromise their values. The question now is whether we're ready to demand that kind of leadership everywhere.

Host: Alison Dunn Guest: Sir Andy Street

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