The West of England will be home to a new "creative media" cluster, and West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris will be handed new powers over "skills, transport, planning and culture" in a plan laid out today by Sir Keir Starmer - if Labour wins the next election.

In his new year speech, the Labour leader pledged to devolve new powers to metro mayors building on the work of the Commission On The UK’s Future, led by former PM Gordon Brown. The next Labour Government would build on the success of the West of England's MyWorld which marries creative media production, technology and research to build the new creative cluster.

Responding to the speech, Mayor Norris said: “Today we heard a powerful speech from Sir Keir which set out an equally powerful and serious future-focused plan to spread control out of Westminster to metro mayors like myself. This would be nothing less than a devolution revolution. Across the West of England, and the country, people are hungry to see decisions made in their areas. Already as Metro Mayor I have some significant responsibilities for transport and skills and training, but we need London-style devolution to ensure I have the powers to make our region even better. The West of England is my home and I’m absolutely determined for it to be the best it can possibly be. This is the right level of ambition from Labour and shows above all else that it’s time for a government that gets the need for a new approach to politics and democracy, and that cares about the working people of our great region. Only Labour can deliver this plan for national renewal, and the economy and the politics the people of the West of England need and deserve”.