A bid for the South West to become the 'UK natural powerhouse' has been promised a £1.5million cash boost by the Government just hours before the mass revolt against the outgoing Prime Minister.
The cash comes after years of asking by the Great South West partnership which has lobbied for a sum of £2million to further its ambitions.
It has been welcomed by Karl Tucker, chairman of the Heart of the South West LEP which is a key voice in the Great South West campaign.
He said: "Levelling Up is something that is required irrespective of whether there is an agenda from an particular PM.
"The Great South West initiative is about working up and promoting the opportunities that are here in the region that we seek investment in whether that be from the Government or external FDI or any other investment source. If there is a new PM of any colour in the future with whatever agenda(s) they may have the GSW will be essential for ensuring that we get investment to help our businesses and communities can thrive and deliver significant economic benefit to the UK as a whole."
The then Levelling Up Minister Neil O' Brien confirmed on July 5 that the Government has committed £1.5 million in core funding over the next three years to the Great South West and its activities.
The letter to the co-chairs of the All Party Parliamentary Group, Simon Jupp and Ben Bradshaw , was written by Mr O' Brien the day before he resigned from the Government on July 6.
He added his name to a resignation letter with four other MPs saying that they could no longer stay in post and asked the the PM step aside.
The letter sets out the Government confirmation that the region will be provided with £1.5m over three years to deliver sustainable economic growth.
Chairman of the GSW All Party Parliamentary Group, Simon Jupp, said: "We now have the opportunity to kick-start our plans to bring new jobs and investment across our region.”
The news comes after recognition of the Great South West in the Levelling Up white paper in January.
The cash aims to act on the published aims of The Great South West partnership prospectus that was presented to Downing Street in 2019. It set out plans to deliver £45 billion to the economy and 190,000 jobs by 2035.
The new funding will help the Great South West deliver on its five priorities which are to improve rural productivity, increase trade and investment, drive forward the marine and maritime economy, support for our tourism industry and plans to create a green energy powerhouse.
It comes after a hard-fought campaign, spearheaded by the Western Morning News and key partner Pennon Group, MPs, local authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships, and business leaders.
The Great South West partnership will now progress a robust business case to secure this long-term investment for the region.
Co-Chair of the GSW Ben Bradshaw MP said: "I look forward to working with colleagues to advance the business case at pace.”
Boris Johnson, as caretaker PM, has replaced Mr Gove as Secretary of State for Levelling Up with Greg Clark who has promised stability, taking to Twitter to say he has a duty to ensure that the country has a functioning government in the weeks ahead.
Some commentators have raised questions about what will now happen to the Levelling Up Agenda - which Johnson called the "defining mission" of his government.
Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice at the University of Manchester told the Manchester Evening News that it looked as though "the whole agenda - like all others - is now on ice until a new Conservative leader and Cabinet is in place in the Autumn".
