Led by Key Cities Chair, Cllr Peter Box CBE, and co-chaired by Conor Burns MP and Emma Reynolds MP, the APPG has been established to provide a forum for Parliamentarians to discuss matters of mutual interest and identify opportunities to promote mid-sized cities and urban areas as engines of economic prosperity and inclusive growth for the UK.

The launch event, which saw the election of officers to formally establish the APPG, was attended by around 40parliamentary and council representatives from across theKey Cities. The New Local Government Network (NLGN)think tank, who are working with Key Cities on developing an updated manifesto and new set of policy proposals, also provided an update on their activities.

Councillor Peter Box CBE, Key Cities Chair, comments, “We are pleased to establish the Key Cities APPG, which will provide a valuable platform for the sharing of information, expertise and solutions between field experts, policymakers and Key Cities stakeholders.

“Since the group’s founding in 2013, we now represent a combined population of over 5.8 million Britons and their economic interests. With the launch of the Key Cities APPG, we are ideally placed to drive discussion and action that will not only improve awareness of the economic contributions of these cities but also address the constraints preventing growth and further prosperity in Key Cities.”