I have spoken for many years about declining high streets in our towns. A declining high street is a visible symbol of a town's relative prosperity and people feel that decline very deeply. @BBCPanorama
If the local population is ageing and/or struggling to make ends meet, the high street responds accordingly by replacing flagship retailers with discount stores.
Many of our towns are ageing rapidly. They are thus being stripped of the spending power required to sustain a vibrant mix of high street retailers. Which is one of the reasons why I've been passionately advocating for our towns.
The good news is that some good work is taking place. Many Labour councils are keenly aware of this challenge and are trying to meet it. As I've always said, people in towns are the best resource we have. Empowering and resourcing them is important.
Our towns are each unique. A one-size-fits-all approach will fail. Strategic responses to high street decline shouldn't follow a template which results in dozens of identikit towns which all look the same.
We know what works. Good local leadership and a joined up plan which includes local people. A diverse local population with the disposable income to sustain a mix of retail outlets. Good jobs, good transport links, affordable housing.
The role of government is to facilitate and enable local decision making and action. Where national organisations are involved, they must engage locally rather than from a desk many miles away.
When it comes to high streets, @UsdawUnion's campaign 'Save Our Shops' has done brilliant work on behalf of the retail workers they represent. Read about their work here: usdaw.org.uk/Campaigns/Save…
