Place & Influence

PM Regional Visits – Stakeholder Engagement & Place-Based Strategy

Date: Multiple years Duration: 2-4 weeks planning

Organisation: Prime Minister’s Office

Impact Narratives: Legacy in Action, Behind the Gathering

Overview

Oversaw the strategic conception and delivery of multiple Prime Ministerial regional tours—under Gordon Brown and David Cameron—designed to embed national policy in local context, bolster place-based economic strategies, and showcase government commitment to all corners of the UK.

Focus Areas

  • Regional Stakeholder Mapping & Engagement

  • Policy–Community Roundtable Curation

  • Economic Site Showcases & Factory Tours

  • Local Media Partnerships & Narrative Framing

  • Real-Time Policy Feedback Integration

The Challenge

To move beyond ceremonial visits and deliver programmes that elicited actionable insights from regional businesses, civic institutions, and local stakeholders—ensuring that Prime Ministerial presence translated into tangible policy and investment outcomes.

The Approach

Developed multi-tiered itineraries combining: high-profile site visits to key economic assets; minister–industry roundtables co-designed with local MPs and authorities; community forums with SMEs, universities, and workforce representatives; and live polling technology to capture stakeholder priorities. Partnered with regional broadcasters and local press for authentic storytelling, amplifying regional voices back into Westminster.

Specific Examples

North West England (Gordon Brown, 2009): Aligned national manufacturing and skills priorities with the region’s aerospace and automotive clusters, spotlighting the Airbus Broughton plant and convening cross-sector roundtables in Manchester.

Scotland (David Cameron, 2012): Reinforced the UK’s energy and innovation agenda by touring offshore energy facilities in Aberdeen, hosting university–industry innovation panels in Edinburgh, and meeting civic leaders in Glasgow to discuss inclusive growth.

The Outcome

The tours deepened mutual understanding between national government and regional stakeholders, reinforcing the value of place-based policymaking. They informed a series of new initiatives to support local innovation and skills development, elevated voices from outside London into national debates, and established a replicable model for engaging diverse communities in policymaking