Jamie's Story

Jamie, 31, from Leigh and Atherton in the North West, wanted to retrain in construction to help build the homes his community desperately needs. Training providers had unfilled places while local housing targets remained unmet, but HM Treasury's approach to infrastructure spending created an artificial constraint. Central government treats construction investment as a deficit risk rather than recognizing it as the mechanism that puts skilled workers like bricklayers, electricians, and plumbers into jobs building homes that already have planning permission. The workers were available, the training capacity existed, but Westminster's spending choices left both Jamie and his community blocked. This episode examines how monetary policy decisions in Whitehall directly impact working people's career prospects and housing delivery in former mining communities. Producer disclosure: This podcast advocates for full employment policies and increased public investment.