English devolution

Devolution white paper risks growing nowhere

This article orignally appeared in the Local Government Chronicle.

The growth of England’s economy is at the heart of the government’s vision for devolution. But this is a missed opportunity for Labour to widen the remit of devolution: to see it as not only a chance to rebuild trust in democracy but take a more radical approach to economic change – change that rewires our economic system so that we are less focused on simply increasing the rate of GDP for UK plc and more on increasing the flow, circulation and ownership of wealth in our places.

Whilst more organized than the previous government’s approach, the essential subtext of English devolution remains intact: Westminster will hand over power and resources to mayors – as long as they enlist their regions in the battle to ‘relight the fire’ of GDP growth for UK plc.

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What’s on the table at the council of nations and regions?

This article originally appeared in Labour List

With Keir Starmer due to host his first “council of the nations and regions” later today, and with salary comparisons very firmly off the table, you can’t help but wonder, what will be up for discussion?

Starmer has made no bones about the centrality of mayors and devolved leaders to his programme for government, signalling his intent early doors by visiting them all within five days of being handed the keys of number 10. He’s also clearly set out a remit for the regions, in the form of Local Growth Plans, on which headline thinking is due to be submitted later this month. No doubt these Plans will be in sharp focus today, given that securing investment will be the main theme of the agenda.

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