God’s own country?
Radical plan to turn Yorkshire into a ‘nation within a nation’
PROUD Yorkshire folk may refer to their homeland as God’s own county – but could they soon be heading towards being a nation in their own right?
Momentum is building to devolve major powers to the region that will unify it as a ‘country within a country’.
The historic county, split into multiple council areas, could gain a powerful single mayor who will make key decisions and hope to rival London for foreign investment and government funds.
Devolution has long been talked about in the White Rose county, which has a similar population to Scotland, as a means to overcome perceived regional inequalities.
With an economy bigger than 11 EU nations and a sporting prowess that puts larger countries to shame, Yorkshire already punches above its weight in the world.
Its annual GDP is almost twice that of Wales and last year, with a population of 5.3million, Yorkshire-born athletes claimed more gold medals at the Rio Olympics than Canada – home to 35million people.
Sheffield’s Jessica Ennis-Hill finished her glittering career with a silver at the heptathlon in Rio, having taken gold in Super Saturday at the London 2012 Olympics.
The radical Yorkshire Devolution plan, written by senior civil servants, currently has the backing of 17 of the region’s 20 council leaders.
If implemented, an elected mayor will control a £3billion budget over 30 years and make spending decisions on transport, education and benefits. The county would also have the ability to set local business rates, united under a One Yorkshire banner.
The mayor would lead a cabinet made up of Yorkshire’s local authority leaders, according proposals authored in part by Leeds City Council chief executive Tom Riordan. The document, obtained by The Sunday Times, said: ‘The UK’s – and particularly England’s – centralised political and economic system has not served Yorkshire well.’
As with other mayors, such as those elected this year in Liverpool, Manchester and Teesside, supporters of One Yorkshire hope it will give the region a greater voice in Whitehall and abroad.
The post is expected to be highly coveted politically. Possible Labour contenders include former minister and Strictly contestant Ed Balls, while the Tories are said to be eyeing former party leader and proud son of Rotherham, Lord Hague.
They would be tasked with doubling Yorkshire’s economy from a £ 113billion annual income to £200billion within 30 years. Historically Yorkshire has always been divided into three ridings – north, east and west – but its borders for ceremonial counties, local government districts and unitary authorities have changed many times over the years.
And local rivalries have scuppered recent attempts to devolve spending to the region under the Northern Powerhouse project. Last month a £900million devolution deal for the Sheffield city region collapsed when Doncaster and Barnsley pulled out.
The same disunity led to former prime minister David Cameron saying: ‘We just thought people in Yorkshire hated everyone else, we didn’t realise they hated each other so much.’
Sheffield and Rotherham, who currently favour a South Yorkshire mayor, could also cause problems for the One Yorkshire idea despite it reportedly having the cautious support of Chancellor Philip Hammond.
The plan would also see Yorkshire given control of lottery funding, Wakefield College gain university status and the Humber Bridge toll scrapped to ‘ increase the flow of people, products and services’. MPs will discuss the plans tomorrow in a Commons debate tabled by Labour’s John Grogan.
The Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry will also reveal the Government’s position. It has previously ruled out a deal for the whole of Yorkshire.
Mr Grogan, MP for Keighley, believes Yorkshire could become a rival to London as it bids for foreign investment. He said: ‘Yorkshire is an internationally known brand – in India, people know us through the cricket.’
Dan Jarvis, Labour MP for Barnsley Central, said the plan could unlock £3billion of investment, adding: ‘Decisions that are critical to our future have been taken in London with little regard for the communities they affect. Devolution of power gives us the opportunity to change this.’
‘Internationally known brand’