May’s cautious words to region

PM careful on commitments

THERESA MAY chooses her words carefully when pressed on what her commitments to Yorkshire will be if the Conservatives win the election, which is both cause for concern and a matter of cautious optimism.

Cause for concern because her enthusiasm for HS3, the fast transPennine link that is vital to our region’s economy and making the Northern Powerhouse a reality, appears to be lukewarm. A cause for cautious optimism because her commitment to HS2 is unequivocal, and she is explicit about giving Yorkshire’s farmers the support they deserve post-Brexit with funding that will be a significant improvement on the Common Agricultural Policy.

It is, though, disappointing that the Prime Minister sidestepped the issue of a devolution deal for Yorkshire, which has become bogged down in party political bickering and rivalries. By promising that her Government would intervene to help break the deadlock and broker a deal that would benefit the whole of Yorkshire and enable it to speak with a unified voice, Mrs May would have demonstrated a real commitment to the future of our county. Instead, she has put the ball back into the court of the parties who have so far proved unable to reach a deal that stands up to scrutiny.

It is, perhaps, characteristic of a Prime Minister whose tenure so far has been marked by her cautious approach that Mrs May is wary of grand gestures given the uncertainties that lie ahead as part of the Brexit process.

But in acknowledging the benefits of HS2 to this region, and demonstrating she understands the vital role agriculture plays in the economy, Mrs May shows that she wishes to help Yorkshire and that is a promising basis for persuading her of the merits of HS3 and the need to expedite a devolution deal.