MPs confident of striking a deal

BARNSLEY MP Dan Jarvis described the intervention by Chris Read as a “most reasonable and pragmatic response”.

He said: “I believe that we are now close to securing an agreement across South Yorkshire that would not act as an impediment to a wider Yorkshire settlement, but as a stepping stone to it.”

Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake, who chaired a meeting of the Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire All-Party Parliamentary Group in York yesterday, said afterwards: “I am confident that we will soon reach agreement for our own Yorkshire devolution deal.”

He added: “Without our own devolution agreement, we risk being left further behind.”