Confront Covid crisis – PM Osborne: Double down on devolution
FORMER CHANCELLOR George Osborne has called on the Government to “double down on devolution” by handing more powers to elected metro mayors like South Yorkshire’s Dan Jarvis and Greater Manchester’s Andy Burnham.
Mr Osborne, the architect of the Northern Powerhouse agenda, told the Great Northern Conference that Boris Johnson needed to be more courageous in giving local leaders the ability to make more decisions in areas like transport, skills, business support and health.
His plea was backed by Sheffield
City Region mayor Mr Jarvis, who said handing over more than just modest resources and powers would help address “the disillusionment and division that have had such a corrosive effect on our bonds as a society and as a country.”
Mr Osborne, who is chairman of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, introduced the idea of metro mayors as part of a series of devolution deals with English regions when he was Chancellor.
He said things were currently “incredibly difficult” because of the lockdown restrictions and tensions between some of the leaders of the northern cities and the Government about what should happen next.
But he said: “If you look beyond that, what I can see is real representation in the North, devolution, delivering leaders of Greater Manchester, of Liverpool, of different parts of Yorkshire, of Teesside, of Tyneside, and so on, and indeed, further south in the Midlands.
“And we now have a national political conversation, where representatives of the North of England are heard on our national news. And that is a fantastic success story.
“I think we need to be more courageous in giving many more powers to these local elected leaders over decisions like transport, like skills, like business support, issues like health care, which we’re seeing, for example, in Manchester, where there’s real control over the NHS, a level of devolution that doesn’t exist anywhere else in England.
“I would want to see us double down on devolution, because I think we’re beginning to see a much more balanced, healthy British society and states where not every single decision is taken in Westminster and other voices are heard. But we’ve got much more to do.”
In his speech, Sheffield City
Region mayor Mr Jarvis took aim at Mr Osborne as he pointed out that the UK had the worst regional disparity of any comparable nation.
He said: “In the five years following the launch of the Northern Powerhouse in 2014, the number of children living in poverty in the North actually increased by a third, to 800,000. “Again, policy has made or threatens to make this worse. Under austerity, public spending fell £ 3.6 billion in the North as it rose £ 4.7 billion in the South- East and South- West.” The Barnsley MP said despite this, the North’s strengths and potential meant it “is already a powerhouse – just one running far below its full capacity”. He said: “The potential rewards are great. It’s estimated that rebalancing national investment could add £ 97 billion to the Northern and national economy by 2050. Failing to realise our potential is not just a waste, it’s an act of national self harm.”
He added: “Overall, devolution in the North and in the UK has been piecemeal, inconsistent and limited. We are still the most centralised large developed country in the world.
“We need a national process of fundamental reform – not just for the North but the whole country. That will help unleash the Northern Powerhouse. But it will also help address the disillusionment and division that have had such a corrosive effect on our bonds as a society and as a country.”
We’re starting to see a much more balanced and healthy society. Former Chancellor George Osborne speaking yesterday.