One Yorkshire ‘has support in the Cabinet’
SENIOR CABINET Ministers support the idea of one Yorkshire mayor controlling powers and money wrested from Westminster, a leading region-wide devolution supporter has said.
Dan Jarvis also suggested the Treasury was sympathetic to the economic case for One Yorkshire devolution, as outlined in detailed documents supporters submitted to the Government last month, which showed a deal could give the region a £30bn-ayear boost.
The Sheffield City Region Mayor’s comments are thought to refer to the likes of Greg Clark and Philip Hammond who have issued positive statements about One Yorkshire in the past.
Supporters of Yorkshire-wide devolution are pushing for Local Government Secretary James Brokenshire, who has yet to travel to the region or meet any of the figures involved since getting the job in April, to respond to the documents submitted last month.
Mr Jarvis made his comments at a CBI reception for Yorkshire and Humber MPs and business leaders in Westminster yesterday, hosted by Barclays as part of the Northern Powerhouse agenda to stimulate growth across the North.
“We do now have clear economic data which proves the economic case, it proves the value, and I think the Treasury see that and I think that is significant,” the Labour MP said.
Mr Jarvis also repeatedly highlighted the support for One Yorkshire from a cross-party group of 18 out of 20 of the region’s council leaders, as well as “huge support” in the business community and among voters.
“I think Government does have
a responsibility to engage with those people, the leaders who brought that forward,” he said.
“And therefore I very much hope that in the near future – because we know that sat around the Cabinet table there are very senior members of the Cabinet who are supportive of this arrangement – I hope that the Secretary of State James Brokenshire, Jake Berry the Northern Powerhouse Minister, will engage with those leaders who have put forward a very substantial case which is worthy of consideration and worthy of a response.”
Meanwhile, Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake has claimed that Yorkshire leaders are “dismayed” at the lack of a response from Mr Brokenshire.
“We are yet to have agreement or any real response from James Brokenshire after we requested to meet with him,” she told a meeting.
“The dismay of this is felt across 18 significant authorities have yet to secure a meeting with Secretary of State – I’m not sure he has actually even visited Yorkshire since his appointment.
“We have put forward an independent economic case which clearly gives an account of the benefits that will come to Yorkshire as a result of the devolution deal.”
Mr Jarvis was joined on the panel of the CBI/Barclays event by Tory MP for Shipley Philip Davies and Labour MP and Commons Business Committee chair Rachel Reeves.
Mr Davies outlined his opposition to a One Yorkshire deal, arguing that it will never reconcile differences between different areas.
He said: “My constituents complain about being part of Bradford Council because Bradford Council spends all of its money in Bradford and doesn’t spend any of it in Shipley and Keighley.
“So if you get that kind of resentment in an area just confined to the Bradford district, just imagine the tensions you are going to get across the whole of Yorkshire.”