Labour and Lib Dems declare support for One Yorkshire devolution

THE LIBERAL Democrats would bring in a law to make it possible for a Yorkshire Parliament to be established, if they won next month’s General Election.

The party’s manifesto, unveiled on Wednesday, set out how Jo Swinson would bring forward legislation to allow areas to set up devolved governance – specifically a Yorkshire Parliament, which would build on the One Yorkshire campaign.

The manifesto said: “In some areas of England there is a greater appetite for powers, but not every part of the country wants to move at the same speed and there cannot be a one-size fits-all approach.

“All areas should however have access to the same opportunities and mayoral authorities should not be ranked higher in terms of the powers with which they can be granted.”

But it also suggested if one local authority was blocking a deal going forward, such as with Sheffield and Rotherham with One Yorkshire, they could be overruled. The manifesto said: “We will proceed by consensus as far as possible but will not allow one local authority to veto a coherent proposal.”

Meanwhile, Labour committed to “decentralise decision-making and strengthen local democracy”. Their manifesto, released yesterday, said: “We reiterate our commitment to One Yorkshire, and will make directly elected mayors more accountable to local councillors and elected representatives.”

Arianna Giovannini, Interim Director of IPPR North, said: “A full commitment to devolution to all areas across England, starting from a One Yorkshire devolution deal, reflects a need identified by IPPR North research. When the North prospers, so does the nation, and all places across England – from towns to cities to counties – should have access to real powers and resources.”