‘The centre has not delivered' admits Labour, while the Economist calls for the government to 'Free the North'. But does anyone have the courage to end the decades-long hoarding of power in London?
Feels like we're in a bit of a moment with institutional decentralisation. I've been working on this stuff for a decade, so reading the Brown report and subsequent coverage is a bit like watching your favourite band headline Glastonbury after years of seeing them play The Castle.
Excellent article. Now we just need Angela Rayner for PM. No more blue/grey suited University educated, middle aged, white men living in Islington! Let’s have a PM who has walked the walk, female, from the North, highly intelligent.
Superb article. The views of the economists reflect the ones I have come to hold after a fifty year working life. Having seen how Thatcher's policies wrecked our industries and how the market has not provided any kind of replacement or alternative jobs, I am heartened to see both politicians and their advisers recognising the changes that are now imperative for our regions. I sincerely hope these policies are no more than a General Election away.
Superb and frankly hope inspiring article. However I would have to take issue with Andrew Sisson's suggested approach to "tidying up" LG boundaries. Given the objective here is to empower local decision makers, the worst possible way to begin is by enforcing a top down centralist diktat that (for example) Burnley, Blackburn and Preston are going to have to align and merge the way they collect the bins, subsidise bus services, run adult services, etc.. The concept of subsidiarity should (and in many cases- does already) form the basis of where decisions should be made, with local people via their elected officials able to decide to devolve up (or down) decision making to the appropriate level. Central government cannot be allowed to continue to helicopter parent and tinker under the aegis of "getting devolution right", and I would hope that any future settlement would take this into account.
Superb Joshi, and not just because you quoted three of my absolute favourite thinkers on economics and advocates for regional power.
Thanks too for tackling the London media’s obsession with the short term fixes, and therefore pulling out Lords abolition as the headline. Starmer could have said “I’m glad I got your attention, because we’re dead serious about a radical transformation”.
As I start my new adventure as Editor of The Business Desk I am heartened that the importance of this agenda is gaining traction. Like Diane, Mike and David, a lifelong cause worth fighting for. Keep up the great work.
The key to raising living standards is to invest more in the skills required to draw investment into this region.Whilst there are many initiatives focussed upon large cities such as Liverpool.and Manchester peripheral towns are still.ignored or underfunded.The gap in both infrastructure and educational standards funding from Westminster is significant.French cities and regions have benefited from a strong often mayor led pull against Paris but that has taken centuries to achieve.I don't see a new Labour led government as wanting to delegate vastly more funding powers from the centre where it might hold the pose strings and keep control of projects that win votes.
I am trying to get to a letters page as I am looking for contact with any one with information about Strangeways POW camp Rochdale in 1946, and the atrocities which went on there, where my father Rev Urien Evans was chaplain. I have interest from a writer and film crew but some more examples of memories and lived experiences would be of huge importance…Angie Butler ..Cornwall 07748963085
A brilliant article! It was for material like this that I subscribe to The Mill. Thank you!
Feels like we're in a bit of a moment with institutional decentralisation. I've been working on this stuff for a decade, so reading the Brown report and subsequent coverage is a bit like watching your favourite band headline Glastonbury after years of seeing them play The Castle.
Excellent article. Now we just need Angela Rayner for PM. No more blue/grey suited University educated, middle aged, white men living in Islington! Let’s have a PM who has walked the walk, female, from the North, highly intelligent.
Superb article. The views of the economists reflect the ones I have come to hold after a fifty year working life. Having seen how Thatcher's policies wrecked our industries and how the market has not provided any kind of replacement or alternative jobs, I am heartened to see both politicians and their advisers recognising the changes that are now imperative for our regions. I sincerely hope these policies are no more than a General Election away.
Superb and frankly hope inspiring article. However I would have to take issue with Andrew Sisson's suggested approach to "tidying up" LG boundaries. Given the objective here is to empower local decision makers, the worst possible way to begin is by enforcing a top down centralist diktat that (for example) Burnley, Blackburn and Preston are going to have to align and merge the way they collect the bins, subsidise bus services, run adult services, etc.. The concept of subsidiarity should (and in many cases- does already) form the basis of where decisions should be made, with local people via their elected officials able to decide to devolve up (or down) decision making to the appropriate level. Central government cannot be allowed to continue to helicopter parent and tinker under the aegis of "getting devolution right", and I would hope that any future settlement would take this into account.
Superb Joshi, and not just because you quoted three of my absolute favourite thinkers on economics and advocates for regional power.
Thanks too for tackling the London media’s obsession with the short term fixes, and therefore pulling out Lords abolition as the headline. Starmer could have said “I’m glad I got your attention, because we’re dead serious about a radical transformation”.
As I start my new adventure as Editor of The Business Desk I am heartened that the importance of this agenda is gaining traction. Like Diane, Mike and David, a lifelong cause worth fighting for. Keep up the great work.
The key to raising living standards is to invest more in the skills required to draw investment into this region.Whilst there are many initiatives focussed upon large cities such as Liverpool.and Manchester peripheral towns are still.ignored or underfunded.The gap in both infrastructure and educational standards funding from Westminster is significant.French cities and regions have benefited from a strong often mayor led pull against Paris but that has taken centuries to achieve.I don't see a new Labour led government as wanting to delegate vastly more funding powers from the centre where it might hold the pose strings and keep control of projects that win votes.
I am trying to get to a letters page as I am looking for contact with any one with information about Strangeways POW camp Rochdale in 1946, and the atrocities which went on there, where my father Rev Urien Evans was chaplain. I have interest from a writer and film crew but some more examples of memories and lived experiences would be of huge importance…Angie Butler ..Cornwall 07748963085
Excellent article - much better than what I read in the national press. Thank you!