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Blair snubs North equality drive
ROAD TO RUIN Accept second-best rather than compete with London and the South, says PM in shock message
Simon McGee
Political Editor
PRIME Minister Tony Blair told Yorkshire and the north of England last night to end the obsession with working towards economic parity with London and the South and effectively settle for second place.
The Prime Minister delivered a bombshell to Yorkshire's economic development aspirations by insisting that English regions should focus on their own progress rather than comparing their success or otherwise with the most prosperous part of the country.
Mr Blair turned on the concept, as he saw it, of "pitting one region against another", after he was challenged by the Yorkshire Post to say whether he believed enough had been done in his nine-and-a-half years in power to close the still gaping chasm between north and south.
Mr Blair insisted that the North had "come a long way" in recent years, but his comments will come as a surprise to many in central and local Government, and other key Yorkshire players, who have long considered the prosperous South to be a suitable benchmark against which to measure progress.
The comments suggested that he did not believe the region's calls for a more equitable transport infrastructure settlement for the region – championed by the Yorkshire Post Road to Ruin campaign – were justified on the basis of fairness between regions.
Speaking to a lunch of regional political editors in London, he said: "I think the most important thing is to look at the strength of a region like the...northern region.
"Look at the strength of it over the past few years and worry less about whether, if you take London as a whole or the South East as a whole ...and just look at the degree to which we have moved in terms of the economy and public services and so on over the past few years.
He added: "We have come a long way in the North. The way the North has restructured its economy over the past 20 years has been one most remarkable stories anywhere in Europe and I think the North...can be optimistic and upbeat about its future today."
He added: "Sometimes I think it is more sensible to analyse the disparities within regions and see how you help that rather than pitting one region against another."
The Prime Minister also underlined his personal support for key proposals, due in the upcoming Local Government Bill, for setting up English city regions, like the emerging ones around Leeds and Sheffield, and a radical extension of executive mayors for local council governance.
He said: "Proposals Ruth Kelly (Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government) put forward allow people to move to city-wide region structure and it will over time also encourage greater use of mayors.
"Personally, I think the mayoral system the right way forward and I know it's not popular in every quarter, including my own party, but personally I think cities will benefit from having a strong directly elected mayor.
Mr Blair also turned to recent grassroots pressure on the subject of an English Parliament by saying he would be "surprised" if people really did want to break up the Union of England and Scotland: "I think just to break the Union would be completely regressive step, totally wrong and totally contrary to where the modern world is living, which is countries moving closer together," he said.
Mr Blair acknowledged that if people in England were asked if they wanted a Parliament like Scotland's they would overwhelmingly agree.
But he added: "I think to then take it a step further and say, 'Actually we want to bust up the UK'... no, I don't think people want to bust up the UK."
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YESTERDAY'S RESULT
Should Tony Blair apologise over Britain's role in the slave trade?
Yes 48% No 52%
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YOUR VIEWS:
Andrew Cooper, Wakefield: "Tony Blair said if the English were given the opportunity they would vote for an English parliament. However Blair Cameron Campbell Brown Reid etc all refuse to give the English this option. It was good enough for the Scots and Welsh, good enough for the Northern Irish but not for the English even though all recent polls show an overwhelming demand for one. Are our politicians only unionists when it comes to England, is England the lavetory of Britain to be used in such a manner. We only need one tier of politicians and that is a tier of English politicians in an Enlgish parliament putting English intrests in front of Scottish and EU intrests. MP Frank Field has tabled Early Day Motion 670 noting that voters have put the issue of an English parliament at the top of their priorities for constitutional reform. Will your MP be supporting this motion or will they cow tow to the over heavy representation of Scottish MPS at Westminster fearful
of losing their Unionist paypacket and having to fight for a place in a Scottish parliament run by Scottish Nationalist party."
Andrew Coooper, Wakefield: "So Mr Blair states the English people would vote for an English Parliament, but not vote to break the union. However much I may disagree what has one to do with the other? He allowed Scotland a parliament without bringing the question of the Union being broken up. So to refuse the same treatment for the English smacks of hypocracy. Maybe this Edinburgh born man with his top heavey Scottish cabinet feel that it is fair to treat Scotland preferably to England. With the inequality of the west lothian question and barnet formula i think they surely do."
Will Hanlon, Huddersfield: "So now its official, blair denies democracy to the English. In your recent report the prime minister accepts that if the English people were offered the chance of an English parliament they would probably accept it,however this will continue to be denied to us,on the basis of this somehow breaking up the uk.why is it then that scotland has its own parliament? why are we refered to as regions only? we are a nation in our own right and demand a parliament just like scotland has."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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