YP Letters: A Yorkshire parliament is the devolution we really need

From: Stewart Arnold, Leader, The Yorkshire Party, Stratton Park, Swanland.
Should Yorkshire have its own parliament?Should Yorkshire have its own parliament?
Should Yorkshire have its own parliament?

Tom Richmond is right, the last thing we want when we get Yorkshire devolution is local council leaders, most of whom have spent the last two years squabbling with each other, emerging as our political leaders (The Yorkshire Post, August 15).

However, an elected mayor does not capture the imagination either. After all in May, the people of Greater Manchester were hardly enthused by the idea, as barely a quarter voted in the election for their metro mayor. The new metro mayors haven’t shown much evidence of diversity either. All seven of the metro mayors across England are men. Compare that with the Scottish Parliament where three out of the four main party leaders are female, one of them being the First Minister of course.

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If we want real diversity, reflecting Yorkshire’s community, then an assembly or parliament is the answer. It would go a long way to renewing politics. If we want the dynamism and skills many business leaders will bring, then by all means let them stand for election. That’s democracy.

From: Ken Redshaw, Wentworth Drive, Harrogate.

I REFER to Tom Richmond’s column (The Yorkshire Post, August 15). We must stop complaining about the obvious gap in all investment, particularly transport. We must, as a county, bring together business and politicians in a ‘coalition of the willing’.

I understand in France where regional transport is the norm, businesses often willingly contribute towards issues such as parking. If businesses are seeing the importance of transport links, why cannot they form transport partnerships to possibly proceed with the greener and often cheaper electrification of the York-Leeds-Harrogate-York line which still has Victorian infrastructure between Knaresborough and York? My main wish is that we all stop moaning about the gap and begin to realise that we have so many wonderful things “up north” and get working together.

From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.

YORKSHIRE has had a raw deal from all governments. I would point out, however, that Labour was in power for 13 years while holding the vast majority of seats up here. Labour, therefore, bears the lion’s share of responsibility.

Political rivalry within Labour ranks has also delayed or blocked the establishing of a mayor with special powers.