Coalition moves region forward

The challenge for the Tories now is to ensure that they do not make the same mistake – and that they can use their new-found influence to advance those policy areas that were ignored, or treated inadequately, by New Labour over the past 13 years.

The formation of a progressive Liberal Conservative coalition, with Nick Clegg becoming Deputy Prime Minister, actually gives Yorkshire a far greater say at the political top table than would otherwise have been the case. This is welcome.

So, too, is the publication of the historic deal that was struck between the two parties. The level of detail, born of necessity, far exceeds the bland platitudes made by previous incoming governments. The omens look encouraging for Yorkshire, and the key policies highlighted by this newspaper's pre-election manifesto.

There will be relief, given the tourism industry's importance locally, that a tax on holiday homes is being dropped – a sign that this Government will try to be pragmatic as it deals with the crippling economic deficit.

The swift decision to scrap the planned third runway at Heathrow Airport, for instance, removes one obstacle in the quest to build a high-speed railway, with Leeds and Sheffield at the heart of the route.

And, in many respects, Chris Huhne's appointment as Energy and Climate Change Secretary is likely to be good news for the evolution of Yorkshire's low carbon economy that could underpin the local economy for decades to come.

Given his anti-nuclear credentials, however, clarification will be required over the massive grant given by Labour to Sheffield Forgemasters to support the area's manufacturing base and pave the way for a new generation of nuclear power stations.

This will be an early test of the new consensus politics. So, too, will the Government's decision on Yorkshire Forward's future role. Those responsible will be primarily Vince Cable and Eric Pickles. Both men are proud of their Yorkshire roots.

Both, however, have been cautious about the RDA's role. The early signs are that the regional development agencies could survive in the North, where their effectiveness is proven, and be scrapped elsewhere.

If this does happen, and Yorkshire's Ministers argue their case in Cabinet, it really will be a triumph for the "new politics" – and its ability to be a force for good in contrast to New Labour's inability, for whatever reason, to fulfil its potential.