COMMENT: All of Yorkshire must lobby Whitehall together, not break down over devolution

BUSINESS and local government leaders across Yorkshire need no convincing of the merits of devolution. Their quibble is with the political squabbles that go with it.
Tour De France proves what can be achieved when Yorkshire comes togetherTour De France proves what can be achieved when Yorkshire comes together
Tour De France proves what can be achieved when Yorkshire comes together

The call by local government leaders from across the country for further devolution to local communities after we leave the European Union will be welcomed in our region.

Each of the four quarters of Yorkshire has its own distinctive identity, challenges and needs, yet they have much in common. More unites West, East South and North Yorkshire than divides them.

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Whilst a debate about how best to deliver devolution is necessary, one thing is clear. Yorkshire’s great strength is its collective identity, which is the most potent and identifiable brand of any region in the country.

The Tour De France - an example of One Yorkshire thinkingThe Tour De France - an example of One Yorkshire thinking
The Tour De France - an example of One Yorkshire thinking

We are strongest when we speak up for the county with a single voice, and much more likely to be listened to by the Government than if Whitehall hears a discord of competing claims.

Political quarrels about the form of devolution are a frustration to the business community, which is keen to maximise the opportunities for the benefit of the whole region.

And it is those opportunities that should be kept at the forefront of the minds of everybody involved in debating how best to deliver devolution not only for those living in our cities but also our rural heartlands.

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We have many great assets but surely our greatest is the Yorkshire brand itself.

The Tour De France - an example of One Yorkshire thinkingThe Tour De France - an example of One Yorkshire thinking
The Tour De France - an example of One Yorkshire thinking

Regional control of funds, and the power to decide where money is spent to create the best outcome for the maximum number of people is the tempting prize on offer. It is ours for the taking if we are united.