Devolution deal for Hull and East Yorkshire is a positive step - The Yorkshire Post says

The agreement will see the creation of the Hull & East Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, alongside a directly elected mayor for the area with the first mayoral election set to take place in May 2025.

Devolution has the potential to bring many upsides to this corner of Yorkshire. It gives businesses the confidence to invest by providing a structure and accountability around policy.

What it will also do is give East Yorkshire a stronger voice on issues affecting communities there. As we have seen in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and even across the Pennines in Manchester, Mayors can really speak up for their communities.

While the region didn’t get the One Yorkshire deal, which would have really put power in the hands of communities here, East Yorkshire’s deal presents an opportunity for the constituent parts that make up the region to collaborate better and become a powerful economic force.

However, for this to be realised inter-mayoralty collaboration will be key. Mayors should guard against becoming partisan about their own corner of Yorkshire and avoid being pitted against one another.

At the despatch box, the Chancellor sought to change the mood music, clearly in preparation of a General Election next year. While inflation has come down, the public is still feeling the pinch and will continue to do so for some time to come. For example the 2p cut in National Insurance won’t undo the impact of greater inflation. And of course, Britain continues to be trapped in a cycle of low growth.