Keir Starmer: We're closing the door on broken 'levelling up' promises with new devolution plan for Yorkshire and beyond
Just a few days after Labour won the General Election in July, I invited every regional Mayor to Downing Street – Labour or Tory. It was a statement of intent.
After decades of power-hoarding from national governments, I was determined to reset the relationship between Westminster and the great cities, towns and counties of England.
Today, I set out a vision that delivers on that ambition with a plan to unlock the potential of every corner of our country.
First and foremost, this is about economic growth. Putting money in the pocket of working people - wherever they live in Britain - is the number one priority in the Government’s Plan for Change.
But devolution is crucial for realising this mission. After all, England is one of the most centralised countries in the world. And it’s no coincidence that a political system which hoards power goes hand-in-hand with an economy that hoards potential.
It's common sense – people with skin in the game make better decisions about their communities. They know their patch. They understand the problems. And they’re best placed to deliver the solutions their community and our country needs.
So what does devolution mean in Yorkshire?
It means more control and democracy – decisions about your high street, your economy, your services in your hands. It means a simpler and more efficient way of doing politics – less bureaucracy and fewer politicians. It means strong new powers for your mayor in housing, planning, transport, energy, skills and employment support, backed up with the funding they need to deliver.
And it means the end of a destructive “Westminster knows best” mentality, which tries to pit councils against one another or micro-manages local decisions.
Take transport. The Mayor of London has long enjoyed sweeping transport powers that allow the full integration of rail, bus, tube and tram services. This has led to London having one of the best public transport systems in the world, with bus services typically cheaper than other parts of England.
As part of our vision, those powers will belong to every mayor in the country including across Yorkshire. In West Yorkshire, for example, Labour Mayor Tracy Brabin is bringing buses back under public control to put passengers first.
Or take skills. Every city, region or country in this country has a distinctive local economy. In Yorkshire, we know that financial services, clean energy and green industries are vital for business and growth. The question is - who is best placed to decide the employment support and skills policies which work for the people of Yorkshire? The Mayor who meets with local businesses day in day out? Or bureaucrats in Whitehall who might visit once a year?
The answer is obvious - to boost growth, mayors and councils in Yorkshire need the powers to support people into good jobs and boost businesses. This plan will give them that.
In South Yorkshire, for example, Labour Mayor Oliver Coppard is running a health-led employment programme that has seen over 2,500 people get back into work. In York and North Yorkshire, Labour Mayor David Skaith has announced a £10 million Carbon Negative Challenge Fund. This will accelerate their transformation to become England’s first carbon negative region, bringing growth and good local jobs.
But it may also start to repair the broken contract between people and politics. As I said on the steps of Downing Street when first elected, people want action not words. Time and again, they have made it clear they want more control over their lives and their communities. And time and again, they’ve been let down by politicians who talk lots and deliver little. Never more so than with the previous Government’s now infamous “levelling up” slogan.
Today, we close the door firmly on that kind of politics. This is a landmark moment – the biggest transfer of power out of Westminster for a century. Yet it is a quiet revolution, not a noisy one. A practical plan that will put money in your pocket and unlock your community’s potential. But more importantly, that will change our country from the grassroots up, by trusting Yorkshire to take control of its story once more.
Because it wasn’t some central planner in Whitehall who founded some of our most iconic businesses – from Yorkshire Tea to Marks and Spencer. And it wasn’t Westminster politicians who made Yorkshire famous for everything from Wensleydale to the Yorkshire Pudding.
Of course, central government must always provide a strong foundation and a clear direction for the nation. But the local pride that fires the potential of Yorkshire has never been in the gift of national politicians or Prime Ministers. Rather it is built up over the decades by the people, businesses and workers of a community. In short, we recognise that success depends upon a partnership.
Today, we launch a new plan to give Yorkshire more power and control over its future. But more importantly we turn the page on our national story. And commit to writing the next chapter together.
Keir Starmer is Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party