Yorkshire has a strong voice at the heart of the new government with so many Ministers from the region - David Blunkett
What a contrast to France and, sadly, to the United States four years ago.
There was great unpleasantness, including on social media, but thankfully no assassination attempt.
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Hide AdHowever, the dignity with which Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer treated each other was an exemplar of how to do politics with respect.


It is not winning that distinguishes a democracy from an autocracy, but rather the willingness to accept you've lost. It is the ability to change government, no matter how big a majority they started with, that defines our freedom.
Here in my home city, five of the six representatives covering Sheffield are now women. Eight in South Yorkshire as a whole. 40 per cent of the new House of Commons is made up of female Members – a tremendous contrast to when I entered Parliament in 1987, when there was just a total of 41.
It would be naïve in the extreme to believe that the change of government and the substantial majority Labour now holds will lead to an immediate improvement in the lives of all of us here in Yorkshire. It is clearly going to take time.
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Hide AdBut we do have six substantive Cabinet Ministers, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Rachel Reeves), whose interview in this paper last week demonstrated an understanding of the legacy that she has inherited and the importance of being straight with the British people including here in the North.
In addition we have the Home Secretary (Yvette Cooper), and Hilary Benn, with all his experience, is back in Cabinet as Northern Ireland Secretary.
Then there is Louise Haigh as Transport Secretary – a crucial role in terms of our infrastructure; John Healey has the vital position of Defence Secretary, and Ed Miliband is in charge of achieving net zero. During Gordon Brown's three-year tenure, Ed had overseen the early stages of countering climate change. Now, in a very different world, he carries an enormous responsibility.
I don't suggest for a minute that they can wave a magic wand, or that it would be appropriate that they give priority to Yorkshire.
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Hide AdNevertheless, having that kind of collective voice around the Cabinet table is a massive plus. Understanding and speaking for the North of England really does matter.
Too much of our politics has been based around London focussed issues. Now, backed up by a range of new, and not so new, Members of Parliament across the region, we can hope that, over the next five years, the 5.3 million people who live in God's own country will feel that their voice has been heard.
Sadly, for me, the way in which democracy can sometimes deal an unexpectedly rotten hand, was demonstrated by the defeat of John Grogan in Keighley.
I specifically mention John because of his enormous work in coordinating – both within the Labour Party and across the political spectrum – those who want to work on behalf of Yorkshire.
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Hide AdNo reason why the people of Keighley should have known about his wider work, but as with so many individuals outside the political arena as well as within, his quiet work behind the scenes really does matter.
The message I take from this is that ‘doing good’ does not have to be confined to being seated on the green benches of the House of Commons. Making a difference to the world is the job of all those with the capacity to do it, and the will to work together.
This must be a bottom-up and not just a top-down approach. Keir Starmer bringing together the elected Mayors of Combined Authorities across the country 10 days ago was a good first start.
Genuine devolution with both power and resources will take time but is vital if progress is to be made. Demonstrating that our mayors and local authorities can work together is a prerequisite.
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Hide AdSorting out the contradictions which exist in achieving the new Government's goals will take a little longer than a roundtable in Downing Street. One of those contradictions is the imperative of changing planning law to ‘get things done’, whilst at the same time, promoting the idea of localism.
The clash of interests between listening to and being prepared to respond to the reactions of communities to proposals for new housing, or for power lines to expand and improve the grid sit uneasily with the notion of bulldozing through national priorities laid down from the centre.
But this is all about being in government rather than opposition. The ability to take decisions is critical in order to move forward.
In my eight years in Tony Blair's Cabinet there were many times when ducking a decision would have made my life a lot easier.
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Hide AdTo have done so would have betrayed the people that I represented, and the long-term interests of the country that I love.
Now the baton is in the hands of a new generation, and I know that they, too, will be prepared to take those difficult decisions for a better future for us all.
They will need our understanding and good wishes in the task ahead.
David Blunkett is a Labour Party politician, and served as the MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough.
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