Devil in the
detail over
devolution

IT’S good news that Ed Miliband is raising the possibility of devolution to the North (Yorkshire Post, February 3). As you note in your Editorial “the road to devolution is paved with good intentions” but at least he’s talking about it. The Devil is, however, in the detail. What sort of devolution is Ed thinking of?

If it’s just giving a few more powers to local authorities or unelected “combined authorities” it won’t be enough.

Real devolution must be on the same basis as the devolution enjoyed by Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. That is, directly-elected assemblies with real power backed up by substantial resources. That means a major shift from the sort of centralised control the North has suffered from.

But there is a caveat. People are unlikely to accept another tier of government unless central government becomes much smaller. In other words, let’s have real devolution which doesn’t cost a penny more. If Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London itself already have significant devolution, there will come a tipping point when we don’t need a large civil service cocooned in Whitehall.

We need to start thinking seriously about what an “England of the regions” would look like and what initial powers it should have. Our preference would be transport and strategic economic development, with a pan-Northern Assembly that has the size, expertise and sheer clout to compete with the economy of London and the South-East.

Yorkshire needs to build a powerful alliance with the North-West and North-East and that implies not only better transport connections east-west, but also much more collaboration in higher education, research and development and manufacturing, encouraged and supported by a single Northern Assembly. As Scotland debates independence, the North needs to get its act together or risk being further marginalised.

Expert wrong
about climate

From: Granville Stockdale, Hardwick Street, Kingston Upon Hull.

REGARDING climate change, and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, I thank Dr John D Rayner for informing us (Yorkshire Post, February 3) that “...the figure for CO2 has been established through the geological record to have been stable at around 280 ppm for many millennia until about 150 years ago, since when it has increased to nearer 350 ppm”.

No doubt that levels of C02 have increased recently, but could Dr Rayner explain why – if levels of this gas remained the same for a long, long time – the climate of the last interglacial period (the ‘Ipswichian’) was probably warmer than at present?

Evidence includes the remains of straight-tusked elephant, rhinoceros, hyena, and hippopotamus. Three of the latter were uncovered at Wortley, Leeds. In addition, mean sea level was around one metre above that obtaining today, suggesting that a considerable amount of ice had melted. Pollen and insect remains suggest at least a temperate climate. So far geologists have yet to discover the remains of cars, coal-powered electricity plants and so on. Perhaps they will.

From: Richard Phillips, Wickham Heath, Newbury

BERNARD Ingham is absolutely correct in his analysis of our lunatic electricity generating policy (Yorkshire Post, January 29). None of the architects of this policy have any knowledge at all of the science or engineering involved with electricity generation, they listen only to the renewable energy lobby – presumably in the hope of enjoying a comfortable sinecure in that industry when they vacate their Ministerial posts.

Sir Bernard omitted only one facet of this farce, there has been no global warming for at least 16 years. The global warming ascribed to carbon dioxide, whose concentration continues to rise, has been overwhelmed by other natural effects. We need have minimal worries concerning CO2, indeed it is the first building block of every gramme of food which passes our lips, we would not exist without it.

And this tomfoolery by HMG is driving the nation into penury.

Pickles enemy
of the North

From: Coun Dean Kirk, Bowlalley Lane, Hull.

I have no respect for Eric Pickles.Considering this man was a councillor, he has done nothing but try and destroy local councils since being in power.

This man, who is a Yorkshireman from Keighley, is certainly happy to see northern cities destroyed and maintain the north and south divide.

As Communities Secretary, he is hitting the worst-off areas harder.

Hull will see over the next two years a government grant funding reduced by £48m.

How can a local authority carry on delivering vital services which people rely on, with these unacceptable amount of cuts?

I bet his great-grandfather, one of the founders of the independent Labour Party, will be turning in his grave knowing the destruction he causes to the local councils across the country.