One Yorkshire devolution opens the way to a better life for everyone - Yorkshire Post Letters

Labour Party Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP's ‘Mission For Yorkshire Growth’ article in The Yorkshire Post on March 4, 2023 is a welcome political signal but Britain needs substance, not shallow rhetoric.

The MP did much to clarify Labour's position in Yorkshire. Her highlighting of Yorkshire's incredible SME businesses, of the modern and historical technical and engineering skills our shire is famous for, alongside recognising Yorkshire Agricultural exports, does much to reassure young Yorkshire Tykes like me that the Labour Party is not just a London facing organisation and does indeed recognise some of the brilliance which lies outside of the M25 and Westminster Village bubble.

A promise from Rachel Reeves MP, Leeds West, that a Labour government will Invest in offshore wind in Hull, green steel at Sheffield Forgemasters and a commitment to increase corporation and profit tax on North Sea energy companies in line with taxation levels of Norway are sound economic policies.

It will do much to change the United Kingdom from a country which works only for rich Southern shareholders in the City of London, to a country which works for the needs of regular folk and businesses, while capitalising on the free energy our land gives to us.

Providing weapons to assist the fight against the existential triple threat of climate ecological collapse, our Russian energy dependence and reliance on polluting Chinese manufacturing.

The success and championing of smaller and medium sized firms is vital to securing our country's economic and social stability while we recover from Brexit, pandemic, and the Ukraine crisis.

Yorkshire SMEs and community businesses are and always have been the hard grafting backbone of the British economy and it's important that the Labour Party is beginning to recognise that.

However, it is troubling and problematic that Rachel Reeves did not once mention Yorkshire Devolution while explaining what she would do as British Chancellor, given the overwhelming academic evidence and on the ground proof of the benefits which even limited devolution brings.

The fact that Rachel Reeves does not seem to regard devolution as vital in a Labour-run political system should send alarm bells to businesses and voters all across Yorkshire and Great Britain.

I just hope that Sir Keir Starmer's Labour does not miss the bus on devolution, for a failure to grasp it with both hands would be a disaster for regional equality and the wealth of the British nations.

Devolution, One Yorkshire devolution is the true ‘Mission for Growth’ in Britain, and it's already been proven to make people better off and live longer in Manchester's devolved NHS.

Just look at the London Assembly and Scottish Parliament's ability to give school meals to all children on their patch, which was announced in February.

If London and Scotland can benefit from parliamentary-style devolution, why not Yorkshire?

One Yorkshire parliamentary devolution opens the way to a better, more well funded future for every single person who lives in our country, regardless of political belief, creed, colour or ideology.