Hull and East Yorkshire in line for new devolution deal and mayor under levelling up plans

A massive expansion of devolved power across England shifting power away from Westminster will “call time on the postcode lottery,” Ministers say, as their pledge to spread prosperity across the country will be enshrined in law.

But despite a renewed commitment there was no mention of money in the plans issued last night, with no indication from the Government of how much it will commit to its flagship levelling up agenda .

Whitehall officials hope the proposals will “drive real change in towns and cities across the UK, however, critics say the long-awaited White Paper, published today, shows there is still “a lot more work to do to close the gap between Yorkshire and other parts of the country.”

As part of the plans to reduce regional inequality, the Government is promising a “devolution revolution” across the country, with new mayors for areas that want them.

With this, nine areas, including Hull and East Yorkshire, will be invited to agree a new county deal, with a view to a Mayoral Combined Authority deal later.

Cornwall, Norfolk and Leicestershire will also be among the regions offered the new agreement, with a promise that every area in England that wishes having a “London-style” devolution settlement by 2030.

Elsewhere, the twelve so-called “missions” of levelling up - such as improvements to public transport and wellbeing - will be given status in law when a Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill is put forward to Parliament.

One think-tank boss who got advance sight of the paper which “runs to hundreds of pages”, believes the “Government remains at levelling up base camp with a sizeable mountain still to climb” to achieve its aims,

Zoe Billingham, co-director at the Centre for Progressive Policy said: “Today’s Levelling Up White Paper shows there’s a lot more work to do to close the gap between Yorkshire and other parts of the country.

“Plans for a new generation of mayors are welcome.

“But the lack of detail on how their powers and accountability will work in practice raises questions about whether they will be able to drive the transformation of their area levelling up demands.

“Without more fiscal firepower and stronger accountability, metro mayors will be hamstrung.”

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said: “The United Kingdom is an unparalleled success story. We have one of the world’s biggest and most dynamic economies. Ours is the world’s most spoken language. We have produced more Nobel Prize winners than any country other than America.

“But not everyone shares equally in the UK’s success. For decades, too many communities have been overlooked and undervalued. As some areas have flourished, others have been left in a cycle of decline.

"The UK has been like a jet firing on only one engine.

“Levelling Up and this White Paper is about ending this historic injustice and calling time on the postcode lottery.

“This will not be an easy task, and it won’t happen overnight, but our 12 new national levelling up missions will drive real change in towns and cities across the UK, so that where you live will no longer determine how far you can go.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson added: “The challenges we face have been embedded over generations and cannot be dug out overnight, but this White Paper is the next crucial step.

"It is a vision for the future that will see public spending on R&D increased in every part of the country; transport connectivity improving; faster broadband in every community; life expectancies rising; violent crime falling; schools improving; and private sector investment being unleashed.”

Meanwhile, Shadow Levelling Up Secretary Lisa Nandy has said the Government is “failing to deliver” on its levelling up promises.

Writing in The Yorkshire Post today, the MP for Wigan believes the White Paper has “left communities up and down the country completely short-changed once again”.

“Beyond the slogans, this government lacks ambition for our places and our people — people who know what rebuilding local economies should look like but need support from their government to achieve it,” she said.

Communities “deserve far better than more hollow rhetoric and crumbs off the Westminster table,” she added.