Yorkshire First recruits former MEP

Mrs Wallis was a Liberal Democrat MEP for Yorkshire until 2012 when she gave up her seat because of a “chronic illness”.

Her husband, Stuart Arnold, was Yorkshire First’s lead candidate in this year’s European elections having run unsuccessfully for the Liberal Democrats in 2009.

Mrs Wallis has been asked to lead a “conversation” with people in Yorkshire to find out how they think devolution to the region should work in the wake of promises of new powers for Scotland.

She said: “It’s very important that any plans for devolution involves a conversation with the people of Yorkshire from the outset.

“The last thing we want is a plan created by a Whitehall bureaucrat or something that suits the political establishment in Westminster.

“If Scotland showed us anything it is that there is a willingness of people to engage in political issues as long as they feel their voice is being heard. Yorkshire should be no different.”

Yorkshire First was launched in the run-up to May’s European elections and says it wants the region to have a bigger voice within the European Union and the UK.

Party leader Richard Carter said: “The issue of Yorkshire’s future is too important to be left to the Westminster parties to fudge and mudge around for the next few years. It’s clear we need to start the process ourselves.”