YP Comment: Region's views must be heard

It’s why Mrs May travelled to Scotland 48 hours after becoming PM – she had used her Downing Street acceptance speech to underline her commitment to the United Kingdom – and why she has regular talks with the leaders of the devolved nations, including a summit in Cardiff on Monday. The regret is that the PM’s aides say the Tory leader is too busy to consult political and business leaders across the North on their wishes. That might be so but Yorkshire’s economy compares more than favourably with Scotland and there’s a growing perception, despite the good intentions underpinning her new Industrial Strategy, that the Government does not sufficiently value the importance of this region.

As the Government prepares to publish its White Paper on Brexit today, Mrs May should consult widely rather than rely on the feedback provided by Andrew Percy, the Northern Powerhouse Minister, and other trusted lieutenants. That said, Yorkshire’s devolution deadlock does not help. Even though Brexit Secretary David Davis is planning a major event in his home city of York, it appears this is predominantly for the benefit of metro-mayors. If this is so, this county will not be represented, therefore begging the question: Who is speaking for the North?