Julian Calls for Devolution to Benefit the Whole of Yorkshire
October 15, 2015
Yesterday in Parliament, Julian called for devolution powers to include both rural and urban parts of the county, saying nowhere should be left behind.
Speaking in the House of Commons on the Government’s flagship Cities and Local Government Bill, Julian said “Speaking as a proud Yorkshireman, and looking at what devolution might bring to our great county, it is essential that the whole of Yorkshire benefits from the devolved powers on offer. Nowhere should be left behind…The public have placed their trust in us to devolve the powers they need to succeed, and it would be a betrayal to put petty party politics first.
“Closing the north-south divide can be achieved only if devolution is allowed to percolate right through our great county. Like the Tour de Yorkshire, it must run from Settle to Scarborough, from Whitby to Wensleydale, taking in all the country’s market towns, coastal resorts and ancient cities—in short, the very best that Yorkshire has to offer. We must not rush this once-in-a-generation opportunity for greater powers. Let us get the right deal for our regions and the right deal for a Greater Yorkshire.”
Another Yorkshire-based MP, Diana Johnson, concurred with Julian’s argument that we should not rush this opportunity for change, in responding Julian said “In horseracing terms, the Greater Yorkshire bid was slow out of the stalls, but is gathering pace and coming up fast on the rails. I sincerely hope it will end up winning the day.
“The devolution project is about scale, with communities coming together to be greater than the sum of their parts. Bringing many parts of Yorkshire together under a Greater Yorkshire bid would allow us to use the Yorkshire brand to unleash our true potential.”
Julian also questioned the need for Yorkshire to have an elected mayor and said he will continue to champion the Greater Yorkshire bid. An announcement is due to be made by the Chancellor during the Spending Review on 25 November.
To read the speech in full, please click the link below:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151014/debtext/151014-0002.htm
ENDS
Pictured: Julian Sturdy speaking in the Chamber
