Leeds was once lauded as an innovator in respect of city-regional governance. But, argues Iain Deas, while recent accounts have emphasised local disagreement about the geography of devolution deals, it is possible to interpret Yorkshire’s experience in a more positive light. Recent media coverage of devolution deals in Yorkshire has highlighted conflict around rival proposals […]
Is Devo Manc an experiment, a template or a trailblazer?
The emergence of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to deliver ‘Devo Manc’ builds on a long history of effective cooperation between ten local authorities. Not all English cities and regions share such a history. Has Manchester become the template for English sub-national governance, and if so, should we be worried, ask Kevin Ward and […]
Co-operation v competition
Northern England’s great cities are used to competing. So, asks Iain Deas, is it realistic to expect them to work together for the collective good? George Osborne’s continuing endorsement of a ‘Northern Powerhouse’ raises important questions about future local economic development strategy. The idea underpinning the powerhouse proposal is that some of England’s principal Northern […]
Who will lead the Manchester Powerhouse?
How significant will the elected mayoral role be for Greater Manchester – asks Iain Deas – and who will be that mayor? Simon Jenkins recently treated readers of the Guardian to an account of the rebuilding of city-regional governance in Greater Manchester. The story was of heroic struggle by Manchester’s civic leaders, guided by the […]
Hebden Bridge – Britain’s second city?
The BBC’s Evan Davis says Britain needs a second ‘super city’ – and this could be Hebden Bridge. Dr Iain Deas, Prof Graham Haughton and Dr Stephen Hincks are sceptical. In his BBC series Mind the Gap: London v the Rest, Evan Davis argued that the UK’s economy is held back because London is our […]
Evan Davis has overlooked role of policy in London’s transformation
London’s dominant economic role is not an accident of history but rather the result of policy and subsidy, explain Dr Iain Deas, Prof Graham Haughton and Dr Stephen Hincks. BBC presenter Evan Davis argues that government should do more to help large and successful cities prosper. In his recent series, Mind the Gap: London v the Rest – and […]