We must stop playing politics with devolution
Angela Rayner is the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Alamy)
3 min read
If the vision for devolution is only realised in places where the politics suit, the government risks failing in its own mission to deliver growth across the UK.
Investment in Combined Mayoral Authorities was front and centre of the Spending Review, and ministers have been clear that they see them as the future, moving power away from Whitehall and back into communities.
However, there are potential risks in the new approach to devolution, and nowhere is this clearer than in the South Midlands. Despite strong interest and readiness from key partners, proposals to form a Combined Mayoral Authority (CMA) have been blocked by political manoeuvring.
The already strained relationship between Northamptonshire’s formerly Tory-run councils and the Labour-run Milton Keynes Council has worsened since both Unitary Councils in Northants moved from dark blue to teal in May’s local elections. Reform UK swung to victory in the elections, taking control of West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire Councils, with the Conservatives losing 72 sitting councillors.
Reform UK’s transcendence and changing polls appears to have driven a wedge into the potential for South Midlands devolution. In June, the Labour leader of Milton Keynes Council chose to end collaboration with the Reform-led Northants councils by pushing through a motion to block his officers and councillors from engaging with Northamptonshire. Following this up with a letter telling Northants leaders that “the world has moved on”, he has effectively shut the door on joint working.
The fractious relationship is compounded by inexperienced Reform UK council leadership, with no clear strategy for the region set out by the party. The West Northamptonshire Council leader tells me his plan for our region is for him to “be visible”. A plan which currently seems to consist of Council staff taking lots of photos of him and his cabinet at events.
No voter should be denied access to the benefits of devolution because of the political make-up of their council
Northamptonshire risks being left out in the cold, with the growth potential in the South Midlands region stifled.
This must matter to the chancellor and prime minister. Getting a devolution deal is a critical part of the Ox-Cam growth strategy, announced by Reeves earlier in the year. The region is home to world-class logistics infrastructure and advanced manufacturing, technology and automotive businesses. Yet it has no single voice, no devolution deal, and no combined authority to coordinate investment and delivery.
This situation is not unique to our region. Whilst reliance on local political consensus to bring forward CMA proposals may sound reasonable, in practice it locks out areas of strategic and economic importance whenever party politics gets in the way. That is not devolution, it is selective empowerment.
That is why ministers in MHCLG must go further. They must lead. They must be prepared to step in where political stalemate is holding communities back and create CMAs that serve the people. No voter should be denied access to the benefits of devolution because of the political make-up of their council.
We must back the English Devolution Bill with urgency and commitment. But more than that, we must ensure the promise of devolution is realised everywhere. No region should be locked out of growth or progress because of who the voters chose at election time.
If we are truly to deliver on our manifesto commitments, we must deliver devolution with no region left behind.
Mike Reader is the Labour MP for Northampton South
