The UK government has outlined its plans for English devolution and local government reform in a landmark white paper. These are some of the most consequential reforms of recent times, signalling a long-term settlement on how England is governed. English devolution bridges two of the government’s biggest challenges: how to make people feel better off and how to rebuild trust in politics.
Unlike the other parts of the UK, where devolution entails a national assembly that passes laws and budgets, devolution in England is about groups of local authorities working together. In recent years, groupings of local authorities have struck deals with central government to make “combined authorities”, which get extra money and powers on the proviso that a mayor is elected to take responsibility.
