Nottinghamshire MP Ben Bradley is among a group of senior Conservative backbenchers who have written to the Government claiming 'left-wing leaders' have "seized control of devolution". The MPs are urging Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove to speed up the handover of powers to Conservative-led regions of the country.
In a letter, they warned Mr Gove the Government’s flagship agenda is being “defined” by Labour politicians like Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Manchester. “Under current plans, English devolution is being defined by left-leaning politicians that are least capable of capitalising on what it offers,” they wrote.
“It’s vital that the Government immediately empowers other regional authorities of England to lead by example.” The letter, organised by Mr Bradley, who is also the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, has been signed by 10 Tory MPs from across the East Midlands.
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It comes after the Government announced on Thursday that it has approved the creation of a free port site at East Midlands Airport. The region has secured a £1.4bn deal for devolution.
However, the MPs said that under the new Bill, the East Midlands “will still have fewer powers than the West Midlands did in 2017, and fewer than Greater Manchester did in 2014,” and that “our constituents should not have to wait years for Westminster politicians decide to ‘unleash the potential’ of devolution in our region.
Mr Bradley said: “My fellow Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Council leaders have already secured a £1.4bn deal for the East Midlands as part of the East Midlands Devolution Deal, which is great news and will do so much good for so many. But I am concerned that if we delay handing these further powers to regions like the East Midlands, then the Government risks creating a two-tiered system of devolution that discredits the whole project.
“The sooner the East Midlands is given the same powers as Greater Manchester, the sooner we can start tackling the region’s most pressing challenges and show those voters that backed us for the first time in 2019 that we are still on their side.”
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