UK prime minister offers to expand decision-making powers for regions and cities
Andy Burnham will discuss the proposal with representatives of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in Glasgow.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has offered to work with the devolved governments to give regions and cities more say in decision-making. The proposal is on the agenda of the first National Economic Council meeting for the nations, in Glasgow.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will offer the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland a partnership to develop models of regional empowerment. The proposal will be discussed at the first National Economic Council meeting dedicated to the nations, held in Glasgow.
Burnham said devolution should go beyond transferring powers between parliaments. He said decision-making should reach further into nations, giving local places and communities more scope to act on what they know they need to grow and access opportunities.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Wales’s First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth will attend. Northern Ireland will also be represented.
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The agenda includes opportunities for young people, reindustrialisation and regional empowerment. The meeting will also consider working through the No10 North initiative to support growth and remove barriers to it.
The announcement follows the prime minister’s statement that £1 billion will be invested in innovation clusters across the UK over the next four years. The funding is intended to help regions with strong potential build world-leading industries.
