Yorkshire’s economy has fantastic potential but it is being held back by an over-centralised approach.
We are asking business leaders across Yorkshire to support the One Yorkshire devolution model and encourage the main political parties of the United Kingdom to adopt this policy in their election manifestos.
The Case for One Yorkshire Devolution.
Yorkshire is not only one of the poorest regions in the UK but also amongst the poorest in Europe.
In 2018 Yorkshire council leaders asked the government to work with them to deliver a One Yorkshire devolution deal which could provide a £30BN-a-year boost to the region and the UK.
The findings of an independent study were included in the submission to the government setting out the compelling case for the One Yorkshire devolution model.
The research identified that Yorkshire- level devolution could deliver profound benefits in the areas of transport, trade, inward investment and higher-level skills.
In addition, the leverage of the success of the Yorkshire brand and identity is hugely important as business faces uncertainty in national and international markets.
The government rejected Yorkshire’s proposal in favour of ad hoc devolution to mayoral authorities and something called levelling up. Whilst there have been some successes with both of these policies, levelling up has largely failed to deliver and the general trend for the region is one of further economic and social decline.
We are respectfully requesting that the Labour Party, Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats and Green Party adopt a manifesto promise to support the One Yorkshire devolution model and establish a regional government for Yorkshire. The key missions of the regional government would be to drive economic growth, enhance social cohesion, drive up standards of service in all areas and provide the means for the region to achieve its full potential. This could be used as a template for governance in other regions if Yorkshire achieves the success envisaged.