Calls for a Yorkshire-wide referendum on devolved powers

The Yorkshire Society's Great Debate held in the Museum last week raised discussions about the possibility of Yorkshire having devolved powers.

Former MEP for Yorkshire and Humber and Chair of the debate, Lord Kirkhope said that Yorkshire should be allowed a devolved government considering the size of the county is equivalent to that of Scotland and has a "very developable" mixed economy. 

The leader of Barnsley Council Sir Stephen Houghton said there are questions concerning how mayors of smaller regions would be able to stand up to those of larger ones within the committees being created by the Government for UK regions. He said “it would be interesting to see how the mayor of South Yorkshire with four authorities works against the Scottish Government with all the issues that it’s got. Some people might argue that’s better at a Yorkshire level rather than a sub-regional level.”

Dr Stewart Arnold from the University of Hull highlighted that the focus should be on the economic reality rather than issues of regional identity, but also warned that Yorkshire was “big enough to be successful, but big enough to be a threat to Westminster", adding that “there is a realisation that serious economic growth will not come on the back of relatively small devolved units with limited powers and very modest budgets. I firmly believe the configuration of combined authorities in Yorkshire currently and proposed are just too small to be effective.”

The outcomes of the event are to be reported back to the Government and elected Yorkshire Mayors.