Labour mayors back Michael Marra’s proposals for greater devolution

Labour mayors Bev Craig and Steve Rotherham have backed Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra’s proposals to devolve more power and money from London and Edinburgh to local communities.

Greater devolution was one of the key pledges of Mr Marra’s campaign for the Scottish Labour leadership, which he won just over a week ago.

Mr Marra said too much power had been held in London and Edinburgh, leaving communities with less control over their daily lives. He said he wanted power and money transferred to councils, colleges and industries that understand the needs of their local economies.

He pointed to the work of Ms Craig in Greater Manchester and Mr Rotherham in the Liverpool City Region as examples of what could be achieved when power is brought closer to people. He said Scotland could learn from their successes while building on the Scottish Parliament’s achievements.

Mr Rotherham said the UK had been “one of the most centralised countries in the developed world”. He said devolution should not simply mean moving power from one capital city to another, pointing to the Liverpool City Region’s return of trains and buses to public control and investment in skills and infrastructure.

He said Scotland’s regions should have the same opportunity to shape their futures, adding that devolving power and resources could help unlock growth and give communities the tools to fulfil their potential.

Ms Craig said Greater Manchester had shown what was possible when city regions controlled their own futures. She said the region’s economy had grown at almost twice the UK rate and that its powers were being used to support growth across its communities.

She cited the Bee Network, equal career pathways for young people and plans to build 50,000 social, council and genuinely affordable homes as examples of the region’s work. She said support from Prime Minister Andy Burnham and a UK Labour Government meant Greater Manchester was ready to go further.

Ms Craig said Mr Marra was right to support all of Scotland’s regions so that local people could use greater power and resources to develop their economies.