Would you back a government for the north? A local MP is leading the debate

A DEBATE about regional government will be heard in Parliament today.

Linda Riordan, Labour MP for Halifax, has won time for a half-hour’s debate on Government for the North in the House of Commons. She is set to call for northern devolution as a means of reviving the North’s flagging economy.

The MP is president of the Hannah Mitchell Foundation, campaign for northern devolution. She was expected to say in her speech: “Over the last 12 months the debate has been led and championed by the Hannah Mitchell Foundation; it has outlined the benefits it can bring to the northern area; how regional government can generate economic growth, social cohesion and enable key decisions to be made in the North, by the North.”

She added: “Whitehall shouldn’t be fearful of devolving powers to the North; it should be embracing it.

“Without its support, the required political progress will not be made or a watered down version, a talking shop, might be applied.”