Further devolution deals fail to materialise

Author: Dan Peters, The MJ   |  

Chancellor George Osborne failed to announce any further devolution deals in today’s Autumn Statement.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg had said devolution deals would be drawn up for Leeds and Sheffield in time for the statement but Mr Osborne only made a vague reference to devolution in his speech.

Mr Osborne said the Manchester devolution deal would have been seen as ‘completely impossible’ six months ago.

Chief executive of think-tank Localis, Alex Thomson, said: ‘While it was good to hear the chancellor say that his door is open, it would be nice if all areas of England could walk through it and not just cities.’

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