Paul Givan to replace Arlene Foster as Northern Ireland first minister Paul Givan to replace Arlene Foster as Northern Ireland first minister Paul Givan will on Monday start as first minister of Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has announced. The appointment follows current first minister Arlene Foster’s resignation as DUP leader and Northern Ireland first minister in April this year after an internal party revolt. Givan was first elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in [...]
Northern regions agree in principle to an elected mayor to gain devolved powers Northern regions have accepted in principle the idea of having directly elected mayors in order to secure devolved powers, after months of reluctance on the parts of local councils. After the General Election, chancellor George Osborne committed to devolving powers over transport and health, as well as giving regions some fiscal autonomy if they were willing to [...]
Forget nationalisation: UK railways need a radical dose of devolution It's been a torrid time for Britain’s railways lately. In the last six months – as many a hard-pressed City A.M. commuter will know – there have been bad tempered strikes on the Tube and commuter railways. Channel Tunnel trains have had to run the gauntlet of tyre-burning port workers in Calais as well as [...]
Tory plans for elected mayors to open franchise door for Rotala August 11, 2015 Bus operator Rotala yesterday said a fresh government initiative to refranchise provincial bus services would open the door for further growth at the group. The company, which reported a six per cent fall in revenues, said Tory government plans to give directly elected mayors power over local transport will put a wave of new bus [...]
Directors support government plans for devolution to regions July 26, 2015 Most business leaders are backing the government’s plans to devolve powers to cities and regions, according to a new survey out today. Two-thirds of business leaders polled by the Institute of Directors (IoD) said they supported chancellor George Osborne’s plans for devolution, while more than 75 per cent said they specifically backed devolving powers over [...]
Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna calls for federal UK with an English parliament during speech in Washington D.C. July 23, 2015 A federal Britain with a separate English parliament is the best way to hold the union together, says Chuka Umunna, the shadow business secretary. In a speech in Washington DC, he argued the best way to hold the union together is to give parts of it more autonomy, especially in light of the surge for support [...]
Does size matter? English devolution may not lead to productivity gains, admits Treasury secretary Lord Jim O’Neill July 21, 2015 One of George Osborne's most senior Treasury colleagues has admitted that when it comes to solving the productivity puzzle, English devolution is little more than a punt. Commercial secretary to the Treasury Jim O'Neill, who heads up the City Growth Commission, has been tasked with replicating London's economic success in other cities throughout the UK. The group [...]
English devolution is go: Cornwall is first county to receive powers over employment, transport, business support, energy, health and social care July 17, 2015 Put down your pasty. Cornwall has become the first UK county to gain historic new powers under the government's push to give more power to local authorities. The county will now have more control over a host of key areas including employment and skills, transport, business support, energy, health and social care, public estate and [...]
SNP to vote on fox hunting as they play with constitutional fire July 14, 2015 The Scottish National Party’s Westminster MPs will vote against relaxing the fox hunting ban in England, reneging on a pledge not to vote on issues that have no impact on Scotland. Following a meeting which nearly split its 56 MPs, the party confirmed it would team up with Labour to vote against relaxing the ban [...]
Government announces plans around English votes for English laws… on iPads July 2, 2015 Chris Grayling, the leader of the Commons, has announced plans to create a system in Westminster that supports "English Votes for English Laws" – and he added that under the new rules, a new stage of votes will be taken on tablet computers. The government wants to give MPs from English constituencies a new “veto” [...]