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UK government plans more devolution for England – while hinting it could be scaled back for Wales

12 Sep 2021 2 minute read
Robert Jenrick picture by Chris McAndrew (CC BY 3.0).

The UK Government is planning more devolution for England – while hinting that they could scale it back in Wales and Scotland.

The UK’s housing and communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, has told the Financial Times that they want to “widen and deepen” devolution for England.

That could include creating new mayoralities in the same mould as Manchester and Liverpool in Cumbria and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

However, at the same time, he said that he could see his own department taking more of an interest in policy in Wales and Scotland.

The housing department had “historically seen itself” as focused on England but “we now very much see ourselves as UK-wide,” he said.

Housing currently remains devolved to Wales by virtue of the fact that it is not ‘reserved’ to UK Parliament under the Wales Act 2017.

“We would like to encourage parts of the country that want to come forward to do devolution deals with us,” Robert Jenrick told the newspaper.

“We unlocked the Sheffield city region, we now have Dan Jarvis as the mayor. We’ve created the West Yorkshire devolution deal and have a fully elected mayor there. There are other parts of the country that are negotiating with us.

“It’s about being more innovative in the way we deliver public services and believing that there doesn’t need to be a single model for the whole country . . . what we want to do is work with the mayors with further measures. We can encourage them and work with high-performing councils to give them more power over the delivery of public services.”


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Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago

Once something is devolved – it stays devolved. No sticking your nose in ! Though on the other hand the more you (UK Gov) look like you’re bullying our parliament – the quicker we’ll gain independence.

Gareth
Gareth
2 years ago

This is the man who has calls for him to resign, due to some “dodgy” deals in England, now wanting to expand into Cymru. Keep him out. We do not need this type trying to impose themselves on devolved matters.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago

I’ve had a guts full of these English fascists in London. Crooked Robert Jenrick has a bloody nerve. This is a hostile act and goes against both Welsh & Scotland’s devolution acts. And we, the Welsh people voted twice , once for devolution, the second, to have a legislature after 600yr absence. These are the same Conservative fraudsters who during Brexit bemoaned Europe stealing their sovereignty & power, who now are imposing their twisted ideology on both Wales and Scotland. The finger of blame also is pointed at former Labour FM Carwyn Jones. Our Senedd voted to introduce a bill… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Y Cymro
Grayham Jones
2 years ago

That’s why it’s time for a new wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 A Free Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 welsh people have got to stop being little Englanders and and be proud to be welsh it’s the future for the young people in wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Richard the First
Richard the First
2 years ago

“Maer Drakeford”. Would the ex FM be ok with that?

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