Mayors
Sunak faces his countdown
Duncan Flynn says the clock is ticking very loudly for Rishi Sunak and he’s struggling to find the words needed to connect with a sceptical electorate.
Sweet oblivion
The election results should give greater purchase for pushing through Rachel Reeves' take on industrial strategy and addressing the continued national productivity failure, says Jonathan Werran.
Can mayoral polls help Tories buck their losing trend?
Jonathan Werran picks out the highlights from the local and mayoral poll results so far, and he argues the case for a more stable set of electoral cycles.
What next for unitarisation?
Ahead of the Mayoral elections, Steve Leach and Colin Copus ask if the proliferation of combined authorities has snookered the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ unitary authorities policy.
The NHS is the top concern for voters
What the latest IPSOS data shows is that the mayoral model can work in terms of public recognition – even if real power remains firmly rooted in Westminster, according to Ben Page.
Driving positive outcomes must be top of metro mayors' agenda
Improving outcomes for communities is at the heart of successful devolution and metro mayors must put in place a plan to achieve this from day one, says Kerry Scott.
He should be so plucky
It’s a well-established principle that prospective politicians need to take to the rubber chicken circuit to get elected.
Gove open to giving mayors Whitehall voice
Local government secretary Michael Gove has not ruled out a ‘formal structure’ for mayors to work more closely with central government.
What will the next steps be for the mayoral model?
While the offers to communities from mayors are maturing, there remain big questions to be answered by whichever party forms the next Government, says Zoë Billingham.
Why mayors matter
Polling shows the public wants more local control over policy decisions, and directly-elected mayors give them the chance to put place over politics, says Paul Swinney.
Battle lines drawn for local elections
Rows over levelling up have dominated the opening clashes as campaigning kicked off for next month’s local elections.
Powering up the North
Richard Stubbs and Michael Wood say the opportunity to strengthen both the health and economy of northern England is immense – and that is why deeper devolution is needed.
Parties draw battlelines for local elections
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given a speech in Dudley today following campaign launches by the Conservatives and Lib Dems.
Observations on Japan’s strong local leader model
Reflecting on his Japanese Study Tour, Sam Cunningham says it is imperative to seek inspiration and insights beyond borders amid the challenges facing councils.
Growing pains
With local growth high on the political agenda, Ben Franklin sets out his recipe for success.
Court rules against police powers for West Midlands mayor
The High Court has ruled against the Government’s plans to merge the role of the West Midlands police and crime commissioner (PCC) with the regional mayor.
Tees Valley councils to learn extent of financial risk from Teeswork scheme
The financial risk faced by the five councils within the Tees Valley Combined Authority is set to be laid bare in top legal advice.
The new mayors will need the support of Westminster to be successful
'We need to give more attention to the powers and resources mayors have, and those they need – notably more control over fiscal matters – to do the job the country needs them to do', says Andrew Carter.
Council funding crisis ‘existential’
Local government’s funding crisis threatens to derail ambitions to level up the north of England, it has been claimed.
Rayner to go ‘further and faster’ on devolution
Shadow local government secretary Angela Rayner has promised to go ‘further and faster’ on devolution if elected to Government.
