The Communities and Local Government report, Devolution: the next five years and beyond, reminds us all how much we still have to do to make the case for devolution across the country.

I share the committee’s concern that the deals concluded last summer were done too quickly to deadlines set by ministers and that the model of devolution the Government favoured may be too prescriptive for our different cities. Many of my colleagues were left in the position then of foregoing devolution altogether or accepting the terms on offer. That is why it is essential, as the committee has pointed out, that the deals reached last year are not the end of devolution.