Not for some time can the mighty power of Tribune have made itself so swiftly and comprehensively felt. The ink was scarcely dry on my last column, exposing the political chicanery of the Con-Dems’ plans to impose mayors on 12 English cities and then keep them in office by means of “confirmatory referendums”, when Communities Secretary Eric Pickles abandoned the idea.
It is perfectly possible that Eric the Well-Fed came to the conclusion that his policy was anti-democratic, wide open to judicial challenge, unpopular and just plain daft all by himself. But since it took him the best part of six months to dream up this barmy idea – which would have enthroned “elected” Labour mayors in a number of cities – I prefer to believe that he took his cue stage left as soon as his folly had been explained.
I had better not do this too often. Tribune is by no stretch of imagination a sympathetic provider of exit strategies for the latest Tory lunacy. They are just going to have to learn to do it themselves, although some of the more conceited members of the Cabinet (in other words, all the rest) might have some difficulty learning the Highway Code section on U-turns. Being besotted with TINA (“There is no alternative”), I imagine they will carry on committing howlers.
The trouble is that – like their enforced, top-down “reform” of the National Health Service – we will all have to suffer their government growing pains. I say “we”, but we’re not quite all in this together. They only use the health service when it’s too expensive, in terms of cash or reputation, to go private.
But I digress. Having shelved the plan for ex post facto “agree with me or else” referendums, Pickles has moved on to plan B. This is a referendum in May 2012 in 12 English cities on whether they should have Boris Johnson-style elected mayors. By the way, I notice they never call them the Peter Davies-style elected mayors, after the truly incredible English Democrat now ruling the roost in Doncaster. I wonder why.
But not really.
Pickles’ plan B was buried in the small print of the “business plans” of the various Whitehall departments – published with many fanfares, attendance of the full Cabinet and an embarrassed-looking Sir Gus O’Donnell, head of the civil service, shortly after Bonfire Night.
The bonfire is probably the best place for this plan, in the view of Labour leaders of Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield councils, who oppose the entire concept. Presumably, Paul Scriven, leader of the ruling Liberal Democrat group (and failed parliamentary candidate last May) in Sheffield has no choice but to go along with the idea.
As a sweetener for local politicians and voters, the Department of Communities and Local Government is drawing up plans to extend the powers of elected mayors beyond their current authority. Droit de seigneur, perhaps? Has anybody told Mrs Pickles?
One way and another, the Olympic year referendums in Fat Eric’s 12 chosen English cities – and more, if others beg to opt in – look like a shambles waiting to happen. To begin with, voters will already have had to go through a referendum on the alternative vote system and local government polls in 2011. Dragging urban England back to the polling booths for yet another political experiment is not likely to enamour the Government to the electorate.
With the jobs cull nearing its peak, May 2012 would also be a perfect opportunity to register a verdict on the Con-Dems’ conduct of office, with the mayoral bit lost in the fog of war. The most recent poll in Yorkshire revealed a 55-45 per cent split against mayors.
Of course, there is no confusing situation that David Blunkett cannot confound further and this is no exception. As Pickles wrestled his way out of the pickle, the former Home Secretary proposed a “White Rose Parliament” for the county. Speaking to the Sheffield Cambrian Society, Blunkett pointed out that Yorkshire has a population of more than five million.
If given the same independence as Wales or Scotland, an autonomous republic up ’ere would, under the Barnett formula, receive funding of £24 billion a year.
“Like London, we could then have our own development agency, draw on and match European funding, ensure that we were able to reach out for inward investment and build up our own knowledge economy”, Blunkett argued – no doubt to his astonished audience of expat Welshmen in the city.
Warming to his theme in Whitehall-speak, he went on: “We could set our priorities, share across departmental budgets and charge others for the use of our facilities. Instead of a projected 82,000 job losses, independence for Yorkshire could have ensured the raising of loans for Sheffield Forgemasters and making our priorities work for the people of our area.”
Blunkett admitted that his call for an independent Yorkshire “may well be tongue in cheek”, although I imagine that if it ever came about, he would like to be our first First Minister. The whole idea sounds superfluous to me. If there is a Yorkshireman anywhere who isn’t independent, I’ve yet to meet him. And that goes for Blunkers, too.
