Miliband unveils plans for “English Devolution Act”

After speaking at Scottish Labour’s Gala Dinner last night, Ed Miliband is in Manchester today to talk about English Devolution – and in particular, plans for an “English Devolution Act” and a “regional cabinet” made up of relevant Secretaries of State and leaders from major City and County Regions. The Labour leader will announce the following as manifesto commitments:

• An English Devolution Act, securing devolution to the English regions, transfer £30 billion-worth of funding over five years and building on Scottish and Welsh devolution
• A new “English Regional Cabinet Committee” chaired by the Prime Minister, convened regularly and attended by relevant Secretaries of State and leaders from major City and County Regions
• Giving city and county regions more power over their public transport networks – giving them control over bus routes and fares, as well as integrating their transport services (This will give regions similar powers to regulate their bus services as those in London)

Speaking at a  “preparatory meeting” of the Shadow English Regional Cabinet Committee, Miliband will say:

“Labour has a radical plan for spreading power and prosperity across England’s city and county regions, so that the recovery reaches your town square – not just the Square Mile of the City of London. Our plan already goes further than anything this Government can offer and today I am announcing the next steps which build on the work of the Adonis Review to help city and county regions drive growth in their areas.

“For too long powers to regulate and integrate bus services have been enjoyed only by London. For too long, the other regions of England have been unable to plan ahead or join up their transport networks to help secure the prosperity they need. For too long everyday working people have found their journey to work made harder and more expensive than it needs to be by a deregulated system that fails to serve the public interest. And for too long this issue has been ignored by Westminster: prosperity in one party of the country; power devolved in one part of the country; services not run for the public interest everywhere else. That stops today.”

The announcement on buses is unlikely to make major waves in Westminster – but like the recent announcement on football club ownership, this is a policy that has the potential to gain far more traction in the country at large than in the rarified surroundings of SW1.