The new mayors have a duty to show the benefits of devolution

With the General Election only four weeks away, the results of the metro mayor elections have inevitably been analysed for signs of what to expect on 8 June. For example, the Tories’ victories in traditional Labour strongholds such as the West Midlands and Tees Valley have been held up as further evidence of a likely Conservative landslide on the national stage.

However, we should not lose sight of the real significance of the new mayors – not as a barometer of political developments in Westminster, but as an important step away from national political questions and decision-making, towards a more decentralised political system which better reflects the needs and challenges facing some of the UK’s biggest city regions.

Read the full article in The MJ