The week before Christmas there was a minor explosion over South Yorkshire. By a majority of 85%, the people of Barnsley and Doncaster voted “Shexit”. In a twin-town referendum, they chose to have nothing to do with neighbouring Sheffield, the city region about to rule over them. They declared themselves loyal only to God’s own county, plain Yorkshire. That was good enough for them.
What on earth is going on? The answer is one of the fiercest civil wars in England’s debilitated local government scene. Ever since 2014, when then chancellor George Osborne proclaimed Manchester as a “northern powerhouse” and showered it with favours, Yorkshire across the Pennines has complained: what about us? At least five of its conurbations competed for Whitehall goodies that include billions in development money and extensive new powers. They had only to secure local agreement, and elect a “metro mayor”.
Continue reading...from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2lSW4Ch
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