I was interested to read the piece from my colleague John Hall looking back to the devolution referendum, just over 20 years ago. With the passing of two decades now seems like an appropriate time to revisit what happened.
Given the failings with the present Westminster model of government, which have become only too apparent in the two decades since the devolution referendum, perhaps it is also worth looking to the future and consider what a regional assembly for the North East might look like. A devolved assembly is not on the political agenda at the moment, but with the election of a North East Mayor for most of our region, it is worth thinking about what a devolved assembly might look like. Taking part in such an exercise also gives us an opportunity to consider how devolution in the North East could progress, with or without the devolved assembly.
Democratic accountability
Firstly, I want to consider the points made by John Hall in his piece. I have to say that I agree with much of what he wrote with one point especially pertinent. John Hall wrote: “By electing a regional assembly, voters would have had the power to hold decision-makers accountable at the ballot box, ensuring that regional policies reflect local priorities to increase transparency in how public funds are spent. Far from creating a bloated political class, the assembly would have replaced opaque structures with democratic accountability.”
Sadly, this is all too true. although unfortunately, the argument never got real traction in the run-up to the referendum. Many functions with regards to the governance of our region are carried out, without us having any real say in what is done. Shouldn’t these functions be carried out with transparency and accountability? Wouldn’t it be possible for the region to be governed more effectively if this was the case?
If we can agree on that, then we can perhaps go on to think about what would need to be considered if any devolved assembly was to be set up in the future.
Any future assembly would have to have empowerment at its heart. This would include consulting widely on how any assembly would work beforehand. Without a real sense of ownership from people in the region, it is hard to see how an assembly could be effective. Its structure must be imaginative and there must be clear lines from individuals and communities into the decision-making process.
The assembly must be set up to produce results and not just to fill the democratic gap, however big that gap might be and however important it is for democratic accountability to take place. The assembly must also be set up to achieve tangible results in improving the lives of people in the North East and particularly the poorest and most marginalised members of our society.
The work of the assembly must take into account regional priorities such as how we achieve a just transition and improve our public transport. In numerous ways we have different priorities and a somewhat different culture and heritage to other parts of the country and the assembly must reflect this.
Any future assembly must have the power and funding to be able to make a difference. The present devolution deal should be seen as a starting point, with a move towards greater autonomy an imperative.
Any elected representatives must be available to both speak to and crucially listen to local people. There must be a partnership between representatives and local communities across the region. Elected representatives should hold regular listening sessions to find out what people really need and want. They can then take these ideas to the wider assembly to be debated and decided upon.
At least to some extent, education should be under more regional and local control and it should be made more relevant to pupils’ needs. This would include both a more regionally focussed curriculum and borrowing an idea from Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram in their book Head North with two equal paths in education post-14, including a serious and aspirational technical path to go alongside the academic and university path, so providing the opportunity for a worthwhile education for all.
There must also be appropriate scrutiny. Writing in The Guardian on 12th January, John Harris noted that, “Reach, the owner of the Mirror, Express and the scores of local titles grouped online under the ‘Live’ banner”, had announced another 800 job cuts. Harris also quoted a staff member of Reach as saying that, “it’s increasingly likely that many of our major cities – Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle, Liverpool, Cardiff and many others – will soon have no local newspaper and no recognisable local news website holding local authorities and others to account.” Consequently, it is vital that to go alongside the assembly there must be a strong regional media to hold the assembly accountable and act as conduit between voters and representatives. This is something that needs to be developed again and is of course something that the Bylines Network is at the heart of.
People do not want to see politicians wasting their hard-earned money and understandably so. Therefore, any future assembly must also be very careful not to waste money on expensive new buildings and other vanity projects.
Finally, if the assembly is to be integrated into any future second chamber replacing the anachronistic and inadequate House of Lords as part of a system for regions and nations in the UK, then it must be the voice of the North East in London and not the other way round.
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