Partnership is key to successful regional devolution

Andy Burnham has placed devolution at the heart of his programme for economic and social renewal. Prosper is helping to shape the regional agenda in Scotland and the new prime minister should foster a partnership of shared endeavour with the Scottish Government, writes policy manager Peter Hourston

Across Scotland and the wider UK, a political consensus is emerging that regional devolution is vital to supporting economic growth in every part of the country.

Speaking after Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation, Andy Burnham described his emerging political philosophy of ‘Manchesterism’ as a ‘vision for good growth in every British postcode…with all parts of the UK given the chance to focus on the things that most matter to them’.

This is an admirable aim, and not an unexpected one for an incoming prime minister to make, particularly given Mr Burnham’s experience as mayor of Greater Manchester.

But Scotland has had a form of devolution since 1999. Beyond an alliterative mention of a few places in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the devolved parliaments in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast received little attention in Mr Burnham’s speech.

This will need to change if Mr Burnham is serious about exporting his idea of ‘Manchesterism’ around the UK. Downing Street – even the idea of a ‘Number 10 North’ – cannot roll out decentralisation by itself.

Successful regional policy in Scotland is not only a matter of decentralising Whitehall power but is deeply connected to the Scottish Parliament’s responsibilities over skills, transport, housing and the economic development agencies.

There are past examples of successful place-based economic interventions jointly undertaken by the Scottish and UK governments, such as the green freeport model. Mr Burnham should learn from this experience and view the Scottish Government as a partner in governance rather than a partisan threat. John Swinney, Scotland’s first minister, should also reciprocate and be open to joint working with his new counterpart in the UK Government.

Since 1931, Prosper has championed economic growth across all of Scotland. Through regional committees, dedicated local offices and initiatives such as the Highland Industrial Committee, which helped pave the way for Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Prosper has combined national leadership with regional action to support sustainable economic development throughout the country.

Devolving powers to the regions was a key recommendation of our Blueprint for the Scottish economy, The Art of the Possible and now Prosper and our members are pleased to be working with Mr Swinney’s new administration to advance the regional agenda in Scotland.

Making this happen in a way that helps industry and supports economic growth will be crucial to its overall success. In a series of roundtables being held across the country this summer on behalf of the Scottish Government, Prosper is drawing insights from the public, private and third sectors to help build a shared understanding of what regional empowerment will look like.

Scotland’s places, from large urban conurbations to post-industrial towns, rural regions and coastal villages, clearly have different needs so a core principle of any regional devolution framework here should be to ensure that it is tailored to the circumstances of all regions. And regional governance should add value to existing policy interventions and not seek to duplicate or further complicate existing structures.

But to endure for the long term, that sense of common purpose needs to include both the Scottish and UK governments as key partners, as well as business, tertiary education, the third sector, communities and trade unions.

Mr Swinney gave his support to regional empowerment in a speech last month at Prosper’s annual Forum. That followed an earlier commitment to recognising the eight regional economic partnerships on a statutory basis.

Incoming UK ministers should take an interest in advancing this agenda alongside the Scottish Government, which would be in the spirit of Mr Burnham’s desire to build a less partisan and more collaborative style of politics across the UK.

Mr Burnham has pointed to a strong cross-party partnership between the public, private, community, voluntary and academic sectors, faith communities and trade unions as the foundation of his achievements in Greater Manchester. His key test in Scotland will be whether he can bring that same spirit of partnership to working with the Scottish Government and help make Scotland’s regions prosper.