Liberal Democrats have long called for a proper shifting of power away from Whitehall, and into communities, but Paul Hartshorn today raised urgent concerns that new plans to give areas with a mayor additional income tax powers or revenues will deepen an already stark divide. Government figures already show a significant gap between areas with and without a metro-mayor. As things currently stand, areas with mayors receive over nine times as much in capacity funding than foundation authorities, £2.26 million compared to £250,000 in 2026-27. Areas in the Devolution Priority Programme, designed to bring a form of devolution to more areas across England, announced by the Government last year, receive investment fund allocations of between £11 million and £44 million per year. Mayors across England also hold exclusive access to additional powers that would widen the gaps between those who have a mayor, and Burnham’s left behind Britain. These powers mean regions with a Mayor get exclusive ways to keep money in the area it is raised, funding public transport, infrastructure improvements and more cash for local business growth. This means areas without a mayor are left even further behind. In response to the Government saying that areas without a Mayor will not miss out on devolution powers, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson says that South Leicestershire has been given no timeline, no funding, and no guarantee that it will see the powers London and Manchester have been given. As areas with a Mayor will not see these powers come into force until next April or even 2028, the Lib Dems say areas without a Mayor are being asked to wait even longer for less. Raising concerns about Leicestershire forming part of Burnham’s ‘left behind Britain’, local Lib Dem Paul Hartshorn, Parliamentary Spokesperson has urged the Prime Minister to rethink his devolution plans, in order to provide support to local people, rather than focussing all the benefits on metro-mayoralties. With Parliament currently in recess, Paul Hartshorn also criticised the lack of detail surrounding the proposals and the resulting inability to formally scrutinise the Prime Minister’s agenda. Ed Davey, Zöe Franklin, Lib Dem Spokesperson on Local Government, and Liberal Democrat council leaders jointly wrote to Andy Burnham earlier this month about his devolution plans and their shared concerns. Liberal Democrat Paul Hartshorn, Parliamentary Spokesperson for South Leicestershire, said: “Moving more power into local communities is something I and my party have called for for years, but these plans from Andy Burnham risk creating a left-behind Britain, whilst areas with a mayor move further and further ahead. “The Government’s own figures show that areas without a mayor already receive only a fraction of the funding available to strategic mayoral authorities - and Burnham’s tax powers, which only go to mayors, would only spread that gap even wider. “Rather than create growth in every postcode, these plans create a postcode lottery - and doors in Leicestershire just aren’t in the draw. Rather than leaving Leicestershire behind, Burnham should rethink his devolution plans, to make sure that everyone benefits from devolving power out of Westminster.” | 