The advance of elected mayors continues apace, despite the negative votes in city referendums last week. The London mayoral contest dominated May’s local elections. London’s transport, and much else besides, has been transformed for the better by twelve years of the mayoralty. Polls show more Londoners now favour independence for the capital than the abolition [...]
From yes2mayors.com: My response to remarks made by the departing Leader of Bristol City Council Barbara Janke in her resignation letter: Yet again, Bristol’s unstable city council is undergoing a change of leadership. Barbara Janke’s resignation marks the eighth change of leadership in the city council in 12 years – almost one leader a year. [...]
From the Evening Standard London would not be hosting the Olympics in 100 days had we not invested in its transport system. With the mayoral campaign dominated by the row over whether we have to choose between investment or cutting fares, Londoners should recall who is really responsible for the current improvements: Ken Livingstone. Boris [...]
Originally published in the Birmingham Post There was a time when Birmingham was undisputedly the nation’s second city. Nowadays a host of other cities are nipping at its heels. Greater Manchester is now by far the most autonomous and powerful city outside London, it also boasts the biggest airport. Leeds is the biggest provincial hub [...]
Originally published in The Times Can you name the leaders of Birmingham, Liverpool and Leeds city councils, three of the largest cities in England? No? You are in good company. When I asked the question at a conference of local authority chief executives, not even they could name all three. But have you met [...]
The Institute for Government and I are quoted in this Economist article Britain’s few elected mayors have mostly worked well. That doesn’t mean other cities will vote for them. GISELA STUART, a Labour MP, trots round her Birmingham constituency, listening to gripes about traffic, litter and the sundry inconveniences of life in a busy city. [...]
For the New Statesman Few ministers – even prime ministers – make much difference. Even where they preside positively, few worthwhile reforms can be attributed to them personally. Michael Heseltine is a case apart. Council house sales. Docklands. The Thames Gateway. High Speed 1. The Jubilee Line and the Docklands Light Railway. The O2 Arena [...]
Posts from my tour of the English cities holding referendums on whether they should have executive mayors: Bristol, 5th January 2011 Bristol City Council has had seven changes of leader in eight years. Yet another change of leader could be in the offing after next May’s elections. But even if the current administration – run [...]
For the New Statesman Democratic dilemmas Vernon Bogdanor questions Nick Clegg’s claim that the coalition’s constitutional reform programme will bring about “the biggest shake-up of our democracy since 1832″. His argument is that while the fact of the coalition’s existence marks a bold change in modern constitutional practice, the programme of political reform set out [...]
Lunar Society Annual Lecture, Birmingham, 15 March 2011 As an Arsenal supporter, I know never to underestimate Birmingham City. Not only because of the Carling Cup, but also because, living in Highbury, I am conscious that when Joseph Chamberlain – in many ways the creator of modern Birmingham – was sent from London to Birmingham [...]