Elected Mayors
Devo 2: Elected Mayors – update on speakers
Devolution 2: Elected Mayors… the debate you do not want to miss.
Where: The Beerhouse, North Parade.
When: 10th November, 7pm.
Free ticket available here.
After a few ups and downs, we’re delighted to announce our full line-up.
Councillor Jeanette Sunderland (Liberal Democrats, Idle & Thackley)
Cllr Jeanette Sunderland is Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Bradford Council and has been councillor for Idle & Thackley for some 20 years, serving the her community and the wider District with distinction. She stood unsuccessfully for parliament against former MP George Galloway and current Bradford East MP Imran Hussain in the 2012 Bradford West by-election. Cllr Sunderland also serves the District on the West Yorkshire Combined Authority board, along with previous Politics in the Pub guests Dave Green and Roger Marsh OBE, so is excellently placed to tell us how devolution will benefit Bradford, although has spoken out against elected mayors saying Yorkshire should be together and governed by an assembly, like the devolved home nations, rather than a single person: “We could do with a Nicola Sturgeon,” she told Bradford T&A, “What we are going to end up with is a Boris Johnson.” Outside of City Hall, she has raised thousands of pounds with her cycling siblings with charity rides across the the country and the glove, all in aid of Marie Curie.
Councillor Simon Cooke (Conservative, Bingley Rural)
Cllr Simon Cooke is our first returning Politics in the Pub guest and is back by popular demand after speaking at our British Science Festival Fringe event. Simon is Leader of the Conservative Group on Bradford Council and has serves the people of Bingley Rural as their councillor. Outspoken and forthright, Cllr Cooke is never afraid to tell it how it he sees it, and is one of the most vocal local politicians on social media, using Twitter and his blog The View from Cullingworth to share his views far and wide… especially his personal crusade to shine a light on ‘nannying fussbucketry’ wherever it rears its head. He is at the forefront of devolution in Yorkshire, supporting the Greater Yorkshire proposal which would see West, North and East Yorkshire join together. Cllr Cooke has spoken out in favour of elected mayors, saying the bigger Greater Yorkshire choice could attract the same big personalities the Mayor of London races have seen and “it would give Yorkshire a lot more oomph than it has got at the moment.”
Tom Forth
Tom Forth runs imactivate, a software and data company in Leeds. He is also an associate at ODILeeds who promote and work with open data in business. charity, and government. A prolific tweeter and a believer in the NorthernPowerhouse, he has written in support of elected Mayors for years, most recently at CityMetric where he said, “Back in 2012, I was trying to convince anyone who’d listen that we should have an elected mayor in Leeds. The proposal was far from perfect but it seemed like an improvement on the status quo. I’d seen Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson representing London’s interests on the national stage, and I wanted some of the same for my city. Instead of electing a local councillor to collect bins, fix swings, and fill grit boxes, I wanted to elect a mayor to tackle poverty, improve schools, and fix the city’s transport.”
Len Tingle, BBC Political Editor for Yorkshire & North Midlands
Len Tingle is the BBC’s political editor for Yorkshire, reporting & commenting on the region for many BBC TV programmes, most frequently Look North and Sunday Politics, and is a regular voice on the BBC’s local radio stations. He is one of the most informed, articulate and unbiased voices on devolution, elected mayors and the wider political scene across Yorkshire & North Midlands. A Barnsley lad, he’s a former Business & Industry specialist for both ITV and BBC, musing “Think of an idyllic or exotic place and I’ve probably reported from a shop floor, steel mill or coal mine close by – then caught the next flight out without seeing a single tourist attraction”… so it’s high time he got rewarded with a visit to somewhere glamorous. Welcome to Bradford, Len.
To hear Cllrs Sunderland & Cooke, Tom Forth and Len Tingle, get your free ticket today.
Unfortunately Shipley’s Philip Davies MP will no longer be able to join us as he has to stay in Parliament over the recess so will not be returning north. We’re really sorry to be missing his straight-talking style which has won him plenty of plaudits and enemies in the corridors of power. We hope he’ll join us soon, though.
We know that this event will be bigger and more popular than previous ones so we’re going ‘on the road’ again… this time, all the way down the road to The Beerhouse on North Parade. The Beerhouse is part of Bradford’s burgeoning Independent Quarter and serve great food, cask ales, beers and wines on North Parade. We love them – you will too.
There’s only one place and one time to hear all these great speakers – but there’s a ton of reasons to get your free ticket today!
Labour should Seize the Day on Elected Mayors in England – Helen Pidd
Suddenly there’s been a flurry of great reads on devolution and elected mayors. Here’s a link to Helen Pidd’s article – she’s Northern Editor of The Guardian and was invited to speak at our next event on elected mayors, but couldn’t make it that night.
A link to her excellent article is here.
And don’t forget to get your ticket for our next event, Elected Mayors.
What do ‘Northern Devolution’ or the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ mean to you?
What does devolution and Northern Powerhouse mean to you? Answers from Bradford and Huddesrfield.
Here are a few views from people in Bradford and Huddersfield… What do you think?
An Attempt To Explain What Is Happening With Devolution – Long But Hopefully Clear(ish)
Were you at our Devolution 1 event with Roger Marsh and Cllr Dave Green? Here are Cllr Green’s thoughts and an update about where devolution is going and what’s happening, with a bit of history and politics all thrown in.
A good read!
The Whys and Wherefores of Devolution
The issue of devolution has been a major talking point in the media and in some political circles since the general Election in May and I believe that we are getting to a point where a decision one way or the other will have to be made. I have tried to write this briefing in a way that takes out some of the bureaucratic language and technical jargon in which the current debate has been couched in to date in an effort to allow a greater understanding of the pros and cons of any devolution deal prior to any decisions being made.
The first point to make is that this is not a Labour agenda, nor necessarily a Local Government agenda. It is being driven by a Tory Government and we are well aware of the dangers of a devolution of blame and cuts…
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Devolution 2: Elected Mayors
After the sell-out success of our last Devolution event with Cllr Dave Green and Roger Marsh OBE, you said you wanted more… so here it is!
Back in 2012, Bradford said “NO!” to elected mayors… but if we want devolution, we may need an evolution of ideas and embrace a Boris of the North.
Would Bradford be better off with an elected mayor for Leeds City Region? Should we hold out for a Yorkshire Assembly for Greater Yorkshire? What’s next for Bradford, Yorkshire and the rest of the Northern Powerhouse? Find out on 10th November.
Panellists will be revealed over the next week, but we’re delighted that Len Tingle, BBC Regional Political Editor, and Shipley MP Philip Davies will be joining us – and you can join us with your free ticket.
Len Tingle, BBC Political Editor for Yorkshire & North Midlands
Len Tingle is the BBC’s political editor for Yorkshire, reporting & commenting on the region for many BBC TV 
programmes, most frequently Look North and Sunday Politics, and is a regular voice on the BBC’s local radio stations. He is one of the most informed, articulate and unbiased voices on devolution, elected mayors and the wider political scene across Yorkshire & North Midlands. A Barnsley lad, he’s a former Business & Industry specialist for both ITV and BBC, musing “Think of an idyllic or exotic place and I’ve probably reported from a shop floor, steel mill or coal mine close by – then caught the next flight out without seeing a single tourist attraction”… so it’s high time he got rewarded with a visit to somewhere glamorous. Welcome to Bradford, Len.
Philip Davies MP (Conservative, Shipley)
Always outspoken, never afraid of speaking his mind and frequently disagreeing with his own whips when he feels the Conservatives aren’t where they should be, Philip Davies has been Shipley’s MP since 2005, increasing his majority from just 422 to nearly 10,000. He has served on the influential Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee, and was the first MP to publicly call for Britain to withdraw from the EU. Philip will be speaking out against the devolution offers on the table, and especially against elected mayors, but mainly he’ll be speaking plainly and pulling no punches as he’s Parliamentary Spokesperson for the Campaign Against Political Correctness.
To hear Philip Davies MP and other panellists talk about Elected Mayors, get your free ticket today.
We know that this event will be bigger and more popular than previous ones so we’re going ‘on the road’ again… this time, all the way down the road to The Beerhouse on North Parade. The Beerhouse is part of Bradford’s burgeoning Independent Quarter and serve great food, cask ales, beers and wines on North Parade. We love them – you will too.
Tickets remain free – but you’ll need to get yours quick!
To make sure you’re first to hear who’s joining Len Tingle and Philip Davies, make sure you’re signed up to receive blog updates the minute they’re posted, that you’ve liked us on Facebook, and that you’re following us on Twitter.
New Event: Devolution 1
What does devolution mean for Bradford? Should we support regional devolution? To elect a mayor or not – and have her / him sit where? Are we stronger with Sheffield & North Yorkshire or better off as West Yorkshire alone? Join two of the most powerful and influential leaders when it comes to Bradford’s devolution, Bradford Council leader David Green and Roger Marsh, Chair of Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, who’ll debate the devolution issues that matter most to us.
Bradford Brewery
24th September 2015 – 19.00-21.30
Free Ticket Here
Cllr Dave Green (Lab Wibsey) is Leader of Bradford Council and has served as councilor for more than 20 years. A former lead on regeneration, Cllr Green sits on the Local Enterprise Partnership & Combined Authority boards, and is part of the discussion on what form devolution in the North will take. Those of you who follow him on Twitter will be aware of #DavesWord – which will be Devolution – and if he doesn’t answer your questions, you can always #BlameDave.
Roger Marsh OBE is possibly the most powerful person you’ve never 
heard of when it comes to politics in West Yorkshire. His career has seen him move between the public and private sectors, including a Senior Partnership at PriceWaterhouse Cooper in Leeds with led on Northern issues, and was seconded to the Cabinet Office as Director General of Strategic Finance & Operations; he has been Chair of Leeds City Region Local Economic Partnership (LCR LEP) for two years. When he appointed to the position, he was described as bringing “unparalleled first hand insight and knowledge of… ‘efficiencies’, ‘reconfigurations’ and ‘policy redefinitions'” – so our first question to him should probably be what that means.
Don’t miss out on hearing two of the leaders who’ll take us into Devolution – and get your free ticket today.
How do you feel about devolution and do you want an elected mayor?
A really popular topic on our first ballot, and one we’ll return to.
Watch this space for forthcoming events covering devolution and elected mayors. We’re hoping to have speakers from Yorkshire First, the Hannah Mitchell Foundation and others, as well as Gerry Sutcliffe and Philip Davies speaking in July and August.
The leader of the Council, Councillor David Green, is asking you to email him your views on devolution and having an elected mayor.
The Government has said that regions who opt for devolution and directly elected ‘metro mayors’ will be given additional funding and powers over transport, including running local bus companies, infrastructure and economic development, policing and health.
Bradford’s local economy has benefitted from additional funding and a stronger voice in lobbying Government for resources, to support local economic growth and improve infrastructure, as part of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
West Yorkshire and the City Region is an area of 3 million people and 106,000 businesses. It has the largest city region economy in the north – the second largest in the country.
Cllr David Green, Leader of Bradford Council, said:
“The combined resources of the local authorities and business in the region can bring greater economic prosperity…
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