Press Story

Zoë Billingham, director of IPPR North, the leading think tank in the North of England, says:

”This Budget is a vote of confidence in our regional and local leaders. We’ve taken a jump ahead on devolution, but to keep up with our peers this will need to be the beginning of radical change to rewire the state.

“The government has stuck to its promise to speed up progress on fiscal devolution with commitments on devolving business rates and a share of income tax to England’s mayors. Additional regional investment through £285million of good growth funds, funding for places without a mayor, alongside £1.5billion borrowing facilities for building infrastructure backs up the government’s words with actions.

“IPPR North urges the government to ensure that income tax devolution is ambitious enough to truly make a difference in peoples’ lives. Five per cent of income tax devolved to mayors would see an additional £4billion held by mayors.

“When the devolution agenda is felt by our communities across the country we know it will have succeeded.”

ENDS

Experts are available for interview

CONTACT

Maeve Schaffer, IPPR North communications lead on 07585772633 or [email protected]

NOTES TO EDITORS

IPPR North is the leading think-tank in the north of England, developing bold ideas for a stronger economy and prosperous places and people. For more information, visit www.ippr.org/north
Read the IPPR and IPPR North paper Devolution that delivers: Fiscal power for regional growth here: https://www.ippr.org/articles/devolution-that-delivers