The plates shift to the north

I had a minor bit part in the development of metropolitan mayors.  I had no prior interest in the subject but was asked to chair a commission on the topic and I think that we produced a well-researched and balanced report that took account of experience outside the UK.

I was invited to a launch event at No.10.  Bozza arrive by bike late and sweating and was rude to Dave Cameron.  Hezza, an enthusiast for mayors, then laid into Bozza.

Dave was very keen on the idea and proposed setting up a committee of elected mayors that would meet at No.10.  He provisionally accepted our proposal of providing a PhD student to monitor its work.  He then delegated implementation to Grant Shapps.   Enough said.

As Andy Burnham headed south in his delayed unsealed Avanti express (with toilet changing facilities) it soon became apparent that rather than Lenin's call for 'all power to the soviets' it was going to be 'all power to the elected mayors.'

The 'King of the North' is proposing to move part of No.10's operations to Manchester.  It is worth reminding ourselves that there is more to the north than Manchester.   Leeds, Liverpool and Newcastle are proud cities and Hull is all too often forgotten.   There are some government offices in York and now in Darlington as well.

It is also worth remembering that the biggest share of tax revenue in the UK is contributed by London and the south-east.   Yet the region also has areas of severe deprivation.  Just think Jaywick Sands in Nigel Farage's constituency of Clacton.

Meanwhile, I would welcome further suggestions for renaming Euston Station:

• Finland Station
• King of the North Station
• Everton Station
• Starmer Halt (his constituency is, of course, named after two tube stations)

Visiting No 10

I have been to No 11 Downing Street before, but today I was invited to a lunchtime reception promoting the referendums for city mayors in my capacity as chair of the Warwick Commission on Elected Mayors.

Michael Heseltine introduced the speakers and joked, 'I hope it will not be misunderstood when I say how pleased I am to welcome you to 10 Downing Street.'

Dave Cameron put the case for elected mayors in terms of greater accountability (being directly elected rather than indirectly elected as leaders of a council); promoting economic growth; and as a platform for developing national political talent. He also noted that the Mayor of Mogadishu in Somalia was called Mayor Tarzan.

Boris Johnson was almost a cabaret turn, albeit one with perfect timing and some good lines. He said that he would 'like to thank Dave for letting me into No.10'.

Closing the proceedings, Michael Heseltine said that whatever else Boris achieved, he would also be remembered as the man who succeeded him as MP for Henley.

The famous photos of prime ministers on the stairs look a little squashed up, but no doubt they can be arranged one day to make more room.

Do English cities want elected mayors?

Next May voters in eleven English cities will be asked if they want elected mayors - which already exist in fourteen locations ranging from the rather special case of London to smaller towns such as Bedford and Mansfield.

The Warwick Commission on Elected Mayors which I am chairing has been set up to provide an evidence base for considering the case for and against elected mayors. We are interested in whether they make a real difference compared with more traditional forms of local government. Some people think that the idea is an important democratic innovation, others that it is just a gimmick.

If voters in one or more cities do choose to have them, we need to think about how they can be effective and this will be one of the Commission's tasks. Read more here: Elected mayors

I have also written a longer post about this topic on the LSE Politics and Policy blog: Elected mayors