GEORGE Osborne’s call for a single elected mayor for all of West Yorkshire has failed to win the support of Bradford’s Conservative MPs.
Both Kris Hopkins (Keighley) and Philip Davies (Shipley) refused to back the chancellor’s threat to devolve real power only if council chiefs sign up to a ‘metro mayor’.
Mr Osborne has beefed up that threat in recent days, saying: “If you want a big transfer of powers to a big metro area I think an elected mayor is part of that.”
But Mr Davies attacked the idea, saying: “I am wholly opposed to a mayor for the whole of West Yorkshire.
“My constituents already believe that Bradford is far too remote to make decisions in the best interests of our area. I want decisions to be made at a more local level.”
And Mr Hopkins – a Government minister – also declined to back the ultimatum, arguing it should be a matter for local people.
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