Reading this it seems that Reform may not actually need to win mayoralties immediately to reshape regional politics. By gaining influence over constituent councils, they can still constrain or redirect what Labour-led combined authorities are able to do.
It also exposes how much the devolution model depended on political alignment and relative stability. Once the landscape fragments, governance becomes less managerial and far more dependent on negotiation, coalition-building and personality.
The really interesting question is whether these mayoralties were designed for this kind of fragmented multi-party environment in the first place.
Is a good question. The CA model grew out of Greater Manchester which had a high degree of political alignment at time. Time will tell how the model adapts to new places and new political coalitions! For example, interesting to note that Helen Godwin in West of England has just appointed a Green deputy mayor. Labour don’t control any of the three constituent councils in WECA.
Reading this it seems that Reform may not actually need to win mayoralties immediately to reshape regional politics. By gaining influence over constituent councils, they can still constrain or redirect what Labour-led combined authorities are able to do.
It also exposes how much the devolution model depended on political alignment and relative stability. Once the landscape fragments, governance becomes less managerial and far more dependent on negotiation, coalition-building and personality.
The really interesting question is whether these mayoralties were designed for this kind of fragmented multi-party environment in the first place.
Is a good question. The CA model grew out of Greater Manchester which had a high degree of political alignment at time. Time will tell how the model adapts to new places and new political coalitions! For example, interesting to note that Helen Godwin in West of England has just appointed a Green deputy mayor. Labour don’t control any of the three constituent councils in WECA.