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The Ripple Effect?

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HollyDaze Fri 19-Sep-14 15:26:04

I am browsing the news in the aftermath of the 'Scotland Decides' campaign and it would seem that other areas of England (Manchester and Northumberland in particular) are now wanting to follow suit (article too long to cut and paste):

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29235489

Linda Colley, professor of history at the University of Princeton, says local governments raised about half of all the money they spent through local taxation.

Today, she says, central government provides more than 80% of of local government funds and dictates how the money is used.

"It's worth considering how much of the current disquiet and disaffection in parts of the UK is caused by the overmighty reach of London which needed to centralise power in order to fight two world wars and has not been all that willing since to surrender power back," she said.

Will clinging onto power be the driving force of Westminster? As centralisation generally doesn't fare so well, if your area wanted, as the Mancunians have a term I shall use theirs, Devo-Manc, would you vote for it?

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HollyDaze Sat 20-Sep-14 21:23:14

The problem with all this devolved government is that if different regions/counties etc. have different tax systems, benefits, health

If they ran it as happens in other countries (Spain, Isle of Man to a large extent) the tax rates and benefit rates remain static acrosss the country - it is how the money raised locally is spent that would be decided locally and not by a central government. It also gives residents much greater control and influence over the area in which they live as it is much easier to vote out local councillors than it is Westminster MPs.

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