Why Government must heed warning from Baroness Judith Blake - YEP Comment

But the warning from Baroness Judith Blake, who made her maiden speech in the House of Lords, is stark.

It’s time to stop holding our city back.

She has warned that Leeds isn’t reaching its true potential by the over-centralisation of government in England.

The former council leader said the impact of Covid has seen a growing scale of inequality and we must work towards addressing the imbalance in the economy.

Too many times we have heard the phrase “level up” and now it really is in danger of becoming background noise.

At the weekend we saw Tracy Brabin elected to the newly-created post of West Yorkshire Mayor.

And it is vital that powers and, ultimately, resource are devolved down to those who know their communities best - the people on the ground.

We know that Leeds can achieve so much - but our city has to be allowed to unlock its full potential to not only survive but to thrive.

A message from the Editor:

Leeds has a fantastic story to tell - and the Yorkshire Evening Post has been rooted firmly at the heart of telling the stories of our city since 1890. We believe in ourselves and hope you believe in us too. We need your support to help ensure we can continue to be at the heart of life in Leeds.Subscribe to our website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe. For more details on our newspaper subscription offers click here.