Jennifer Williams is Social Affairs editor at the Manchester Evening News
Yesterday, the Chancellor George Osborne unveiled a £1bn-plus devolution package for Greater Manchester—the first of its kind. Transport, skills and housebuilding powers are all on their way up from Whitehall. As part of the deal, the region's council leaders have had to sign up to an elected mayor, expected to be installed in 2017. So who are the runners and riders? Here is some of the wild—and not so wild—speculation doing the rounds.
It's no surprise Ladbrokes have the Manchester council leader as odds-on favourite, at 3/1. He is one of those few council leaders people have actually heard of—and alongside Sir Howard Bernstein, the council's Chief Executive, is universally credited with rebuilding Manchester's post-bomb, post-Thatcher landscape. As vice-chair of the region's combined authority, he was a key player in steering through today's historic deal, having carved out the path to it over many years. But the fraught, tribal nature of Greater Manchester's Labour membership could prove a stumbling block, even for him. Many members in the outlying nine boroughs—not least next door Salford—regard Manchester figures as only interested in the city centre and its gleaming regeneration projects, rather than the outlook for the region as a whole. And Manchester's Labour party only makes up a fraction of that whole.
Popular, pragmatic and respected within her party and beyond, this former leader of Trafford council was a key player in the deal-brokering that set up the Greater Manchester Combined Authority—the region's top administrative tier—in 2011. After failing to win Bolton West at the last election, she was bumped up to the House of Lords and appointed director of the North West Rail Campaign. She has lobbied in favour of both the Northern Hub rail upgrade and HS2, both likely to bring huge economic benefits to the north. (Eventually.) She is also—whisper it—a woman. Still, for all that, she is also a Tory. And in Greater Manchester, old habits die hard.
Made leader of Oldham council when barely in his 30s, McMahon could be snapping at Sir Richard's heels. Clearly ambitious, he was made Labour lead on the Local Government Association earlier this year, and within the combined authority has not been scared of speaking his mind. He has also had success turning round his town hall during a time of severe austerity. It could be to his advantage that he is leader of an outlying authority, so would potentially be more trusted to look out for the whole region than a "Manchester" figure like Leese. But whether he has enough of a profile is yet to be seen.
Since her days as gobby-but-loveable Veronica Fisher on Manc drama Shameless, Maxine Peake has proved there is more than one string to her bow. Currently starring in Hamlet at Manchester's Royal Exchange, she takes both popular and high-brow culture in her stride. Could she apply that broad appeal to politics, too? She certainly leans the right way, having spoken out repeatedly on issues that matter to many local electors, including the plight of the working classes and government cuts. Likeable, northern, untarnished by politics with a capital "P", she could be the breath of fresh air voters are looking for—and a face for Greater Manchester that people already like and recognise.
Read more on Manchester:
Why Manchester works
If we set the cities free, what do we with the towns?
Another bright young thing from outside of the city, the MP for Stalybridge and Hyde is a shadow Energy Minister. Like Jim McMahon, Reynolds has pushed the devolution agenda hard and is among a new generation of Greater Manchester politicians with big ideas, particularly around transport. He was the only Greater Manchester MP to issue a statement—that we saw—about the devo deal, dropping minutes after the announcement and featuring the classic line "today is not the time for speculation on who the Mayor of Greater Manchester might be." (Too late. Methinks the lady doth protest too much.)
In the spirit of Greater Manchester's famed political pragmatism, ex-United star Gary Neville has learned to handle his opponents with diplomacy since hanging up his boots. As a TV commentator he has even earned the grudging respect of some Manchester City fans, admitting to the Manchester Evening News earlier this year that where the Blues had once been "irrelevant," they are now better than United. He is also rising in status among the local business community, working with Manchester council on a major overhaul over the Jackson's Row site near the town hall. Manchester is a city of two halves—and in football as in politics, red and blue rarely mix.
The region's police commissioner and former MP for Manchester Central—during which time he chaired the Parliamentary Labour Party—there is no question Lloyd has a high profile among Labour members. A Greater Manchester-wide internal Labour campaign requires a lot of legwork, a lot of contacts and a lot of money, and he's done it before. On the money front, union backing could be key—and it is already looking promising. Before the deal had even been unveiled, Unite North West had tweeted their backing. The final factor? Thanks to yesterday's deal, he will be out of a £100k-a-year job; under the new system, the Mayor will take over the Police Commissioner's brief from 2017.
Yesterday, the Chancellor George Osborne unveiled a £1bn-plus devolution package for Greater Manchester—the first of its kind. Transport, skills and housebuilding powers are all on their way up from Whitehall. As part of the deal, the region's council leaders have had to sign up to an elected mayor, expected to be installed in 2017. So who are the runners and riders? Here is some of the wild—and not so wild—speculation doing the rounds.
The frontrunner
Sir Richard Leese, LabourIt's no surprise Ladbrokes have the Manchester council leader as odds-on favourite, at 3/1. He is one of those few council leaders people have actually heard of—and alongside Sir Howard Bernstein, the council's Chief Executive, is universally credited with rebuilding Manchester's post-bomb, post-Thatcher landscape. As vice-chair of the region's combined authority, he was a key player in steering through today's historic deal, having carved out the path to it over many years. But the fraught, tribal nature of Greater Manchester's Labour membership could prove a stumbling block, even for him. Many members in the outlying nine boroughs—not least next door Salford—regard Manchester figures as only interested in the city centre and its gleaming regeneration projects, rather than the outlook for the region as a whole. And Manchester's Labour party only makes up a fraction of that whole.
The solitary Tory
Baroness Susan Williams, ConservativePopular, pragmatic and respected within her party and beyond, this former leader of Trafford council was a key player in the deal-brokering that set up the Greater Manchester Combined Authority—the region's top administrative tier—in 2011. After failing to win Bolton West at the last election, she was bumped up to the House of Lords and appointed director of the North West Rail Campaign. She has lobbied in favour of both the Northern Hub rail upgrade and HS2, both likely to bring huge economic benefits to the north. (Eventually.) She is also—whisper it—a woman. Still, for all that, she is also a Tory. And in Greater Manchester, old habits die hard.
The youthful challenger
Jim McMahon, LabourMade leader of Oldham council when barely in his 30s, McMahon could be snapping at Sir Richard's heels. Clearly ambitious, he was made Labour lead on the Local Government Association earlier this year, and within the combined authority has not been scared of speaking his mind. He has also had success turning round his town hall during a time of severe austerity. It could be to his advantage that he is leader of an outlying authority, so would potentially be more trusted to look out for the whole region than a "Manchester" figure like Leese. But whether he has enough of a profile is yet to be seen.
The cultural candidate
Maxine Peake, actressSince her days as gobby-but-loveable Veronica Fisher on Manc drama Shameless, Maxine Peake has proved there is more than one string to her bow. Currently starring in Hamlet at Manchester's Royal Exchange, she takes both popular and high-brow culture in her stride. Could she apply that broad appeal to politics, too? She certainly leans the right way, having spoken out repeatedly on issues that matter to many local electors, including the plight of the working classes and government cuts. Likeable, northern, untarnished by politics with a capital "P", she could be the breath of fresh air voters are looking for—and a face for Greater Manchester that people already like and recognise.
Read more on Manchester:
Why Manchester works
If we set the cities free, what do we with the towns?
The Westminster wildcard
Jonathan Reynolds, LabourAnother bright young thing from outside of the city, the MP for Stalybridge and Hyde is a shadow Energy Minister. Like Jim McMahon, Reynolds has pushed the devolution agenda hard and is among a new generation of Greater Manchester politicians with big ideas, particularly around transport. He was the only Greater Manchester MP to issue a statement—that we saw—about the devo deal, dropping minutes after the announcement and featuring the classic line "today is not the time for speculation on who the Mayor of Greater Manchester might be." (Too late. Methinks the lady doth protest too much.)
The rank outsider
Gary Neville, footballer/pundit/property developerIn the spirit of Greater Manchester's famed political pragmatism, ex-United star Gary Neville has learned to handle his opponents with diplomacy since hanging up his boots. As a TV commentator he has even earned the grudging respect of some Manchester City fans, admitting to the Manchester Evening News earlier this year that where the Blues had once been "irrelevant," they are now better than United. He is also rising in status among the local business community, working with Manchester council on a major overhaul over the Jackson's Row site near the town hall. Manchester is a city of two halves—and in football as in politics, red and blue rarely mix.
The old hand
Tony Lloyd, LabourThe region's police commissioner and former MP for Manchester Central—during which time he chaired the Parliamentary Labour Party—there is no question Lloyd has a high profile among Labour members. A Greater Manchester-wide internal Labour campaign requires a lot of legwork, a lot of contacts and a lot of money, and he's done it before. On the money front, union backing could be key—and it is already looking promising. Before the deal had even been unveiled, Unite North West had tweeted their backing. The final factor? Thanks to yesterday's deal, he will be out of a £100k-a-year job; under the new system, the Mayor will take over the Police Commissioner's brief from 2017.
