Devolution has been a centrepoint of the Prime Minister’s agenda since his march to Downing Street in the summer, and he has insisted giving more control to regional mayors and authorities across England will help to boost economic growth.
asserted
giving → insist → growth
His vision for further devolution in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland has been less clear, but the Prime Minister has said he will listen to the nations’ calls for further powers while advocating that they share more responsibilities with local authorities.
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they → say → authorities
Ahead of the first National Economic Council for the nations in Glasgow, Mr Burnham said: “Through No 10 North, we are rewiring the state.
“
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we → say → state
I want to make sure every city and region in the United Kingdom is part of that.
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city → want → that
“Today I’ll be making an offer to the governments of each nation.
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I → make → nation
“Put politics aside and work in partnership with the UK Government to develop models of regional empowerment that ensure communities can use their own strengths to unlock their potential.
“This is the next stage of devolution.
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This → put → devolution
“Together, there is no limit to what we can achieve.”
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we → be → what
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said: “The National Economic Council provides an opportunity for the Prime Minister to turn words into action by engaging constructively with Scottish Government proposals to help grow our economy.
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Minister → say → economy
“The Prime Minister has made devolution a central focus for his government, however, the UK Government must ensure that any devolution proposals respect devolution in Scotland.
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proposals → make → Scotland
That means working with the Scottish Government.
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That → mean → Government
“The Scottish Government has put forward substantive proposals to the UK Government on areas where further devolution would help grow Scotland’s economy and I will press the Prime Minister, and his government, to work with us to deliver those proposals.”
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I → put → proposals
Speaking about Mr Burnham, he told BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast: “He’s power to the people.
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He → speak → people
What we’re doing in England is devolving a lot more power, responsibility and resources, not just one government to another, but right down to communities.
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doing → do → communities
“I don’t want to sound too critical of the Scottish Government, because the Prime Minister is looking to have a constructive meeting with the First Minister today, and when Andy Burnham talks about problem solving not point scoring, he genuinely means it.
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he → want → it
“But I would just say to the Scottish Government, one of the critiques we have … is that for the Scottish Government devolution is often about transferring power, responsibility, resources from Westminster to Holyrood and
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devolution → say → Holyrood
the challenge Andy Burnham is setting out is ‘what about devolving more power also from Holyrood to local government across Scotland’.”
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Burnham → set → Scotland
Asked if the UK Government could seek to impose such a system in Scotland, Mr Streeting said: “Wherever possible we prefer to work in partnership with the Scottish Government constructively.”
uncertain
we → ask → Government
He added: “We’ve got fundamental differences with the SNP on a number of issues, not least the future of the UK.
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We → add → UK
But that doesn’t mean we can’t work constructively with the Scottish Government, we respect the fact that the people of Scotland re-elected an SNP-led government, so we want to work constructively with people.
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we → mean → people
“That is the sort of tone you are going to hear from Andy Burnham today.”
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you → go → Burnham
The visit comes after the Prime Minister used his first major speech north of the border since entering No 10 to offer an olive branch to Mr Swinney, saying he wanted to work together on giving more power to local communities.
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he → come → communities
Describing Scotland as “one of the most centralised nations in Europe”, he said he wanted the country to benefit from the same opportunities offered by his drive to devolve more power to English regions.
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country → describe → regions
Northern Ireland will be represented at the meeting, Downing Street said, after First Minister Michelle O’Neill claimed deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly had “blocked” representation from the region amid the political fallout from the Drumcree parading dispute.
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Pengelly → represent → dispute
The Aporia
