Working with other Mayors

The group of Metro Mayors is an influential group that can shift government thinking when we act together.

The M10 is the cross-party group of Metro Mayors who meet on a monthly basis to discuss interventions and setting up collective meetings with Secretaries of State, Ministers, and on occasion the Chancellor and Prime Minister. If we want to make a political intervention that is party political we act as the Labour Metro Mayors, and if it just affects the north then the Northern Labour Metro Mayors.

As all Mayors are in favour of more and better devolution that is often our focus. We know our areas. In particular I’ve been lobbying for improved fiscal powers like Land value capture and earn-back.  Mechanisms which could help our area retain money, not by taxing you more, just retaining the money that is already spent.

As Labour Mayors we’ve made many interventions. On transport we raised issues about the Integrated Rail Plan, lobbied for fair funding for buses and light rail during covid, and continue to lobby for a better rail network for the North.  We need Northern Powerhouse delivered in full if the true prosperity of the North is ever going to be realised.

We acted together as the Northern Labour Metro Mayors during the covid pandemic when the government where planning the impose Tier 3 restriction on Manchester, Liverpool and the North East.

We support the Trade Unions right to defend their livelihoods and supported workers excluded from government support through the pandemic.

In addition to the public facing lobbying a lot of collaborative work also happens between the officer teams.  We share best practice and help improve efficiency.  Where one Combined Authority has expertise they will often share it.

As any Labour person knows, when we work together we are stronger.

Related Achievements