Yorkshire MP demands 'regional government for the North'

The Halifax MP spoke in a Westminster Hall debate in Parliament. Credit: PA Wire

The North of England should have its own 'regional government', a West Yorkshire MP has claimed.

Speaking in a Parliamentary debate, the Labour MP for Halifax Linda Riordan told ministers it was time "for central government to let go a little bit".

Great Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell backed the calls and claimed the three former 'development regions' should be "united into one powerful authority in the North".

But Jason McCartney, the Conservative MP for Colne Valley, told MPs the country did not need "more bureaucracy" and urged them to instead "focus on the success Yorkshire and the North has had".

His views were echoed by Local Government Minister Brandon Lewis who said the pursuit of regional government "is not the way to fundamentally shift decision making away from Whitehall".