Good news for metro mayors: more voters have a positive view of them than a negative one
Six in ten voters in devolved areas have no concerns about giving further powers to elected mayors, a new report by think tank Labour Together has revealed.
Notably, areas with the most advanced devolution settlements expressed the fewest concerns about increasing devolved powers.
However, overall, people remain divided on the devolution process.
Across the 14 areas, 30% believe that it has so far gone well, and 29% believe it has gone badly.
Individual mayors are generally popular, with 33% of people in the 12 mayoral areas rating their mayor’s performance positively, compared to 27% who said their mayor is performing badly.
The percentage of voters who think their mayor is doing well rises to 38% in areas with the most advanced devolution settlements.
The report ‘Mayoral Matters: Public Attitudes to Mayors and Devolution in 2024’ also found a strong link between views on individual mayors and views on devolution as a whole.
Specifically, 61% of those who believe their mayor is performing well also think that devolution across the country is going well.
Labour Together has said that “overall, the government’s ambition to widen the map of devolution across England is well-founded”.
In July, Angela Rayner wrote to local council leaders in “devolution deserts” inviting them to take on new devolved powers.
Labour also pledged to deepen devolution settlements in England for existing Combined Authorities.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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