We are seeing the first flowering of local area devolution.

There is now a tangible, growing appetite for the devolution of powers and funding in areas like transport, skills, taxation and policing to local areas. A ComRes poll earlier this week reported that more than 80% of people surveyed from every corner of the UK – be it the North West, North East, London or the Midlands – supported the idea.

It is clear that a ‘one size fits all' approach to devolution will not work. The Chancellor has recognised this. He has made it clear that it is for each area to identify which powers they want to see devolved, and to suggest the most appropriate form of governance for that area.