With the General Election only four weeks away, the results of the metro mayor elections have inevitably been analysed for signs of what to expect on 8 June. For example, the Tories' victories in traditional Labour strongholds such as the West Midlands and Tees Valley have been held up as further evidence of a likely Conservative landslide on the national stage.

However, we should not lose sight of the real significance of the new mayors – not as a barometer of political developments in Westminster, but as an important step away from national political questions and decision-making, towards a more decentralised political system which better reflects the needs and challenges facing some of the UK's biggest city regions.