Mayoral candidate Campbell calls devolution deal ‘embarrassing’

CANDIDATES: The six people standing to become the first Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire

By Angus Young

Candidates standing to become Hull and East Yorkshire’s first elected mayor have all pledged to make the arts and tourism key priorities.

In a hustings at Beverley’s East Riding Theatre the six contenders for the new role appeared to unite over their support for the sectors.

The event had been co-organised by the Hull & East Yorkshire Creative partnership and the Visit Hull & East Yorkshire advisory board with culture and the visitor economy as the evening’s themes for debate.

The only feisty moment during two hours of questions and answers came when Reform UK candidate Luke Campbell veered off subject to criticise the devolution deal for the region which has paved the way for the mayoral election.

He described the annual £13.3m base capital budget for the new-look combined authority as “embarrassing”, claimed the other main political parties had “failed the country”, and predicted government ministers would not be able to ignore him when he, as mayor, was “banging on doors at Westminster”.

Conservative Anne Handley, who was one of the political architects of the deal as leader of East Riding Council, hit back.

She said the two councils here had no say over the size of the base budget as it was awarded by the government using the same  formula based on the region’s population which had been applied to all initial devolution deals around the country.

She said since then the combined authority had been awarded £17.5m to spend on skills initiatives and £19m for transport projects in 2025/6, and claimed it was “nonsense” to suggest the new body would struggle financially.

QUESTIONS: The audience at East Riding Theatre

Hull City Council leader Mike Ross, who is the Liberal Democrat candidate, also spelled out some of the actual mechanics of how the deal will be used to support the cultural and visitor economy.

He said it would provide an opportunity to fund and partner with existing providers and encourage newcomers in the sectors to become established.

Labour candidate Margaret Pinder said she wanted to work closely with other Labour mayors across the North to include Hull and East Yorkshire in a wider, more ambitious approach to supporting arts, culture and tourism.

Giving an example, she suggested the mayors could launch a combined bid to bring the Commonwealth Games to the North.

Yorkshire Party candidate Rowan Halstead said: “I want to see people coming here for the jobs and staying for the culture.”

Green Party candidate Kerry Harrison added: “Arts, culture and music make healthier, happier people.”