A FOOL returns to his folly as does a dog to its vomit.Thus it was that George Osborne used the first speech of the new parliament yesterday to yet again — very sketchily — outline his plans for “radical devolution” for regions of England.
Plans under the Cities Devolution Bill will help to implement the so-called “northern powerhouse” — or should that be “poorhouse” — announcement he made last time round.
Cities would be given power over local transport, housing, planning, policing and public health — all the things the Tories have already wrecked.As usual with Osborne, the devil is in the detail, of which there was characteristically none.
Behind the cute names of Scotland’s road gritters lies a workforce underpaid and overlooked – a fitting reflection of a Budget that protected profits, bungled its rollout and offered hardly a glimmer of hope, writes MATT KERR
Fan group The 1873 issues scathing response to owners’ statement saying the club will not close
JAMIE DRISCOLL explains how his group, Majority, plans to empower working people to empower themselves
Ben Chacko talks to ALAN MARDGHUM of the Durham Miners Association about Reform UK‘s dangerous inroads into Durham’s long-standing Labour county council; why he cancelled his party membership; and the political class’s disconnect from working people



