Alex Walker

@alwalker.bsky.social

1532 Followers 482 Following

Senior Researcher @re-state.bsky.social Interests include devolution, governance, democracy, trust

The most important road to success for the Council is for it to make a tangible and meaningful difference. And for this it needs to be connected to delivery. Despite the heightened political disagreement coming down the track, there are still many shared aims – for example, around productivity and economic growth. Higher growth is a cross-cutting challenge involving a range of policy levers over which influence and control are dispersed. Many contemporary policy problems are similarly complex and multi-faceted. The different governments and authorities across the UK need to recognise that in order to achieve many of their core objectives, they need to work with others. If the Council becomes an enabler for this kind of collaboration – from exchanging lessons to substantive joint initiatives – then it may get the buy-in it needs to become an established feature of the governance landscape. However, this will require some give and take from all sides. The UK government will need to cede some ownership. And it could be more ambitious when it comes to the agenda – for example, tabling discussions on foreign policy when there are big geopolitical shifts requiring a strategic response, as has happened recently in Canada. But making this work is a two-way street. Devolved leaders also need to engage constructively, including with those from different political parties. Nervousness about the Council is understandable. But bodies like this are a necessary and important part of making devolution work, and have been a crucial missing ingredient in the past. Now is not the time to get cold feet.