Council of the Nations and Regions
{{Short description|Intergovernmental body in the United Kingdom}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox legislature
| background_color =
| text_color =
| name = Council of the Nations and Regions
| native_name = {{native name|cy|Cyngor y Cenhedloedd a’r Rhanbarthau}}
| native_name_lang = cy
|coa_pic = Council of the Nations and Regions logo.png
|coa_res = 250
|coa_alt =
|coa_caption = Logo
|foundation = {{Start date|2024}}
|leader1 =Keir Starmer, Prime Minister
|leader1_type = Chair
| house_type = Quasi-intergovernmental
body
| jurisdiction = United Kingdom
| term_limits =
| members = 19
| structure1 = Council of the Nations and Regions diagram 2025.svg
| structure1_res = 230
| structure1_alt = Council of the Nations and Regions composition
| political_groups1 =
{{ubl|{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Labour Party (12)
|{{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Conservative Party
(UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Conservative Party (2)}}
|{{Color box|{{party color|Reform UK}}|border=darkgray}} Reform UK (2)
|{{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}|border=darkgray}} Democratic Unionist Party (1)}}
|{{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Scottish National Party}}|border=darkgray}} Scottish National Party (1)}}
|{{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Sinn Féin}}|border=darkgray}} Sinn Féin (1)}}
}}
| website = [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/council-of-the-nations-and-regions Council of the Nations and Regions]
| footnotes =
| session_room = Council of Nations and Regions (54058014312).jpg
| session_res = 250
| session_alt =
| meeting_place = First meeting of the council in Queen Elizabeth House, Edinburgh, Scotland, 11 October 2024
}}
{{Politics of the United Kingdom}}
The Council of the Nations and Regions ({{langx|cy|Cyngor y Cenhedloedd a’r Rhanbarthau}}) is a quasi-intergovernmental political body in the United Kingdom.
The council's members are the holders of the offices of prime minister of the United Kingdom, first minister of Scotland, first minister of Wales, first and deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, mayor of London, and the 13 English combined authority mayoralties.{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/politics-explained/uk-council-nations-regions-mayors-devolved-government-b2627988.html | title=How will Starmer's new Council of the Nations and Regions tackle the challenges of power-sharing?| website=Independent.co.uk| date=11 October 2024}}
The council is separate from the Prime Minister and Heads of Devolved Governments Council, which brings together only the heads of the UK's central and devolved governments.
History
= Background =
In 2022, the Labour Party published a report on constitutional reform proposals by Gordon Brown titled A New Britain: Renewing our Democracy and Rebuilding our Economy.{{Cite news |last1=Mason |first1=Rowena |last2=Brooks |first2=Libby |date=2022-12-04 |title=Labour unveils plan to overhaul constitution and replace the Lords |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/dec/04/labour-unveils-overhaul-constitution-replace-houes-of-lords |access-date=2024-10-07 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
A chapter of the report was dedicated to the matter of improving intergovernmental relations and devolution.{{Cite news |last=Lynch |first=David |date=9 October 2023 |title=Unserious to suggest Wales is sole blueprint for a Labour government: Drakeford |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/mark-drakeford-wales-welsh-government-conservatives-first-minister-b2426650.html |access-date=7 October 2024 |work=The Independent}} One proposal was for the formation of a "Council of the UK", which would bring together the UK prime minister and the heads of the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to manage relations and coordinate efforts between the four governments. A second proposed body was a "Council of England", chaired by the prime minister, which would bring together the mayor of London, combined authority mayors, representatives of local government, and other stakeholders in England. A third proposed body was the "Council of the Nations and Regions", which would bring together the UK prime minister, the heads of the three devolved governments, and the mayor of London and combined authority mayors in England.{{Cite Q|Q115628668}}
= Establishment =
File:Prime Minister Keir Starmer host Council of Nations and Regions (54059294568).jpg
Plans for a council of the nations and regions were included in the Labour manifesto for the 2024 UK general election.{{Cite web|url=https://labour.org.uk/change/serving-the-country/|title=Serving the country|website=The Labour Party}} Following Labour's victory in the election, on 9 July the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer met England's combined authority mayors and the mayor of London and announced plans to establish a council of the nations and regions.{{Cite news |date=9 July 2024 |title=UK politics live: Keir Starmer departs for Nato summit after making first speech to Parliament as PM |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/czk0r339evgt |work=BBC News}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/jul/09/keir-starmer-tony-blair-ai-labour-government-conservatives-uk-politics-latest-news|title=Starmer praises Abbott and hails diverse Commons in first speech to parliament as PM – as it happened|first=Andrew|last=Sparrow|newspaper=The Guardian |date=9 July 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Ross |first=Hunter |date=2024-07-09 |title=Scottish Government given no detail on Labour's new 'council of nations' |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/24440129.scottish-government-given-no-detail-uks-new-council-nations/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=The National |language=en}} The Scottish Government said that they had not been informed of the plans prior to the announcement.
At the 2024 Labour Party Conference, Labour reiterated its commitment to the proposals, saying that all areas of England "should eventually be covered by mayoral devolution", which would then mean all areas of England would be represented on the Council.{{Cite web |last1=White |first1=Hannah |last2=Thomas |first2=Alex |last3=Tetlow |first3=Gemma |last4=Pope |first4=Thomas |last5=Davies |first5=Nick |last6=Davison |first6=Nehal |last7=Metcalfe |first7=Sophie |last8=Paun |first8=Akash |date=2024-09-26 |title=Seven things we learned from the Labour Party Conference 2024 |url=https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/labour-party-conference-2024-seven-things |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241002230955/https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/labour-party-conference-2024-seven-things |archive-date=2024-10-02 |access-date=2024-10-04 |website=Institute for Government}}
The first meeting of the Council of the Nations and Regions took place on 11 October 2024 in Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgwl8807w7o|title=Council of Nations tackles challenge of UK power-sharing|date=10 October 2024|website=BBC News}} The work of the council will be supported by a secretariat of UK government officials.{{clarify|date= October 2024}}
Membership
The council's members are the holders of the offices of prime minister of the United Kingdom, first minister of Scotland, first minister of Wales, first and deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, mayor of London, and the 11 English combined authority mayoralties.{{Cite web |title=Deputy Prime Minister kickstarts new devolution revolution to boost local power |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deputy-prime-minister-kickstarts-new-devolution-revolution-to-boost-local-power |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/council-of-the-nations-and-regions/|title=Council of the Nations and Regions|date=12 September 2024|first=David|last=Torrance|publisher=House of Commons Library}}
According to a press release issued by the UK government, the deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom and the minister for intergovernmental relations will also attend the council,{{Efn|While the press release states that the deputy prime minister and the minister for intergovernmental relations will attend, neither have attended a meeting as of 2024.|name=Member}} and that other ministers may be invited to attend on an ad hoc basis.{{Cite press release |title=Council of the Nations and Regions: Terms of Reference |date=17 October 2024 |publisher=UK Government |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/council-of-the-nations-and-regions-terms-of-reference/council-of-the-nations-and-regions-terms-of-reference |access-date=19 October 2024}} The membership of the council is expected increase as new mayoral combined authorities are established in England.
The current members of the council are:
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| colspan="2" | Name
! Authority ! Position within authority |
|---|
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}};" |
| Government of the United Kingdom | Prime Minister of the United Kingdom |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Sinn Fein}};" |
| rowspan="2" |Northern Ireland Executive |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Reform UK}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour and Co-operative Party}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Reform UK}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour and Co-operative Party}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour and Co-operative Party}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour and Co-operative Party}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour and Co-operative Party}};" | |
| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour and Co-operative Party}};" | |
Meetings
File:Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosts Council of Nations and Regions (54540106593).jpg
The first meeting of the council took place in October 2024.
The council is expected to meet twice a year.
See also
Footnotes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commonsinline}}
- [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/council-of-the-nations-and-regions Council of the Nations and Regions]
- [https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/council-of-the-nations-and-regions/ UK Parliament: Council of the Nations and Regions]
{{Intergovernmental relations in the United Kingdom}}
{{Devolution in the United Kingdom}}
Category:Devolution in the United Kingdom