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Manchester shows what Glasgow should really be asking for in devolution push

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Andy Burnham intends to make devolution one of the defining features of his premiership.

His plans for England promise greater autonomy for city-regions. This includes more flexibility over funding and a stronger voice for local leaders in national policy.

For Scotland, the implications are less straightforward. Devolution here operates within a complex relationship between local government, Holyrood and Westminster. But that complexity should not become an excuse for cities like Glasgow to sit back and wait.

In advance of next year’s local elections, there is the opportunity to engage positively with the new PM and growth unit in No. 10 North. The question is what Glasgow should ask for?

Glasgow local government reform: The case for change

The temptation will be to follow a familiar route: identify a list of projects, attach estimates of jobs and economic benefits, and lobby for additional UK Government money.

We have been here before.

The 2014 Glasgow City Deal secured around £1 billion of investment, with the promise of 28,000 new jobs. Such funding supported some important projects and helped to leverage in additional finance.

But the deal was highly restrictive beyond a time-limited injection of cash. It was largely focused on capital projects, with........

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