Belfast needs Metropolitan Mayor to save it from 'catastrophic Brexit', says Needham

The longest serving Northern Ireland Office Minister has said Belfast needs an elected Metropolitan Mayor to ensure it can get the best from Brexit.

Sir Richard Needham served as under-secretary of state for Northern Ireland between 1985 and 1992.

He said an elected mayor could help protect the city from a "potentially catastrophic Brexit" and the position would need to be on a power-sharing basis similar to how the Executive operates.

Metropolitan mayors are becoming more common in other parts of the UK. In London, current Mayor Sadiq Khan is elected and responsible for the over-arching strategic direction of the city with powers such as planning, transport and business development. Whereas Belfast City's current Lord Mayor is more of a ceremonial position.

 

Sir Richard said a discussion was needed on an elected more powerful position in Belfast which would cover the greater outlying metropolitan area with more powers devolved down from the Assembly.

"Belfast is completely different to what it was 25 years ago, but it is in danger of falling behind cities such as Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester or Leeds because it doesn't have a political leadership that can drive the metropolitan area forward," he told the BBC.

Belfast needs some way of establishing itself as a leading world class city and needs someone to stand up for it.

 

"Something has to be done to to bring forward projects new technologies and new opportunities in Belfast and the greater metropolitan area.

"Not least because Northern Ireland faces a potential catastrophe with Brexit. If any part of the UK is going to suffer the most because of the wrong sort of Brexit [it will be Northern Ireland]. Don't think Brexit will not lead to a border because it will, I can't see any solution without that.

"Belfast needs some way of establishing itself as a leading world class city and needs someone to stand up for it."

Sir Richard said that although the position would no doubt have conflicts with a working Northern Ireland Executive, it was "no reason not to do it".

He added: "That is something the Executive itself will have to come to terms with - what extent of powers will it be willing to devolve to Belfast and indeed a greater metropolitan area in order for the city to run smoothly.

"You can't have future of Belfast constantly determined by MLAs which have no responsibility for it."

He said that while there were no easy solutions, "to do nothing was not an option".

"Northern Ireland is over-governed, but the present banging along the bottom with everyone throwing in their halfpenny's worth is not a long term solution.

"In light of Brexit we have to look at how Belfast is to improve and help its people."

Sir Richard also said that if the British Government imposed direct rule on Northern Ireland it would be "retrograde" and officials would only "sit on their hands, terrified to take any steps which would upset one side or the other".

He said the government should, along with the Irish Government, work to re-establish the insitutions.

"Once you restore direct rule, it is very hard to go back," he added.

Belfast Telegraph