Given enhanced interests in Mayors and CAs, esp GM, we’ve heard a lot about limited powers over the economy (concerning subsidies, bailouts, wages), a bit about policing & PCC role enforcing lockdown (or not), but very little about health devolution? #CovidUK #lockdownUK

This is slightly odd given that a) it’s a health crisis (in public health, service delivery and social care) and b) this was meant to be a big part of Whitehall and GM’s devolution ‘experiment’. Remember this? https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/01/greater-manchester-devo-health-social-care-budgets">https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...

Obviously the devolution structures are complicated (+ link to formal/informal Mayoral powers are obscure). Cynical explanation is that it was never really devolved - but what in respect of #COVID19 is? And how does it affect data, testing, public health decisions etc?