At the Labour Conference in Liverpool, change was in the air. This related not just to the newly settled mood over the party’s leadership. Change was also evident in Labour’s attitude to devolution.
A year ago, the phrase “Northern Powerhouse” was automatically greeted by muttering about George Osborne. This year, he is gone, and the Northern Powerhouse idea provoked a different response. In fact, it drew some of the largest crowds on the Conference fringe.