海角视频IP European minister Bill Etheridge has dubbed a as anti-democratic and a “Labour Party stitch up”.
West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge said he feared for local democracy after the historic agreement between Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Birmingham’s local authorities.
The agreement means a united authority will be given powers and funding from Whitehall to control areas like development and transport, and potentially things like housing and policing.
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It was been but Mr Etheridge said the authority, and the possibility of a region-wide mayor, was undemocratic after a Birmingham-only elected mayor was voted down in a referendum in 2012.
He said: “I think it is a Labour party stitch up. I am very proud to be a Black Country man and I will not stand idly by while politicians betray our heritage for the sake of grabbing even more centralised power for themselves.
“This is typical of the Labour party seeking to concentrate power over the people by moving the centre of power further away from people.”
Leaders of authorities in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Birmingham asking for powers to be devolved to the new authority.
Coventry is expected to join up and an invite has been sent to Solihull.
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Combined authorities are vital to access billions of pounds of powers and already five other English regions have created them.
The councils hope to have a wider agreement, outlining powers to be handed to the authority, by April next year.
Jerry Blackett, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said he “unreservedly” welcomed the announcement.
He said: “This is the gold standard for local authorities to work together and this coalition will give Government the confidence to devolve more powers and budgets to the West Midlands.
“Businesses have never understood the point of Local Authority boundaries and trade easily across borders. The economic ties between the Black Country and Birmingham have been clear for decades.”