MP calls South Yorkshire devolution a “disaster” in Doncaster Sheffield Airport debate

Conservative MP Nick Fletcher laid heavy criticism on the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) yesterday during a Commons debate on the closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

Then Labour MP Ed Miliband criticised his partisanship and renewed calls for the government to use the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to prevent the airport’s closure.

The House of Commons held the adjournment debate yesterday to discuss the future of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, which is set to close on 31 October.

Fletcher used his time largely to criticise the SYMCA, which is led by Mayor Oliver Coppard, claiming that devolved funds and powers should have been used to buy the airport.

He said:

“Our Mayor has powers over economic growth, education, infrastructure and transport. He also has a substantial amount of money that he can use to drive growth.

“This is gainshare money and is set out as £30 million a year for 30 years— a total of £900 million. He can borrow against this, too. Peel and our Mayor are the key players.”

“For three years, I have been informed, Peel was led a merry dance by the combined authority, which provided a catalogue of excuses and delays without clear process.

“I have been led to believe that first, it claimed there was no money, despite devolution; secondly, it failed to grasp state aid issues and made no effort to lobby on them and finally, environmental concerns were given as the reason why the £20 million loan was not even put to the leaders of the combined authority in March this year.”

He was challenged by Dan Jarvis MP, who held the South Yorkshire Mayor position until earlier this year:

“For the sake of clarity, it would be helpful if he could say precisely what powers […] and precisely what money he thinks the current South Yorkshire Mayor should be deploying in support of Doncaster Sheffield airport.”

“What powers and what money?”

Fletcher used the comparison of Mayor Ben Houchen in Teesside, who purchased its regional airport and brought it under public ownership in 2019.

He then went further to call for devolved powers to be removed from the SYMCA:

“Some may wish [the Government] could do more, and so do I—but that, I am afraid, is devolution. For them to do more, we would need to return powers to Government.”

“Before any more devolution can take place, can it please be explained properly to the electorate what that means? I believe it has been a disaster for South Yorkshire so far.”

The House then heard from Ed Miliband, MP for Doncaster North: “We in this House owe it to the workers who are at risk of losing their jobs, and to the whole community, to work together and do absolutely everything we can in the days that we have left; not to point fingers or play the blame game, but to try to keep the airport open.

“Let us get the position clear: responsibility for this decision lies with Peel. Peel has taken the decision. It has refused the offer of a 13-month subsidy from the South Yorkshire Mayor to cover its losses and keep the airport open while a buyer is found.

“Indeed, looking at the situation, one can only reach the conclusion that it is determined not to sell because it wants to use the land for other purposes.

“The problem with the idea that the airport should somehow be purchased by the South Yorkshire Mayor has a flaw at its heart: Peel is refusing to sell.”

The MP and Shadow Climate Change Secretary also reiterated his wish to use the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to keep the airport open due to the emergency operations that take place there.

He, along with Dame Rosie Winterton MP, commissioned legal advice from Lord Falconer of Thoroton, who supported the Act through the House, and said:

“The shortness of the period before closure means for many, if not all, of these services an interruption of their life-saving services, and for some of them potentially a permanent reduction in quality. No doubt some of them will find alternative bases. How good they are and when remains to be seen.

The use of the Act has been blocked by the Transport Secretary, who claims that there is “no disruption” to emergency services brought about by the airport’s closure.

Miliband continued: “I say to the honorable Gentleman [Nick Fletcher], because he keeps wanting to play the blame game, that there will be time to do so.

“If we do not succeed, there will be time for him to do all the finger pointing, and for him to put this on his election leaflet and try to blame the Labour party, but do not do it now.”

The SYMCA and Doncaster Council are reportedly in talks with a consortium of buyers and Peel Group to try to sell the airport, less than a week before its closure.

Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones released a statement earlier today threatening Peel with legal action after it was revealed that they have already begun stripping out the airporThe Doncaster Free Press has reached out to the South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard for a response to Fletcher’s claims, we have not yet received a reply.