Devolutionary deals?

Bids for more devolved powers are flooding in from the English regions.

Here's a guest post from my colleague, Tim Donovan, the BBC's political editor in London.

"London's mayor Boris Johnson seized on the prime minister's remarks that details about a new devolutionary deal for cities will be revealed soon.

He had just the plan, he said. Proposals in his London Finance Commission - chaired by the LSE expert Tony Travers - would give control of all property taxes - stamp duty, business rates, council tax (which would be revalued) - to City Hall and the boroughs.

It would amount to London raising about 12% of what it spends - still way behind cities like New York - and it appears to have cross-party support and backing across sectors in the capital.

When it happens is another matter. Given London has had devolved strategic government for 14 years, with the key responsibilities of transport, policing and housing, it is hard to see how further powers are pushed its way until similar measures are agreed for other major cities.

This will take time, and some, like Manchester, are more ready than others.

On wider questions, Boris Johnson himself says an English parliament is not the answer, but he is fully supportive of the need for English votes on English matters. For the moment, of course, he speaks predominantly as an advocate of urban and civic change.

Soon we will no doubt hear how he would address what to do about the rest of the regions across the land."