Could mayoral figure feature in future?

WHILE Jim McMahon's letter sheds no light on the prospect of a mayoral referendum, it does offer some insight into whether the decision about adopting an Andy Burnham-style figurehead will ultimately rest with Lancashire itself - even if it is in the hands of its politicians rather than the people or if the post will be imposed on the county by the government.

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As the LDRS has charted, the ministerial position appears to have vacillated in recent months.

While the government has made no secret of its desire for areas without a mayor to get one, the choice as set out in the devolution white paper last year appeared to be a genuine one.

However, at the Convention of the North in Preston in February, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said that "by May 2026, the whole of the north will have mayors", seemingly removing the option for Lancashire to refuse.