PM was pushed to create regional minister

JOHN Major was urged to create a “minister for the South West” after a colleague went on a two-day fact-finding mission to Cornwall and Devon, newly released documents at the National Archives in Kew show.

Sport minister Robert Key was accompanied on his trip to the West Country in spring 1993 by then-local MPS Seb (now Lord) Coe and David Harris, visiting Holywell Bay on the north Cornish coast, as well as Penzance and Falmouth, before crossing the Tamar to meet tourism and business leaders in Exeter and Exmouth.

The trip had a positive impact on Mr Key, who spoke in glowing terms of the visit.

But he warned there remained “much concern about tourism marketing strategy”, adding there was “criticism in Cornwall that they have a unique product which cannot be equated with that of other western counties”.

Downing Street aide Damian Green, who would go on to become an MP and first secretary of state, said Mr Key’s “substantive proposal” was for the creation of a minister for the South West, despite consensus in Whitehall that such regional positions were unwelcome.

Mr Green advised the then prime minister to reply to Mr Key by saying “that the whole question of the delivery of government policies in the regions is being considered”.

Regional ministerial posts were eventually introduced in 2007.

Labour MP Ben Bradshaw took up the role in the South West that year.

Each minister had other departmental responsibilities, as well as specific responsibilities for one of the English regions. Their stated role was “to provide a clear sense of strategic direction for the nine English regions and to help strengthen their links with central government”.

However, the last of the positions were ditched as the Conservatives swept to power in 2010.