New government plans show good intent, but can only be a start. We need a revolution to revive local democracy

The biggest shake-up in local government for 50 years – that is how Labour’s white paper, Power and partnership: Foundations for growth, has been described. It proposes a constitutional settlement extending devolution to the whole of England.

The case for devolution is the stimulus it offers to local patriotism and pride in the development of public services. In a decentralised system, each authority will strive to ensure that its performance is better than that of its competitors. The emphasis will be on achievement, and mayors will compete in proclaiming how well they are doing.

Vernon Bogdanor is a professor of government, King’s College London. His books include Devolution in the United Kingdom