The Council of the Nations and Regions () is a quasi-intergovernmental political body in the United Kingdom.
The council's members are the holders of the offices of prime minister of the United Kingdom, first minister of Scotland, first minister of Wales, first and deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, and the 14 English strategic authority mayors.
The council is separate from the Prime Minister and Heads of Devolved Governments Council, which brings together only the heads of the UK's central and devolved governments, or from the British-Irish Council, which brings together the heads of the UK's central and devolved governments, the governments of the Crown dependencies, and the government of the Republic of Ireland.
History Background In 2022, the Labour Party published a report on constitutional reform proposals by Gordon Brown titled A New Britain: Renewing our Democracy and Rebuilding our Economy.
A chapter of the report was dedicated to the matter of improving intergovernmental relations and devolution. One proposal was for the formation of a "Council of the UK", which would bring together the UK prime minister and the heads of the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to manage relations and coordinate efforts between the four governments. A second proposed body was a "Council of England", chaired by the prime minister, which would bring together the mayor of London, combined authority mayors, representatives of English local government, and other English stakeholders. A third proposed body was the Council of the Nations and Regions, which would bring together the UK prime minister, the heads of the three devolved governments, the mayor of London, and England's combined authority mayors.
Establishment
Plans for a council of the nations and regions were included in the Labour manifesto for the 2024 UK general election. Following Labour's victory in the election, on 9 July the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer met the mayors of England's combined authorities and combined county authorities and the mayor of London and announced plans to establish a council of the nations and regions. The Scottish Government said that they had not been informed of the plans prior to the announcement.
At the 2024 Labour Party Conference, Labour reiterated its commitment to the proposals, saying that all areas of England "should eventually be covered by mayoral devolution", which would then mean all areas of England would be represented on the Council.
The first meeting of the Council of the Nations and Regions took place on 11 October 2024 in Edinburgh. The work of the council will be supported by a secretariat of UK government officials.
Membership The council's members are the holders of the offices of prime minister of the United Kingdom, first minister of Scotland, first minister of Wales, first and deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, and the English strategic authority mayors.
According to a press release issued by the UK government, the deputy prime minister and the minister for intergovernmental relations will also attend the council, and that other ministers may be invited to attend on an ad hoc basis. The membership of the council is expected increase as new strategic authorities with a directly elected mayor are established in England.
The current members of the council are:
Name Authority Position within authority Andy Burnham (Chair) Government of the United Kingdom Prime Minister of the United KingdomMinister for the UnionMinister for the Civil Service John Swinney Scottish Government First Minister of Scotland Rhun ap Iorwerth Welsh Government First Minister of Wales Michelle O'NeillNorthern Ireland Executive First Minister of Northern Ireland Emma Little-Pengelly Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland The Lord Khan of Tooting Greater London Authority Mayor of London Paul Bristow Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Claire Ward East Midlands Combined County Authority Mayor of the East MidlandsAndrea JenkynsGreater Lincolnshire Combined AuthorityMayor of Greater Lincolnshire Bev Craig Greater Manchester Combined Authority Mayor of Greater ManchesterLuke CampbellHull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire Steve Rotheram Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Kim McGuinness North East Combined Authority Mayor of the North East Oliver Coppard South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Mayor of South Yorkshire The Lord Houchen of High Leven Tees Valley Combined Authority Mayor of the Tees Valley Richard Parker West Midlands Combined Authority Mayor of the West Midlands Helen Godwin West of England Combined Authority Mayor of the West of England Tracy Brabin West Yorkshire Combined Authority Mayor of West Yorkshire David Skaith York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Mayor of York and North Yorkshire
Meetings
The first meeting of the council took place in October 2024. The council meets twice a year. Meetings of the Council of the Nations and RegionsDate LocationHost 11 October 2024Queen Elizabeth House, EdinburghScotland23 May 2025Lancaster House, LondonEngland
See also East–West Council Inter-Parliamentary Forum Intergovernmental relations in the United Kingdom Leaders' Council (United Kingdom) Mayoral Council for England National Economic Council (United Kingdom) Prime Minister and Heads of Devolved Governments Council List of current heads of government in the United Kingdom and dependencies
References
External links
UK Parliament: Council of the Nations and Regions