Nick Clegg has said more power must be given to the English regions so they can truly “stand on their own feet”. He argued such a move would be needed after the Scottish referendum, with new powers promised for Holyrood if there is a No vote. While the focus in the past decade had been on devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, he said England was “the forgotten part of the puzzle”. Speaking in Sheffield, Mr Clegg endorsed a report by the IPPR North think tank proposing a new wave of combined local authorities headed by directly elected “metro mayors”. He said councils were already able to retain more of their own income from business rates, but they should gradually take control of budgets for skills and job development. “If ever there was a time to push for action on decentralisation, it’s right now,” he stated.