Cities around the UK are demanding powers to raise and keep their own taxes, opening the door to an American-style system of governance.
The Scottish Referendum a few months’ ago has opened the door to wide-reaching discussions about devolving powers from Westminster.
Initially the debate was centred on what new powers should be handed to governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
But increasingly some of the biggest cities are keen to receive greater independence.
Already Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield have formed the Core Cities group – setting out the case for greater control over public services to be handed down from Whitehall.
Now this influential group could be set to make an even more audacious bid, which would give them the freedom to set and spend their own taxes.
Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool, argued that there had been a groundswell of public support for devolving more responsibility to local level.
“That was a massive wake-up call to all political parties that people are sick and tired of being treated as children who look to their parents to be doled out their pocket money. They want the ability to shape their own destiny,” he said.
“I know what needs to be done in my city region a damn sight more than Whitehall mandarins … 95 per cent of the tax raised within Liverpool is taken back by central government and we go cap in hand asking to feed from government.”
Although some MPs have reservations about the idea and fear that smaller conurbations would be left behind by the proposals.