UNIONS have backed a Yorkshire Day bid for an ambitious devolution deal for most of the county.

The TUC is supporting a push for a wide-ranging deal covering the North and East Ridings, as well as much of the West.

Council leaders met in York last week, and today revealed they were forming a "coalition of the willing" to fight for a "a single ambitious devolution deal".

>> Yorkshire devolution deal breakthrough

Previously there had been several, rival bids proposing how to carve up the Yorkshire region in order to obtain more devolved powers from the Government.

They included the Greater Yorkshire plan and the Leeds City Region bid, which proposed West Yorkshire’s five councils pair up with York, Hambleton, Craven and Selby.

The latest agreement sees the greatest number of Yorkshire councils working together and brings Barnsley and Doncaster on board.

TUC Regional Secretary Bill Adams said it was now clear "nothing less than a county-wide deal" would do, and the TUC believes a whole Yorkshire deal is best for working people.

He added: “A substantial devolution deal for the county would mean Yorkshire, rather than London, would make our own decisions on transport, infrastructure, trade and investment. And this will reap benefits for working folk stretching from the Humber Bridge to Malham Cove."

The county could together command a "hefty budget" from central government, and could work for things like a better rail network, safer roads, investment, and high quality jobs, he said.

"And a Yorkshire Mayor as our ambassador, selling the county at home and abroad, would encourage trade and tourism to a region that has so much to give."