Will this new council tackle power-sharing challenges?

Keir Starmer has proudly chaired a meeting of the latest constitutional innovation in the UK, the Council of the Nations and Regions. Yesterday's session in Edinburgh was more or less an introductory one with no executive decisions taken, but all those involved seem to want to make this new arrangement work in as cooperative and productive manner as possible, given their differing political complexions and, to some extent, regional rivalries and sometimes unresolved issues with Westminster/Whitehall.

- SEAN O'GRADY

Starmer said he wants to "rewire" the way the UK government interacts with devolved areas and brings together first ministers and metro mayors: "The question is not the aspiration, it's whether we can roll up our sleeves and work together to deliver that growth because that unlocks so much."

Who is on this new council?

There are 17 "ex officio" members at the moment:

• Prime minister of the United Kingdom (Keir Starmer, Labour)

• First minister and deputy first ministers of Northern Ireland (Michelle O'Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly, Sinn Fein and DUP, respectively)

• First minister of Scotland (John Swinney, SNP)

• First minister of Wales (Eluned Morgan, Labour)

• Mayor of London (Sadiq Khan, Labour)

• Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (Nik Johnson, Labour)

• Mayor of the East Midlands (Claire Ward, Labour)

• Mayor of Greater Manchester (Andy Burnham, Labour)

• Mayor of the Liverpool City Region (Steve Rotherham, Labour)

• Mayor of the North East (Kim McGuinness, Labour)

• Mayor of South Yorkshire (Oliver Coppard, Labour)

• Mayor of Teeside (Ben Houchen, Conservative)

• Mayor of the West Midlands (Richard Parker, Labour)

• Mayor of the West of England (Dan Norris, Labour)

• Mayor of West Yorkshire (Tracy Brabin, Labour)

• Mayor of York and North Yorkshire (David Skaith, Labour)

Apologies for absence?