A TORY MP says he "cannot possibly support" George Osborne's demands for a single 'metro mayor’ for all of West Yorkshire.

The idea of an elected mayor moved a step closer yesterday after local leaders bowed to pressure from the Chancellor.

The U-turn paves the way for a mayoral election as early as 2017 – a shake-up that would be imposed without a referendum of the district’s voters.

The reward could be extensive powers over transport – including to run bus services – planning, housing, the police and to integrate health and social care budgets.

The district could also win an ‘earn back’ deal, allowing it to retain tax revenues from economic growth, perhaps to fund transport improvements.

But the district's MPs are split on the fast-moving developments, which followed Mr Osborne’s "mayors or bust" speech, as one Treasury aide put it.

Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley remained firmly opposed, saying: "It is simply a recipe for all the resources being given to the city centres and the other parts of the area being ignored.

"That is something I cannot possibly support."

Imran Hussain, the new Labour MP for Bradford East, criticised the Treasury for not involving local people before making demands on the way they must be ruled.

But, asked if he was open to a metro mayor, he replied: "Absolutely. If there is greater devolution and greater powers going to West Yorkshire, then yes – subject to having a public consultation."

And Kris Hopkins, the Conservative MP for Keighley, said: "The 11 authorities of Manchester don’t seem disappointed. They realise they are going to get massive and radical investment.

"That’s what the leaders of West Yorkshire need to do now – be ambitious and recognise they are not going to lose powers, but gain powers. If that involves a metro mayor, I welcome that."

Naz Shah, Labour MP for Bradford West, said a metro mayor would only be acceptable if local people backed the idea, but added: "There are benefits of accountability."

The district’s ‘combined authority’ dramatically abandoned its long opposition to the Chancellor imposing the ‘Boris Johnson-style’ leader – in return for the promise of radical devolution.

It agreed to stage a consultation to win backing for a metro mayor after Mr Osborne insisted devolution was dead in the water unless it caved in.

On Wednesday, Mr Osborne pledged a Cities Devolution Bill in this month’s Queen’s Speech, to enact the deal for Manchester – and other cities that chose to follow.

But he warned: "We will transfer major powers only to those cities who choose to have a directly elected metro-wide mayor."

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority will meet on June 25 to decide how to consult local people and businesses "on the governance options that could unlock extra powers and resources from Whitehall".

A metro mayor would rule Bradford, Leeds, Kirklees, Calderdale, Wakefield – and possibly York, which is an associate member.