Sneak peek at the agenda 👀 The PSA’s Local Politics and Governance specialist group's devolution workshop. 📅 24 Nov – featuring: 🗣️ Prof Tony Travers (LSE) on fiscal devolution 🗣️ Prof Donna Hall CBE on local leadership Join the discussion – hybrid format, register here: www.psa.ac.uk/specialist-g...

Great to feature on the @bennettschool.cam.ac.uk podcast. A really interesting conversation about inequality.

New Crossing Channels podcast for November @jacknewman.bsky.social, Angélique Acquatella & Pinelopi Koujianou debate what really drives inequality — from technology & trade to health & local policy — & how institutions can bridge the gap between national goals & everyday realities. pod.fo/e/3497ac

The English Indices of Multiple Deprivation was published yesterday. It is an important moment to acknowledge the stark inequalities that exist between places in this country. And to reflect on the political consequences of place-based disparities. www.gov.uk/government/s...

Interesting piece arguing that we need to loosen the tie binding devolution with economic outcomes in England. www.regionalstudies.org/rsa-blog/202... @haylesben.bsky.social @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social Mhairi-Jean Ross & Sioned Pearce

🚨 Workshop announcement: English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill 📅 24 Nov 2025 | Hybrid format Join top experts to discuss the future of local governance in England. 👤 Hosted by the PSA Local Politics and Governance specialist group. 🔗 Register now: www.psa.ac.uk/specialist-g...

New from Joanie Willett Navigating Changing Economies and Rural Policy: Left Behind Places or Left Behind People "Current scholarship focusses on the infrastructures,organisations and economies in a space but risks overlooking theimportance of understanding the lives of the people that live there"

The Pride in Place Strategy was published yesterday (despite being immediately burried by ID cards news!) In many ways its levelling up continuity, but it also contains a blueprint for neighbourhood governance that could soon be rolled out nationally. A space to watch. www.gov.uk/government/c...

Great to be back at Manchester Uni @manchester.ac.uk research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/j... I'll be investigating the changing spatial footprint & governance structures of the NHS. As always, I'm interested in how decentralisation and placemaking can deliver better policy and a fairer country.

A new paper by @geoffbates.bsky.social, Pablo Newberry, Rachael McClatchey, @jacknewman.bsky.social and @sarahayres.bsky.social explores how health is integrated in urban development, and how to bring about change to support healthier development. Read it here: doi.org/10.1186/s129...

Localism, Levelling up, and Taking Back Control: tensions in the ambiguous justification of English devolution @jmchickson.bsky.social @jacknewman.bsky.social #Englishdevolution #politicaldecentralisation #takingbackcontrol #levellingup #localism onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

New article in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social by @jmchickson.bsky.social and @jacknewman.bsky.social - a timely intervention following the recent publication of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

NEW: @jacknewman.bsky.social and I have just published our new article 'Localism, Levelling Up and Taking Back Control: Tensions in the Ambiguous Justification of English Devolution' open access in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social. Read the article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...

Starting our specialist group panel previews, our first @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social panel on Monday at 9:30 will explore contextual instability, policy fatalism and mission-driven government. Looking forward to it! Featuring: @helencsullivan.bsky.social Brenton Prosser @jacknewman.bsky.social

We're very excited about next week's Political Studies Association Conference @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social 🧵Here's a thread of the sessions run by the Local Politics & Governance Specialist Group Hopefully see you there! @peckersley.bsky.social @tjarnold.bsky.social

🚨🆕 New paper published online today 🆕🚨 'How Democratically Elected mayors can achieve mission-oriented policies in turbulent times' Published OPEN ACCESS in @regionalstudies.bsky.social: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... @sarahayres.bsky.social @marksandford.bsky.social @geoffbates.bsky.social

Pleased to see this one over the line, working with @sarahayres.bsky.social @jacknewman.bsky.social @geoffbates.bsky.social and Andrew Barnfield www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... Tl:dr; mayors can convene partnerships and lead on preventative policy but need capacity and discretion

The UK Association for Public Administration (UKAPA) will be holding its second conference at Ulster University in Belfast on 11-12 September. There will be a doctoral conference on the day prior to the full event. buff.ly/2nEqMKO @ukapa-1918.bsky.social

I've taken on the comms role for @psalocalpol.bsky.social Please do follow and share. We'll be sharing the latest academic and policy research about local government, local politics, devolution etc.

Great to have @psalocalpol.bsky.social now on Bluesky, and thanks a lot to @jacknewman.bsky.social for taking over our specialist group communications. Give them a follow! 👇

Hello Bluesky!! We are the Local Politics & Governance Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social. Convened by @peckersley.bsky.social, @tjarnold.bsky.social, Joanie Willett, & @jacknewman.bsky.social. We'll be posting the latest research on local politics.

Last chance to sign up to our first 'Meeting with Mayors' webinars kicking off at 11.30 this morning! We'll be joined by Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands. Sign up here 👇👇👇 us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Was on deadline for something else when this landed yesterday, but it looks a lot like the last govt’s “long term plan for towns”. Slightly more money (£1.5bn/£1.1bn), slightly more areas (75/55) Quick comparison with original NW towns = the same towns with 3 added www.gov.uk/government/p...

New blog by @marksandford.bsky.social explores govt's white paper on English devolution discussing strengthening collaborative governance between central govt & mayors, & challenging Westminster centralism through joint initiatives for regional growth. www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/english...

Always enjoy the LGC maps showing the latest progress of English devolution. The English devo geography is finally starting to emerge - though still a lot of TBD in the South West and the wider West Midlands. www.lgcplus.com/research/lgc...

What is the UK Government doing with mayors and 'strategic authorities', following the December 2024 white paper? Find out in this new Commons Library briefing paper: commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-bri... Key points:

Wrote about Labour’s lack of a growth vision for not-the south east on.ft.com/4jQN4tz

My bit for tomorrow’s Observer on Farage’s rise, Tory existential crisis and the wobbling Labour Jenga tower www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

📈Trending in BJPIR '‘Hyper-active incrementalism’ and the Westminster system of governance: Why spatial policy has failed over time' by Patrick Diamond, @jacknewman.bsky.social, David Richards, @annasanders.bsky.social & @andywestwood.bsky.social 🔓Available here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi…

SPS research fellow, @jacknewman.bsky.social, offering reflections on the English devolution White Paper, including the importance of focusing on #publichealth, aligning policy and governance boundaries, tackling spatial inequalities, and involving the public in mayoral authorities.

I’ll be giving evidence to the Housing, Communities & Local Government Select Committee on the English Devolution White Paper tomorrow from 10am. Yes I have views, do tune in!

Very excited to be giving evidence before the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee tomorrow. I'll be alongisde Colin Copus, Zoë Billingham, & Joe Fyans, and followed by Tracy Brabin, Louise Gittins, and Bridget Smith. Tune in from 10am: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...

Comparison of the NHS ICS regions with the latest English devolution proposals (including existing deals, agreed deals, and proposed deals).

Sarah Ayres (Bristol), @jacknewman.bsky.social, @geoffbates.bsky.social, Anna Le Gouais (Bristol), Rachael McClathey (Bristol) & @iprnickp.bsky.social have recently published ‘Are we any closer to tackling health inequalities in England?’ in Contemporary Social Science! 📖: https://buff.ly/3Pw3GZo

Many councils across England meet today to decide whether to bid to join the govt's devolution priority programme. What is it, what's at stake and what will they be considering? Here are some briefing materials from @instituteforgov.bsky.social

🆕🚨 New paper published today with colleagues on the TRUUD Project. 📄 Are we any closer to tackling health inequalities in England? While data on health inequality signals failure, we find glimmers of hope in new ‘opportunity spaces’ for doing things differently. 🖇️ doi.org/10.1080/2158...

Came across this memorial today. A reminder that British democracy is not some natural or ancient state. It was fought for over centuries by people from all walks of life. The campaign was repeatedly repressed by those in power. Scottish Martyrs Memorial. Nunhead Cemetery.

▶️ Here's a 1-minute summary of our new paper showing the places being left behind by English devolution. 📄 The Intersection of Productivity and Governance Capacity in Spatial Inequality: The Case of England’s Devolution Periphery 👥 Jack Newman & Charlotte Hoole 🖇️ doi.org/10.1080/2158...

"English devolution bridges two of Labour's biggest challenges: how to make people feel better off and how to rebuild trust in politics." In my new piece, I consider how the government's English devo White Paper contributes to solving these challenges. theconversation.com/english-coun...

While the English Devolution White Paper makes important headway in decentralising power, reform needs to be purpose-driven, rather than simply structures-driven. Read our response: www.newlocal.org.uk/articles/new...

Devolution is a key lever in fixing England’s over centralised and unequal politics and economy. The English devolution white paper provides a solid foundation upon which future progress can be built but the government can go further still. labourlist.org/2024/12/engl...

Devolution might not be a particularly sexy term, but could precipitate a genuine levelling up...Fiscal devolution – the ability to generate and spend taxes locally – should follow 🪙 @rosielockwood.bsky.social spoke to @bigissue.com about the Devo White Paper ⤵️ www.bigissue.com/news/politic...

Quick take on today’s devo White Paper - comments and corrections positively welcome! labourlist.org

Here's how the Government envisions working with strategic and local authorities:

My initial reaction to the English devo white paper: it's constitutional, not than economic or administrative; it's historic, grasping nettles avoided in the 1970s (Redcliffe-Maud) and 1990s; and it sets up mayors are preeminent English gov players, despite warm wards to local authorities.

Big day ahead as we present the English Devolution White Paper to Parliament this afternoon. Our shared ambition with councils and mayors to drive growth felt in every community, and reform local public services as we repair the foundations critical to delivering the plan for change. #devolution

🔌 While we keep waiting for the publication of the white paper on English devo, here’s a good essay on ‘the shape of devolution’ from @rosielockwood.bsky.social & @ryanswift93.bsky.social @ipprnorth.bsky.social 🧩 www.ippr.org/articles/the...

EVENT: What does Labour’s devolution white paper mean for England? Join us on Weds 18 Dec when @matthewfright.bsky.social @rebeccamckee.bsky.social @akashpaun.bsky.social @tompope.bsky.social discuss plans to extend devolution across England www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/labour...

So nice when analysis turns out just as you'd expect. 'Cross-pressured' voters are less likely to stay within their voting blocks than those with consistent preferences.

Today the @instituteforgov.bsky.social has published my research into the role that mayors can play to help 'get Britain building'. A 🧵on what the research found