Level best? The levelling up agenda and UK regional inequality

Fransham, Mark ORCID: 0000-0002-9284-2517, Herbertson, Max, Pop, Mihaela, Bandeira Morais, Margarida and Lee, Neil ORCID: 0000-0002-4138-7163 (2023) Level best? The levelling up agenda and UK regional inequality. Regional Studies, 57 (11). 2339 - 2352. ISSN 0034-3404

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Abstract

‘Levelling up’ - a policy agenda focused on reducing regional inequalities - has become the new mantra in British politics. This paper critiques the policy programme from its emergence in 2019 to the publication of the 2022 levelling up white paper. While it is a welcome recognition of gross regional inequality, local institutions lack capacity to deliver, there has been little genuine devolution and our analysis shows that little new funding has been committed. “Levelling up” could simply become the latest in a list of politically useful but empty slogans which are used as a substitute for resources and devolution.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/cres20
Additional Information:	© 2023 The Authors
Divisions:	International Inequalities Institute Geography & Environment
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions J Political Science > JN Political institutions (Europe) > JN101 Great Britain
JEL classification:	O - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O18 - Regional, Urban, and Rural Analyses R - Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics > R1 - General Regional Economics > R10 - General R - Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics > R1 - General Regional Economics > R11 - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, and Changes R - Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics > R1 - General Regional Economics > R12 - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade R - Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics > R5 - Regional Government Analysis > R58 - Regional Development Policy
Date Deposited:	09 Dec 2022 10:30
Last Modified:	12 Dec 2024 03:28
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/117569

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