@jacknewman.bsky.social
Research Associate, Uni of Manchester • UK Politics • English devo • spatial inequality • place-based policy • healthy urban development • critical realism https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/jack-newman
DHSC published its impact statement for the 10 Year Health Plan this week (yes, that is 6 months after it published the plan)
It's more measured and clear-eyed than the original document and quite a contrast to some of the effusive optimism in the plan
Some of the things that caught my eye 👇
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...
Thanks Duncan! Yes, life is settling after a chaotic summer of moving jobs/houses! Hope all is well with you. Hopefully see you in Sheffield at some point soon!
26.09.2025 08:52 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Navigating Changing Economies and Rural Policy: LeftBehind Places or Left Behind People? Joanie Willett University of Exeter, Exeter, UK ABSTRACTPlace-based studies of regional policy ask how places can better adapt to economic and social changes. This is especially prescientfor research and policy supporting ‘left-behind’ regions. This paper amends this question, asking not how placesadapt, but how thepeople living and working within them navigate change. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Cornwall in the United Kingdomand the Southwest of Virginia, USA, the paper uses the complex adaptive region assemblage to explore how locals make sense oftheir changing region and the opportunities that they imagine are available. The paper argues that regional policy needs to reflectthat supportive communities are crucial for individuals as they try to navigate changes to their local economies but that currentlymany community supports are unable to connect people to assemblages where new opportunities exist. Inadequate understandingof peoples lives can lead to ineffective policy-making with lasting implications.
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/...
21.07.2025 09:28 — 👍 3 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 0
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...
21.07.2025 08:11 — 👍 16 🔁 5 💬 1 📌 1
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
This article explores how democratically elected mayors can achieve mission-oriented policies in turbulent times. Drawing on 132 interviews with decision-makers in England, it uses the case of healthy urban development to explore the role of elected mayors in mission delivery. Findings show that mayors can be figureheads for a place, work directly towards national missions, implement cross-cutting programmes, convene partnerships, and lead local innovations with new evidence and data. However, more central government support is needed with investment in capacity, a broader range of powers, and greater freedom from central targets and siloes.
🚨🆕 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
28.03.2025 10:07 — 👍 3 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 0
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.
Is "negligent" the right word here?
It was an active choice not to revert the mayoral voting system. All the voices feeding into govt said to change. Ministers talked about changing it. Then didn't.
The Govt. seem to think that defending local FPTP is important for defending national FPTP.
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...
Those extra 20 were actually identified in March 2024 as part of the extension of the Plan for Towns: www.gov.uk/guidance/ext...
Does neighbourhood = town? Surely by any common sense or technical definition the two are not the same!
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...
Map showing devolution progress in England. Shows existing strategic authorities, Priority programme, foundational devolution, first mayoral elecitons May 2025, discussions ongoing, devo island, and reorganisation fast track.
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:
17.02.2025 09:48 — 👍 12 🔁 7 💬 1 📌 0