Reviewing politics
and culture since 1913

You Ask Us: why are so many councils going bust?

After recent local authority financial horror stories, a Labour Party in government may be warier of devolving power to them.

After being surpassed by India, Britain now has the world’s sixth-largest economy. But, one listener asks, how do we square this position with our crumbling services? And on the subject of government funding, another listener asks: will Birmingham City Council’s financial crisis make Labour more wary of devolving power to local authorities?

Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward answer these questions.

Subscribers to the New Statesman can listen ad-free in our app. Download it on iOS or Android.

Not a regular podcast listener? Read our guide on how to listen to New Statesman podcasts.

Content from our partners
Trees underpin environmental leadership
The benefits of UK consulting go far beyond the economic
Energy storage must not be overlooked on the road to net zero 

Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month