Inside the Lib Dem and Labour assault on Tory commuterville
As England goes to the polls in the local elections, the Conservatives are under threat in southern Blue Wall seats.
ByLocal government
Local government in the United Kingdom manages services for people and businesses in local areas. Some of these services are schools, housing, social care, business support and registrar services. Local councils are a common type of local authority. Local public elected councillors sit on these councils and are responsible for working with local people and businesses to provide these services. Find all our latest news, comment and analysis on local government here.
The shattered Tory bloc and the end of levelling up
Exclusive New Statesman polling reveals what local councillors really think of the government’s flagship regional policy agenda.
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The death of local government
Westminster has been systematically stripping councils of power, funding and stature for decades. As a result, our local politics is…
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“No tangible benefits”: Tory councillors give their verdict on levelling up
An exclusive New Statesman survey reveals waning support for the government’s flagship policy.
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In defence of Town Hall “fat cats”
If the TaxPayers’ Alliance is so opposed to high pay, why does it want to abolish the top rate of…
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The Tories begin expectation management for the local elections in style
By predicting losses of 1,000 seats, Greg Hands has signalled just how much trouble his party believes it is in.
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It’s time for Whitehall to stop micromanaging councils’ spending
To truly rebalance the UK’s economy, central government needs to devolve more fiscal power to local leaders.
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How do we restore trust in the public sector?
Speaking at the New Statesman Future Generations conference, panellists discussed how to prevent young people from losing faith in crucial…
Why communities are vital to tackling the multiple crises we face
Radical local policies can build the Green New Deal.
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“Levelling up” was always a farcical vanity project
It was the latest iteration of Boris Johnson’s monument-building – funnelling money into headline-grabbing developments.
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More power for communities can’t just mean more power for councils
Keir Starmer’s Take Back Control Bill needs to truly empower citizens.
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Labour’s attempt to make “take back control” its own could win back Brexit voters
In his New Year speech, Keir Starmer retold the Leave vote as a call for greater devolution.
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From second homes to food banks, Cornwall is a land of widening extremes
There are many more Airbnb rentals than long-term rentals here – and nothing pushes families to catastrophe quicker than insecure…
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Bankruptcy and “overnight markets”: Essex’s council finance headache
As Thurrock admits losing £500m in risky investments, a freedom of information request highlights problems with inter-council lending.
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Labour must be radical on public service reform
Rethinking public services can rebuild trust in the state – and rebalance our economy.
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Labour’s triumph in the Stretford by-election shows the Tories will need a miracle to win
Keir Starmer’s party victory was consistent with its national poll lead of around 20 points.
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“The Tories have given up”: Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll on revitalising the north-east
One of Labour’s “last Corbynistas in power” believes further devolution and left-wing ideas could revolutionise regionalism in the UK.
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Cash-strapped councils “not out of the woods” after Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement
There needs to be a long-term funding plan to protect services, says the Local Government Association.
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A child has died from Britain’s failed housing system. Will the government finally act?
Incidents like the death of Awaab Ishak are thankfully rare; the conditions that lead to them are all too common.
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How political failures led to the Grenfell Tower fire
Peter Apps’s book, Show Me the Bodies, forensically uncovers the truth about the disaster that killed 72 people in 2017.
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