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English localism over the last 20 years: the widening gap between promise and performance, Wednesday 8 December 2021, 5.30pm-6.30pm

Dr Patrick Diamond* (Queen Mary, University of London)

You are invited to the Local Governance Research Centre (LGRC) 2021 Annual Lecture at De Montfort University.

The lecture will be delivered by Dr Patrick Diamon (Queen Mary, University of London). It will examine why, despite the commitment to localism by successive governments enshrined in the 2010 Localism Act, there is such a wide gap between stated intentions and outcomes. Although the relative weakness of localism is invariably attributed to an all-encompassing centralising political tradition in British politics, a more convincing explanation can be found by considering the incentives facing Ministers and policymakers in a complex political environment. The lecture will explore that argument by setting out a brief history of English centre/local relations over the last twenty years. It will argue that one of the most significant obstacles to a viable English localism is counter-intuitively the relative weakness of the centre of government. The lecture will identify reforms that can enhance the strategic capacity of the centre, thereby creating more productive local/centre relations in England to achieve shared goals of economic growth and social cohesion.

Marking the 10th anniversary of the Localism Act, the lecture will be an opportunity to critically reflect on the challenges and prospects of ‘localism’, centre-local relations and the future of local government. The lecture will be followed by a Q&A session, Chaired by Dr Arianna Giovannini (LGRC Deputy Director) and participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and contribute to the discussion.

If you would like to attend the lecture, please click here to register. Please note that this will be a hybrid event, with a small audience in person (subject to Covid restrictions) and others joining online. Please specify whether you’d like to attend in person or online when registering, noting that in-person places will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.

If you require any further information or have any queries, then please do not hesitate to contact the Events Office on [email protected] or call 0116 250 6066.