Developing England’s North: The Political Economy of the Northern Powerhouse (Building a Sustainable Political Economy: SPERI Research & Policy)

This book explores the politics of local economic development in Northern England. Socio-economic conditions in the North - and its future prospects - have become central to national debates in the UK. The status of Northern regions and their local economies is intimately associated with efforts to 'rebalance' the economy away from the South East, London and the finance sector in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. The contributors to this volume focus in particular on the coalition and Conservative governments' 'Northern Powerhouse' agenda. They also analyse associated efforts to devolve power to local authorities across England, which promise to bring both greater prosperity and autonomy to the deindustrialized North. Several chapters critically interrogate these initiatives, and their ambitions, by placing them within their wider historical, geographical, institutional and ideological contexts. As such, Berry and Giovannini seek to locate Northern England within a broader understanding of the political dimension of economic development, and outline a series of ideas for enhancing the North's prospects. 'A collection of chapters exploring the historical, territorial and structural reality of the political economy of the North. Packed with evidence, assembled with exemplary scholarship.' --Michael Moran, The University of Manchester, UK 'At last, a serious academic contribution to the Northern Powerhouse debate that takes on the agglomeraniacs and Treasury tinkerers both empirically and philosophically. This book represents a clarion call for a progressive, pan-Northern politics putting the North of England once again at the vanguard of economic and democratic reinvention.' --Ed Cox, IPPR North, UK 'This book offers new insights into the political economy of the North of England. The topics covered are wide-ranging - from science policy to economic development - but the common theme is the policy agendas needed to address the North-South divide (and why existing approaches have failed).' --Neil Lee, The London School of Economics and Political Science, UK 'This outstanding collection shines a much needed light on the political economy of Northern England. The contributors perform an exacting multi-dimensional critique of economic policy making, city-regional governance and the inequalities entailed by the current UK approach to regionalism and devolution.' --Jonathan Davies, De Montfort University, UK Front Matter ....Pages i-xiii Introduction: Powerhouse Politics and Economic Development in the North (Craig Berry, Arianna Giovannini)....Pages 1-19 Front Matter ....Pages 21-21 Reviving the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ and Spatially Rebalancing the British Economy: The Scale of the Challenge (Ron Martin, Ben Gardiner)....Pages 23-58 Law, Legislation and Rent-Seeking: The Role of the Treasury-Led Developmental State in the Competitive Advantage of the Southern Powerhouse (Simon Lee)....Pages 59-83 ‘D is for Dangerous’: Devolution and the Ongoing Decline of Manufacturing in Northern England (Craig Berry)....Pages 85-119 Powerhouse of Science? Prospects and Pitfalls of Place-Based Science and Innovation Policies in Northern England (Kieron Flanagan, James Wilsdon)....Pages 121-138 Front Matter ....Pages 139-139 The Northern Powerhouse Meets the Cities and Local Growth Agenda: Local Economic Policymaking and Agglomeration in Practice (Nick Gray, Lee Pugalis, Danny Dickinson)....Pages 141-164 The Uneven Governance of Devolution Deals in Yorkshire: Opportunities, Challenges and Local (Di)Visions (Arianna Giovannini)....Pages 165-197 Leading the Way? The Relationship Between ‘Devo-Manc’, Combined Authorities and the Northern Powerhouse (Georgina Blakeley, Brendan Evans)....Pages 199-216 From Problems in the North to the Problematic North: Northern Devolution Through the Lens of History (Daryl Martin, Alex Schafran, Zac Taylor)....Pages 217-238 Front Matter ....Pages 239-239 Regionalisation and Civil Society in a Time of Austerity: The Cases of Manchester and Sheffield (David Beel, Martin Jones, Ian Rees Jones)....Pages 241-260 Civic Financialisation: Financing the Northern Powerhouse (Kevin Muldoon-Smith, Paul Greenhalgh)....Pages 261-284 The Recomposition of the Tax System: Exacerbating Uneven Development Through the Northern Powerhouse Agenda (Daniel Bailey)....Pages 285-305 Front Matter ....Pages 307-307 A Better Place (Craig Berry, Arianna Giovannini)....Pages 309-320 Back Matter ....Pages 321-326 This book explores the politics of local economic development in Northern England. Socio-economic conditions in the North - and its future prospects - have become central to national debates in the UK. The status of Northern regions and their local economies is intimately associated with efforts to r̀ebalance' the economy away from the South East, London and the finance sector in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. The contributors to this volume focus in particular on the coalition and Conservative governments' Ǹorthern Powerhouse' agenda. They also analyse associated efforts to devolve power to local authorities across England, which promise to bring both greater prosperity and autonomy to the deindustrialized North. Several chapters critically interrogate these initiatives, and their ambitions, by placing them within their wider historical, geographical, institutional and ideological contexts. As such, Berry and Giovannini seek to locate Northern England within a broader understanding of the political dimension of economic development, and outline a series of ideas for enhancing the North's prospects