The future of England: The local dimension
More Brummie than British? Gauging the strength of local identities in EnglandArticle
Drawing upon new analysis of the 2012 Future of England survey, this short paper explores three key questions:
- What do people in England think about their local area and the way in which it is governed?
- In the context of ongoing concerns about the governance of the UK, to what extent do local institutions offer a solution to the 'English question'?
- To what extent do people in England perceive that there are limits to English localism?
Eighty per cent of survey respondents said that they felt strong attachment to their 'local area', compared with 75 per cent to England and 66 per cent to the UK. Local authorities also fared better than the UK government in terms of people's sense of local efficacy and influence. And people's trust in local councils and local councillors is consistently higher than trust in parliament and local MPs or ministers.
On the final point, concerning further devolution, the picture is more mixed, with concerns about variation in service levels (the so-called 'postcode lottery') watering down demand for localism in some crucial policy areas, such as education and social care. However, these concerns are less strong in other areas, such as housing, planning and transport, suggesting some potential for further devolution of powers.
Related items
Reset: Building modern partnerships with the countries of the global south
The UK's relationships with many countries of the ‘global south’ are in a poor state.Taken to heart: Inequalities in heart disease in Scotland
More than 7.6 million people across the UK live with cardiovascular disease (CVD), around twice as many as live with Alzheimer’s disease and cancer combined.Skills passports: An essential part of a fair transition
This month, government will publish its Clean Energy Workforce Strategy. This plan covers two aims. First, filling the growing demand for skills in clean energy industries is essential to keep on track to reach the government’s clean power…