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Crisis and state transformation: Covid-19, levelling up and the UK’s incoherent state

David Richards, Sam Warner, Martin J Smith and Diane Coyle

Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 2023, vol. 16, issue 1, 31-48

Abstract: This article provides a novel account of recent UK governance reforms, describing what can be termed an ‘incoherent’ state, ill-equipped to address complex, multi-dimensional policy challenges. This is evidenced through two interrelated case-studies: Covid-19 and levelling up. We highlight how the tradition of strongly centralised government combined with an ad hoc approach to reform has undermined inter-governmental relations and limited the possibility of effective policy. We conclude by arguing that current levelling up proposals, focused on redesigning sub-national government, reflect these deficiencies and therefore offer an insufficient remedy for the UK’s imbalanced economic geography and resulting inequalities. The failure of past reform highlights the need for systemic transformation—including a new governance framework—to address meaningfully the UK’s geography of discontent.

Keywords: governance; Covid-19; intergovernmental relations; regional inequalities; industrial policy; levelling up (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society is currently edited by Judith Clifton, Anna Davies, Betsy Donald, Emil Evenhuis, Stefania Fiorentino (Associate Editor), Harry Garretsen, Meric Gertler, Amy Glasmeier, Mia Gray, Robert Hassink, Dieter Kogler, Michael Kitson, Linda Lobao, Charles van Marrewijk, Ron Martin, Peter Sunley, Peter Tyler and Chun Yang

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