Jack Newman
@jacknewman.bsky.social
3.4K followers 1.7K following 140 posts
Research Associate, Uni of Manchester • UK Politics • English devo • spatial inequality • place-based policy • healthy urban development • critical realism https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/jack-newman
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jacknewman.bsky.social
Thanks Duncan! Yes, life is settling after a chaotic summer of moving jobs/houses! Hope all is well with you. Hopefully see you in Sheffield at some point soon!
Reposted by Jack Newman
psalocalpol.bsky.social
New from Joanie Willett

Navigating Changing Economies and Rural Policy: Left Behind Places or Left Behind People

"Current scholarship focusses on the infrastructures,organisations and economies in a space but risks overlooking theimportance of understanding the lives of the people that live there"
Navigating Changing Economies and Rural Policy: LeftBehind Places or Left Behind People?

Joanie Willett
University of Exeter, Exeter, UK

ABSTRACTPlace-based studies of regional policy ask how places can better adapt to economic and social changes. This is especially prescientfor research and policy supporting ‘left-behind’ regions. This paper amends this question, asking not how placesadapt, but how thepeople living and working within them navigate change. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Cornwall in the United Kingdomand the Southwest of Virginia, USA, the paper uses the complex adaptive region assemblage to explore how locals make sense oftheir changing region and the opportunities that they imagine are available. The paper argues that regional policy needs to reflectthat supportive communities are crucial for individuals as they try to navigate changes to their local economies but that currentlymany community supports are unable to connect people to assemblages where new opportunities exist. Inadequate understandingof peoples lives can lead to ineffective policy-making with lasting implications.
jacknewman.bsky.social
The Pride in Place Strategy was published yesterday (despite being immediately burried by ID cards news!)

In many ways its levelling up continuity, but it also contains a blueprint for neighbourhood governance that could soon be rolled out nationally. A space to watch.

www.gov.uk/government/c...
Pride in Place
Documents and guidance relating to the government’s Pride in Place Strategy, which will help build stronger communities, create thriving places and empower local people.
www.gov.uk
jacknewman.bsky.social
Great to be back at Manchester Uni @manchester.ac.uk

research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/j...

I'll be investigating the changing spatial footprint & governance structures of the NHS. As always, I'm interested in how decentralisation and placemaking can deliver better policy and a fairer country.
Jack Newman
research.manchester.ac.uk
Reposted by Jack Newman
politicalquarterly.bsky.social
Localism, Levelling up, and Taking Back Control: tensions in the ambiguous justification of English devolution

@jmchickson.bsky.social @jacknewman.bsky.social

#Englishdevolution #politicaldecentralisation #takingbackcontrol #levellingup #localism

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Jack Newman
psapublicpolicy.bsky.social
Starting our specialist group panel previews, our first @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social panel on Monday at 9:30 will explore contextual instability, policy fatalism and mission-driven government. Looking forward to it! Featuring:
@helencsullivan.bsky.social
Brenton Prosser
@jacknewman.bsky.social
Reposted by Jack Newman
psalocalpol.bsky.social
We're very excited about next week's Political Studies Association Conference @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social

🧵Here's a thread of the sessions run by the Local Politics & Governance Specialist Group

Hopefully see you there!

@peckersley.bsky.social @tjarnold.bsky.social
jacknewman.bsky.social
🚨🆕 New paper published online today 🆕🚨

'How Democratically Elected mayors can achieve mission-oriented policies in turbulent times'

Published OPEN ACCESS in @regionalstudies.bsky.social: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

@sarahayres.bsky.social @marksandford.bsky.social @geoffbates.bsky.social
This article explores how democratically elected mayors can achieve mission-oriented policies in turbulent times. Drawing
on 132 interviews with decision-makers in England, it uses the case of healthy urban development to explore the role of
elected mayors in mission delivery. Findings show that mayors can be figureheads for a place, work directly towards
national missions, implement cross-cutting programmes, convene partnerships, and lead local innovations with new
evidence and data. However, more central government support is needed with investment in capacity, a broader range
of powers, and greater freedom from central targets and siloes.
Reposted by Jack Newman
psalocalpol.bsky.social
The UK Association for Public Administration (UKAPA) will be holding its second conference at Ulster University in Belfast on 11-12 September. There will be a doctoral conference on the day prior to the full event.

buff.ly/2nEqMKO

@ukapa-1918.bsky.social
UKAPA 2025 Conference
UKAPA annual conference Ulster University~ Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK Thursday 11 – Friday 12 September 2025 (& Doctoral Conference, Wednesday 10 September 2025)
buff.ly
jacknewman.bsky.social
I've taken on the comms role for @psalocalpol.bsky.social

Please do follow and share. We'll be sharing the latest academic and policy research about local government, local politics, devolution etc.
psalocalpol.bsky.social
Hello Bluesky!!

We are the Local Politics & Governance Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social.

Convened by @peckersley.bsky.social, @tjarnold.bsky.social, Joanie Willett, & @jacknewman.bsky.social.

We'll be posting the latest research on local politics.
Reposted by Jack Newman
peckersley.bsky.social
Great to have @psalocalpol.bsky.social now on Bluesky, and thanks a lot to @jacknewman.bsky.social for taking over our specialist group communications.

Give them a follow! 👇
psalocalpol.bsky.social
Hello Bluesky!!

We are the Local Politics & Governance Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social.

Convened by @peckersley.bsky.social, @tjarnold.bsky.social, Joanie Willett, & @jacknewman.bsky.social.

We'll be posting the latest research on local politics.
Reposted by Jack Newman
psalocalpol.bsky.social
Hello Bluesky!!

We are the Local Politics & Governance Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social.

Convened by @peckersley.bsky.social, @tjarnold.bsky.social, Joanie Willett, & @jacknewman.bsky.social.

We'll be posting the latest research on local politics.
jacknewman.bsky.social
Is "negligent" the right word here?

It was an active choice not to revert the mayoral voting system. All the voices feeding into govt said to change. Ministers talked about changing it. Then didn't.

The Govt. seem to think that defending local FPTP is important for defending national FPTP.
Reposted by Jack Newman
re-state.bsky.social
Last chance to sign up to our first 'Meeting with Mayors' webinars kicking off at 11.30 this morning!

We'll be joined by Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands.

Sign up here 👇👇👇

us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Reposted by Jack Newman
jenwilliamsft.bsky.social
Was on deadline for something else when this landed yesterday, but it looks a lot like the last govt’s “long term plan for towns”.

Slightly more money (£1.5bn/£1.1bn), slightly more areas (75/55)

Quick comparison with original NW towns = the same towns with 3 added

www.gov.uk/government/p...
Plan for Neighbourhoods: prospectus
www.gov.uk
jacknewman.bsky.social
Those extra 20 were actually identified in March 2024 as part of the extension of the Plan for Towns: www.gov.uk/guidance/ext...

Does neighbourhood = town? Surely by any common sense or technical definition the two are not the same!
Extension to Long-Term Plan for Towns: place selection methodology
​​This sets out the place selection methodology for the extension to Long-Term Plan for Towns.
www.gov.uk
jacknewman.bsky.social
Always enjoy the LGC maps showing the latest progress of English devolution.

The English devo geography is finally starting to emerge - though still a lot of TBD in the South West and the wider West Midlands.

www.lgcplus.com/research/lgc...
Map showing devolution progress in England. Shows existing strategic authorities, Priority programme, foundational devolution, first mayoral elecitons May 2025, discussions ongoing, devo island, and reorganisation fast track.
Reposted by Jack Newman