Britain’s left behind towns sent two seismic shockwaves through the political consensus in recent years. First, when many voted to leave the EU. Second when the so called ‘Red Wall’ of Labour seats crumbled at the 2019 General Election.
These changes sparked debate about how the Government should support these so-called ‘forgotten’ towns to reverse decades of decline.
Some argue that the Brexit vote and fall of the Red Wall was the result of people in towns registering unhappiness at the perceived favouring of cities by policy makers. This is an unhelpful argument that benefits neither towns nor cities, and risks fuelling a culture war between the two.
The reality is that towns are not islands, their fortunes are connected both to the national economy and also to nearby cities. In fact many towns, particularly those in the South East, perform very well economically.
People living in towns close to cities have better employment outcomes than those in rural areas. They benefit from both jobs in the city and those created in the town itself due to its proximity to the city.
But this is only part of the picture. Employment outcomes in towns surrounding economically weaker cities such as Liverpool, Swansea and Newport are far worse than in towns surrounding more prosperous cities such as London or Bristol.
Any economic policy that aims to support towns without considering how their closest cities are performing is doomed to fail.
However, successful cities do not automatically suck jobs and investment away from towns. Towns close to highly productive cities are better at attracting high-skilled business investment, jobs and firms, and they have lower employment rates.
In contrast, towns close to less successful cities have higher unemployment rates and lower economic outcomes. Therefore, the economic success of Britain’s cities is closely linked to the success of the whole country.
Latest analysis on why strong cities are crucial for levelling up towns.
Critics who attack city policy as ‘trickle out economics’ are hurting the people they are trying to help.
Ignoring the relationship between cities and towns makes it harder to bring greater prosperity to struggling towns.
Why levelling up towns must mean increasing investment in skills, housing stock and the attractiveness of a place – in conjunction with improving the performance of cities.
Why transport policy shouldn’t be at the core of the levelling up agenda.
Why investment in rural towns should focus on skills, health and social infrastructure.
Senior Analyst Kathrin Enenkel on the relationship between UK cities and towns and the implications this has for people and policy makers.
The economic prospects of towns and cities around the UK are inseparable. Our work looks at the 63 largest cities and towns in the UK, while shedding new light on how the success of cities affects the prosperity of towns that surround them.
The political imperative for investing in the North and Midlands is clear from last month’s election. But the Government must work with economic realities if it is to deliver for the voters who delivered its majority.
The idea that recent growth of cities has come at the expense of towns has become a mantra. The problem is, it isn’t true.
Will Jennings, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Southampton and co-founder of Centre for Towns, unpacks the findings of his recent co-authored article “The Politics of Levelling Up”.
There’s much to be achieved in the Red Wall if policy focuses on skills and health outcomes, but attracting high skilled jobs will be much harder.
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Our analysis shows that the city centres that were the strongest performers pre-pandemic were hardest hit by Covid-19
Cities Outlook 2022 looks in-depth at the state of UK high streets to get a sense of the short-term impact of the pandemic on Britain's town and city centres and the long-term consequences and implications this has for the Government’s levelling up agenda.
Chief Executive Andrew Carter is joined by Senior Analyst Kathrin Enenkel and Analyst Valentine Quinio to unpack the main findings and implications of Cities Outlook 2022
Valentine Quinio compares footfall data in Birmingham city centre with eight surrounding town centres in the West Midlands to monitor recovery
The third and final event of our three-part series held in partnership with L&G discussed the future of leisure and amenities in cities.
West Yorkshire's new metro mayor on her first few months in office, why she stood and her vision for West Yorkshire.
Why investment in rural towns should focus on skills, health and social infrastructure.
Why transport policy shouldn’t be at the core of the levelling up agenda.
Senior Analyst Kathrin Enenkel on the relationship between UK cities and towns and the implications this has for people and policy makers.
Senior Analyst Kathrin Enenkel on how we can level up struggling towns and why improving the performance of cities will be crucial to levelling up towns across the UK.