Labouring and learning towards competitiveness: the future of local labour markets after Harker, Leitch and Freud

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Abstract

In 1999 Geddes and Newman highlighted five key tensions in New Labour's adoption of the 'new centrist' approach to Local Economic Development (LED). This article reflects on the continuing relevance of these tensions in relation local labour markets and in the light of the publication of three major independent reviews of policy in relation to child poverty, skills provision and welfare reform and the Government's response to these. It suggests that in the main the tensions identified by Geddes and Newman remain relevant, especially within the emerging national policy framework. However, it also ends optimistically, by suggesting that there is scope for LED actors to piece together an approach which can begin to move toward a resolution of the tensions through bringing together employment and skills policies at the local level, developing more effective models of partnership working (including with employers), and taking the sustainability agenda more seriously.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)122-137
Number of pages16
JournalLocal Economy
Volume23
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2008
Externally publishedYes

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