Labour Conference
Party conferences – big on ideas, small on detail
Party conferences can be odd affairs for local government, says Heather Jameson
Questions over cost of Labour's local government promises
Senior Labour figures delivered a raft of local government-related policy announcements at their annual conference this week – but questions remain over how to fund fresh promises.
Labour would rewrite the Treasury rules
A Labour government would end ‘Treasury bias against investing in the regions’ by ripping-up the Green Book which determines how public money is spent, the shadow chancellor has said.
Leaders accuse Government of destroying 'social contract'
Senior Labour local government figures will launch a Councils Against Austerity campaign next week’s party conference.
Councils must show how local change can offer solutions that Whitehall cannot
As party conferences conclude for another year, Ben Page surveys the political opinions of the nation and explains what it all means for local government.
McDonnell: Labour to end PFI
Labour has promised to end the use of public finance initiative (PFI) contracts and bring existing contracts back in-house.
A house built on rock
Housing took centre stage at the Labour Party Conference, forming a key part of major speeches. Thomas Bridge examines a new report on innovative solutions being delivered by councils and where both Labour and the Conservatives are directing policy
Labour's missed opportunity
Labour has missed a huge chance to reclaim the devolution agenda from the Government, says Alexandra Jones
Corbyn: Scrap borrowing cap to build social housing
Jeremy Corbyn has placed social housing at the heart of his plans to establish a brand of ‘municipal socialism for the 21st century’.
The difficult task for Philip Hammond
It's unlikely austerity will rear its head again at next week's Conservative Party Conference but Philip Hammond will need something else up his sleeve, says Michael Burton
Whitehall's 'frustrating silence' raises devolution concerns
Senior local government figures have blasted Whitehall’s ‘frustrating silence’ over devolution as pressure mounts on prime minister Theresa May to deliver ‘grown up’ deals.
Calais Jungle is 'moral outrage' - Forbes
The Calais Jungle is a ‘moral outrage’ and councils stand ready to take care of the children of asylum seekers, the Labour party conference has been told.
Forbes: Social housing under threat
The future of social housing has ‘never been under so much threat,’ Local Government Association senior vice president, Cllr Nick Forbes has told Labour’s party conference in Liverpool.
Party time
With the Conservative and Labour party conferences fast approaching, Liam Booth-Smith and Paul Wheeler examine how the parties are faring on local government policy and where national approaches are impacting on local politics.
Why did Labour core voters turn to Farage not Robespierre?
The movement of core Labour voters to the far right puts new pressure on local politicians across the country, says Michael Burton
New Labour group leader announced at LGA
Newcastle City Council leader Cllr Nick Forbes had been elected as the new leader of the Local Government Association’s Labour group.
What's the big idea?
Sir Richard Leese discusses the importance of getting beyond the 'big idea' of devolution to deliver local results.
Draw power from the people
In all political parties it can be difficult to get the leadership to recognise that local government draws its mandate from the people, not the party, writes Dr Jonathan Carr-West
Devolution in the 'new politics' era
Devolution is an assault on local democracy, or so we were told last week by Labour’s new communities spokesman, Jon Trickett.
Kerslake insists he will remain politically neutral in review
Former Sheffield City Council chief executive and head of the civil service Lord Bob Kerslake, who has been asked by Labour to review the role of the Treasury, insists he will remain politically neutral.