The 2010 General Election ushered in a first coalition government in the United Kingdom for four decades and symbolised a marked shift in the nature and form of economic development. This book aims to investigate the theory and practice of the politics and policies of contemporary economic development through a multi-disciplinary collaboration.


Some of the most pertinent questions to be addressed include: What lessons can be derived from `old' economic development practice and to what extent have such lessons informed the design of the `new' economic development landscape? Who are the new actors, agencies and institutions, and how have they coalesced to lead the task of developing particular spatial economies? What new democratic and accountability challenges arise? Lastly, how is `success' now defined and how is `growth' understood?