Example British politics dissertation topic 5:

Regional government for the north: A ‘post-recession’ rejoinder

The plan for devolution for the north as espoused by John Prescott when Deputy Prime Minister was overwhelmingly rejected by voters in the north. Nevertheless, a decade later and faced with a seemingly ever-widening gulf between the economics of the north and south of England, a growing body of academic opinion within the north has called for the question to be re-opened. It is perhaps no coincidence that this call has come at a time when not only is the Scottish Parliament is asking for more devolved powers but also that ‘life over the border’ for those within the English borderlands seems relatively more appealing given policies relating to prescriptions, elderly care and tuition fees. This dissertation charts not only the rise and fall of the Prescott plan for northern devolution but asks whether the time is now right for the question to be put to the public again.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Morgan, K. (2006) ‘Devolution and development: Territorial justice and the north-south divide’, Publius: The Journal of Federation, Vol. 36(1), pp. 189-206.
• Tickell, A., John, P. and Musson, S. (2005) ‘The North East Region referendum campaign of 2004: Issues and turning points’, The Political Quarterly, Vol. 76(4), pp. 488-496.