‘This book is a remarkable and often inspirational tour de force. Martin Jones confidently moves between theories of political economy and stories of regional and urban policy, using each to inform the other. He brings the uneven geographies of England to life, showing how they are reproduced in practice, while also offering the prospect of alternative futures.’ - Allan Cochrane, The Open University, UK

Offering a geographical political economy analysis, this book explores the mechanisms, institutions, and spaces of subnational economic development. Martin Jones innovatively examines how policy-makers frame problems and offer intervention solutions in different cities and regions.

Drawing on different approaches to state intervention, neoliberalism, crisis and contradiction theories, and notions of depoliticisation, this book explains policy failure and how it is impacted by flux surrounding economic development. With constant changes to legislation, institutional initiatives, and ministerial responsibility, local and regional economic development is shown to be at a critical crossroads.

Theoretically innovative and empirically focused, this timely book is a must-read for researchers and policy-makers of urban geography, regional development, political economy and public policy.