All articles written by Benedict Cooper on PoliticsHome.com

29 Apr Communities

Government Promises Devolution Reform But Mayors Say 'Begging Bowl' Culture Persists

MHCLG and the Treasury are promising more powers to the devolved regions through a series of reforms. But for all the progress, regional mayors remain frustrated at a ‘begging bowl’ culture forced on them by an untrusting Whitehall. Benedict Cooper reports

28 Apr Communities

Pride In Place: Can Labour's Successor To 'Levelling Up' Finally Make A Difference?

Through MHCLG, Labour has begun a programme, like many plans before it, to regenerate hundreds of the most deprived places in Britain. Pride in Place has high and worthy ambitions. Will it succeed where others did not? Benedict Cooper reports

26 Jun 2025 Culture

License To Kill?: The BBC's Uncertain Future

Beset by a multitude of global and domestic challenges, the BBC faces one of its most contentious charter reviews in its history. Benedict Cooper asks what fate might befall the licence fee as a result

12 May 2025 Communities

London Still Dominates Our Economy. Can The Trend Finally Be Reversed?

The UK is often described as the most regionally unequal developed country. The issue, say experts, hasn't been London overperforming, but second cities underperforming. To truly address this, regions require much more political power, reports Benedict Cooper

10 Mar 2025 Energy

Can Britain Build The Energy Storage It Desperately Needs?

Britain faces two trilemmas over energy: as it seeks to find a middle ground between security, cost and carbon reduction, it also needs to balance supply, demand and storage. It’s the last of these, Benedict Cooper finds, that might be the biggest challenge of all.

06 Jan 2025 Economy

Does The Treasury Value Regions?

Benedict Cooper looks at the thorny issue of how we can guarantee an equal share of the pie around the country

19 Mar 2023 Parliament

Private Members' Bills: The flawed and occasionally successful route to change

Most Private Members’ Bills fail, and those that succeed take months or even years of dogged negotiation and campaigning against the odds. Yet MPs’ names fill the ballot bowl to get the chance to table a bill each session, and some go to extraordinary, unorthodox lengths to see their legislation through to royal assent. Benedict Cooper takes a closer look at one of the most eccentric aspects of the parliamentary process

24 Feb 2020 Political parties

Talk of the town: On the road in Worksop with Lisa Nandy

After 85 years as a Labour seat, the Nottinghamshire constituency of Bassetlaw witnessed the largest swing from Labour to the Conservatives in the country at the general election. Benedict Cooper joins Lisa Nandy on a trip to the area to hear first hand how she plans to reconnect with the party’s former heartlands