ABSTRACT
When Tony Blair’s New Labour government was elected with a landslide victory in 1997, regional policies were reinvigorated and enjoyed over a decade of benign growth.1 For members of the Association with a strong commitment to regionalism, this heralded the greatest opportunity to inform UK policy with regional thinking since the 1960s. The Association had far more resources than it had had in the past, and there was enthusiasm about what could be achieved.2 For its part, the Association promised, ‘to keep members engaged with these debates and the emerging issues as proposals are implemented’.3
