Governing through Governance: Education Policy Control under New Labour
| Date | 01 June 2003 |
| Author | Ian Bache |
| DOI | 10.1111/1467-9248.00425 |
| Published date | 01 June 2003 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Governing through Governance:
Education Policy Control under
New Labour
Ian Bache
University of Sheffield
Central to the debates on governance is the extent to which this process erodes state power. This
article looks at the control of education policy since 1997. Education has not been immune from
the developing process of governance. Moreover, Labour government education policies have
accelerated this process: there has been greater fragmentation of policy-making, with a prolifera-
tion of cross-sectoral and multi-level participation. However, in this case, central government has
not only retained control over policy-making but has been able to achieve its policy goals more
effectively. Two case studies: ‘New Labour and the Local Education Authorities’ and ‘New Labour
and the Funding of Education’, demonstrate the advantages for the centre in voluntarily govern-
ing through governance.
This article focuses on the control of education policy under New Labour. I argue
that despite the development of (multi-level) governance in this sector, the centre
has both encouraged this process and, at the same time, strengthened its ability to
achieve its policy goals. ‘Education policy’ is used here as shorthand to describe
policy in relation to education for 5–16 year olds. Other areas of education policy,
for example, higher and further education, are not considered here.
In the campaign for the 1997 general election, New Labour made education its
stated top priority. In response to questions on Labour’s priorities, Tony Blair’s
answer paraphrased the ‘location mantra’ of estate agents; ‘education, education,
education’. While other issues have at times risen to the top of the political agenda,
most notably leading to increased national insurance levels to increase funding to
the National Health Service (NHS), education remains the government’s top long-
term priority. This is understandable for a Labour government committed to a redis-
tribution of life chances, but reluctant to use traditional Labour tools of income tax
rises and greater state ownership. Indeed, on the latter of these points, Labour has
demonstrated an enthusiasm for cross-sectoral participation in education policy-
making, most controversially through encouraging a greater private sector role.
This enthusiasm for greater cross-sectoral involvement, alongside the desire of
the centre to retain control over its highest priority policy, highlights a paradox
at the heart of contemporary politics: how the centre governs in the context of
governance.
Bache (2000) discussed ‘government within governance’ in relation to regional
policies. This paper showed how central government, through its integrated
regional offices, steered regeneration networks in the Yorkshire and Humber
POLITICAL STUDIES: 2003 VOL 51, 300–314
© Political Studies Association, 2003. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK and 350 Main
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