Austerity, political control and supplier selection in English local government: implications for autonomy in multi-level systems

Analysis of 60,000 contracts awarded by English councils between 2015–19 reveals that austerity constraints are a key predictor outsourcing services to for-profit suppliers, regardless their political control. Conservative Party-controlled also more likely contract with although we found no link Labour-controlled and not-for-profit nor evidence or budgetary factors influence whether providers based in own region. We argue centrally imposed funding cuts, belief suppliers represent cheaper option, could be overriding Labour Party councils’ ideological preference for providers.