The new territorial politics: Rivalry and justice in post-devolution Britain

The advent of democratic devolution in the UK will trigger a new debate abo ut territorial justice and regional rivalry issues which have been latent i n UK politics for many years. Far from being a pre-modern residue, territor ially-based politics can help to reform the UK's over-centralized state sys tem. But if the 'dark side' of territorial politics is to be contained-in t he shape of rivalry, chauvinism and parochialism, for example-the UK will n eed to develop a fairer and more transparent system for allocating public e xpenditure, a system which can claim to be territorially just.