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Dr

Thomas Arnold

Honorary Visiting Senior Fellow

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Orcid identifier0000-0002-4223-5639
  • Honorary Visiting Senior Fellow
    Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

ABOUT

Personal Statement
I joined the Heseltine Institute in 2020, after completing my PhD at the Department for Planning and Environment Management at the University of Manchester. My research focuses on:

• Local and regional institutions, devolution and governance
• Local economies and industrial strategy
• Local and regional transport planning, particularly in Northern England

I am currently working on collaborative research with a range of partners in Liverpool City Region, including recent work on the data ecosystem supporting social infrastructure. I edit the Heseltine Institute’s policy briefings series, and have contributed to a range of parliamentary inquiries on issues such as sub-national devolution, industrial strategy and freeports. I also regularly contribute blogs and think-pieces, including recent contributions on topics such as the Integrated Rail Plan for Northern England, and the Budget.

Prior to joining the Heseltine Institute I helped to write the report of the UK2070 Commission inquiry into regional inequalities and my PhD thesis focused on transport devolution in Northern England. Before entering academia I worked for almost a decade in a range of public affairs and policy roles.

I am an Early Career officer for the Local Politics specialist group of the Political Studies Association and an active member of the Regional Studies Association.

UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL ORGANISATIONAL UNITS MEMBERSHIP

UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

  • 10 Reduced Inequalities

RESEARCH AREAS