We can celebrate current trends emerging in local and regional government that respond bravely to the failures of capitalism by seeking to democratize our economies. This narrative was barely heard a decade ago.

Now [in the United Kingdom] Labour locally and regionally are establishing cooperative banks, insourcing services, expanding worker and employee ownership, supporting democratic ownership of land, developing municipally-owned green energy works and key commercial activity in local authority ownership. They are collaborating with large local institutions like hospitals and universities to encourage them to spend more locally, employ residents in deprived areas, and use their land and assets for progressive purposes. Labour administrations are introducing fair work policies that grow real living wage and unionized jobs in our communities.

Many of these councils, who consider themselves loyal to the principles and the movement towards community wealth building, seek to challenge the neoliberal consensus by expanding democratic ownership in the places they govern.