Dave Richards
Dave Richards [FAcSS] is a British political scientist and public policy scholar. He is currently Diamond Professor of Public Policy at the University of Manchester, known for his work on governance, British politics, civil service reform, public policy, institutional adaptation and political biography.[1]
Education
Richards went to school in Exeter before earning a BA in Government (First Class) from the University of Essex in 1990, an MSc in Russian Politics and Government from the London School of Economics in 1991, and a PhD from the University of Strathclyde in 1996. His doctoral thesis examined the politicisation of the UK Civil Service under the Thatcher government.[1]
Academic Career
Richards began his academic career as a research fellow at Strathclyde and Birmingham, later holding positions at the University of Liverpool and University of Sheffield. He joined the University of Manchester in 2012 and served as Head of Politics from 2018 to 2021.[1] He has held visiting fellowships at the Australian National University and University of Sydney.[2]
Research
Richards has authored or co-authored several influential books, including:
- The Myth of Treasury Control: Public Spending in an Incoherent State (Oxford University Press, forthcoming 2026)[1]
- New Labour and the Civil Service (Palgrave, 2007)[1]
- Governance and Public Policy in the United Kingdom (Oxford University Press, 2002)[1]
- Changing Patterns of Governance in the United Kingdom (Palgrave, 2001)[1]
His research focuses on British political institutions, Treasury control, and the Westminster model. He has published extensively in journals such as Political Quarterly, Public Administration, and the British Journal of Politics and International Relations.[3]
Recognition
Richards was elected Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in 2025.[2] He is a member of the UK Political Studies Association, IPSA, EGPA, and IIAS.[1]
Selected Publications
- Richards, D., Smith, M.J., Warner, S. (2025). “Can Starmer’s Labour government rebalance power in the UK state?” Political Insight, 16(1), pp.12–15.
- Diamond, P., Richards, D., Warner, S. (2025). “Change and Continuity in British Politics.” Political Quarterly, 96(1), pp.140–148.
- Richards, D., Coyle, D., Warner, S., Smith, M.J. (2023). “Crisis and state transformation.” Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 16(1), pp.31–48.
External Links
This article "Dave Richards" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Dave Richards. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Professor Dave Richards". University of Manchester Research Explorer. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Professor Dave Richards". The Productivity Institute. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ↑ "Dave Richards". The Conversation. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
