Policy responses to crisis: the case of the UK firefighters’ dispute

Citation

Dinan W, Ford A, McConnell A & Pyper R (2006) Policy responses to crisis: the case of the UK firefighters’ dispute. Policy and Politics, 34 (2), pp. 307-323. https://doi.org/10.1332/030557306776315804

Abstract
This article seeks to examine the UK government's policy responses to the 2002–04 firefighters' dispute, a prolonged crisis which necessitated the activation of the central government's contingency planning procedures for a public safety emergency. The framework for analysis draws on a set of key criteria against which governmental and organisational policy responses to crises can be categorised: agenda management, centralisation of policy responses, decentralisation of policy responses, bureaucratic politics and strategic evasion. The article shows that the sum total of all these patterns is a strong Westminster-centric response, rather than one that is more differentiated or 'hollowed out'.

Keywords
firefighters; crisis; New Labour government; civil contingencies

Journal
Policy and Politics: Volume 34, Issue 2