London calling: Devolution and the London Living Wage campaign

Hann, Deborah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6217-4634 and Nash, David ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1244-2231 2026. London calling: Devolution and the London Living Wage campaign. Industrial Relations Journal 57 (4) , pp. 259-273. 10.1111/irj.70030

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Abstract

This article examines the role of devolution in shaping employment relations through a case study of the Living Wage in London. Drawing on a mixed methods approach it explores the rationale and methods by which the Greater London Authority has promoted fair pay despite possessing limited direct legislative power. The article identifies five key mechanisms; its role as an employer, soft regulation, procurement, institution‐building, and ideological leadership, and evaluates their effectiveness in promoting Living Wage adoption in the capital. Our findings suggest that that collaborative, multi‐actor strategies can reshape employment practices, highlighting the potential of ‘devolved without power’ governance to reconfigure labour standards.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Business (Including Economics)
Additional Information:	License information from Publisher: LICENSE 1: URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	0019-8692
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	17 February 2026
Date of Acceptance:	2 February 2026
Last Modified:	04 Aug 2026 10:51
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/184913

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