Professor Copus is Professor of Local Politics in the Department of Public Policy, De Montfort University and Director of the Local Governance Research Unit.

Previously, Professor Copus was an academic at the Institute of Local Government Studies at Birmingham University. He has also worked as a local government officer and a policy researcher in the House of Commons. Colin has served as a councillor on a London Borough, a county and a district council and two parish councils.

Colin Copus is Professor of Local Politics in the Department of Public Policy and Director of the Local Governance Research Unit, De Montford University.

Colin’s main research interests are local party politics, local political leadership and decision-making, the changing role of the councillor and small party and independent politics. He also researches and writes on English national identity and English policy issues.

He has conducted research studies commissioned by the Department of Communities and Local Government and co-authored publications including Making the Most of the New Constitutions (2003) The Development of Overview and Scrutiny (2002) and New Council Constitutions (2000). Colin is the author of two major recent books: Leading the Localities: Executive Mayors in English Local Governance, Manchester University Press, 2006 and Party Politics and Local Government, Manchester University Press, 2004.