Love this street name in Montréal…made even nicer by the fact it crosses a street named after JFK.

Some wise words from Andrew Marr in this week’s New Statesman magazine.newstatesman.com/2025/09/24/t...

Born #OTD 1665, John Hervey, 1st earl of Bristol. MP for Bury St. Edmunds for nine years, he was described as "preferring the environment of home or the race course" to Westminster in #HistParl's Commons 1690-1715 volumes. Read his full biography here: ow.ly/LwTI50T35kK

And the future of local government hinges on fundamentally reforming its financial systems!

Absolutely outrageous!

Car culture is insanity. Dad is 82, has stopped driving and sold the car. Last bit of admin was to cancel the AA. They tied to convince him he should continue driving. 🙃

This is a stunning exhibition. A must see! www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhi...

Reform suspended one of the Kent County Councillors who was elected for the party in May, after 3 charges, including threatening to kill his wife + coercive behaviour. He denies the charges, and is now an independent councillor while the case + trial proceeds www.kentonline.co.uk/thanet/news/...

“It is estimated that there are around 7 million to 8 million people not correctly registered or missing from the registers entirely. This is not many less than the 9.7 million people whose votes gave the government a landslide majority.”

@swannphil.bsky.social‬ examines what happened to Missions in the spending review? inlogov.com/2025/06/26/t...

No10 has issued odd internal guidance banning officials speaking at public events It means more closed govt & worse policy decisions-the opposite of what ministers say they want From @drhannahwhite.bsky.social & me @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...

What lessons are there from Blair’s delivery unit for the current government’s missions? Some thoughts in my INLOGOV blog inlogov.com

Great write up of @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social’s new report which shows local authorities have been forced to ration access to publicly funded care. This has created a damaging geographical and demographic ‘care gap’ Full report here: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

@alexgathomas.bsky.social and I take a look into Georgia Gould's announcements last week and ask the question: what does this mean for the government's missions?

A worrying populist dimension to the already challenging central-local government relations. Well worth reading From LA to Paris, the populist right hates cities – and it’s fuelled by a sense of bitter defeat | Andy Beckett www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Yes, yes, yes! on.ft.com/4486HpF Healthcare policy is afflicted by short-sightedness

…. it would be interesting to know if ministers did actually look at the lessons from the experience of the GOs, and why think this things will be different this time around www.local-government.org.uk/library/2020...

New thing klaxon! How do you know if your organisation is mission-driven? Today we’re releasing a mission maturity framework I’ve co-authored with @danhonig.bsky.social and Vinuri Dissanaya at Georgetown Better Government Lab in collaboration with Nesta. Link: www.nesta.org.uk/report/on-mi.... 1/n

'About half of councils' income comes from central government and Rayner will announce plans for a new formula for allocating the money based on local needs, including population, poverty and age. This will lead to more cash going to deprived areas...'

Some actual 'levelling up' is on the way here (listen for the screams)... (£) www.thetimes.com/article/4677...

Slot machine firms target UK’s poorest areas and channel funds to billionaires

With local elections happening in many areas today, here's our earlier article on the complexities of 19th century municipal polls: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2017/05/04/l...

An amazing resource….

Neil Barnett presenting on: 'The Growing Pains of Devolution in England: A Case Study of the Yorkshire and Humber region.' #PSA25

The first PSA Local Politics & Governance panel is getting underway at #PSA2025 @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social @psalocalpol.bsky.social 🪑 @ariannagiovannini.bsky.social 📄 Neil Barnett 📄 Georgina Blakeley 📄 @swannphil.bsky.social 📄 Jim Chandler @peckersley.bsky.social @tjarnold.bsky.social

Really enjoyed presenting early findings from my PhD research on the role of politicians in central-local government relations. Grateful for the insightful questions.

Imagine being a head teacher reading the quote in this piece from a Treasury adviser warning that capital resources should not be used to “just” fix school roofs! The public estate is broken - schools, hospitals, prisons….- and fixing it must be a priority for the government. on.ft.com/3EjIofG

Our first panel will be: 'Central-local Relations & Devolution in England' Mon 14th, 1.30pm, Dhani Prem, Exchange 🪑 @ariannagiovannini.bsky.social 📄 Neil Barnett 📄 Georgina Blakeley 📄 @swannphil.bsky.social 📄 Jim Chandler

This is astonishing!!!! on.ft.com/4jiZV6A The US may be reversing course on child labour

Looking forward to presenting some early findings from my PhD research on the contribution of politicians ti central-local government relations at this session.

This is excellent on the consequences of Whitehall's unhealthy obsession with potholes by @rebeccamckee.bsky.social

….and a fundamental reform of local government finance and revenue raising.

on.ft.com/4itDtrC Apprenticeships can help fix the UK’s growth problem

A former member of OBR committee-quoted in the Guardian - sums up the government’s chosen contortion: “We’ve got ourselves into a, frankly, pretty ridiculous position, where we’re doing fiscal fine-tuning to control the OBR forecast five years ahead.”

*PSA25 registration deadline 24 March* Join us for #PSA25 in Birmgham 14 - 16 April. 3 days of international research, exchange and networking. More: buff.ly/hIifyhG

I don’t think there’s anything in this speech about how ministers are going to work more effectively to deliver improved public servuces - particularly with other departments and with local councils. There’s an urgent need for radical change! www.gov.uk/government/s...

This is a great example of the value of the Ministers Reflect series.

Presumably Ministers determining planning appeals will be required to take the same training as councillors sitting on planning committees! www.lgcplus.com/services/reg...

Here we go again with pledges to cut the civil service… The last government set a headcount reduction target; this government has not. Good. You can’t set a target w/out doing the work of identifying what you want stopped BUT, they’re making other, deeply counterproductive mistakes 🧵

The Guardian editorial on the government’s approach to local government is spot on. In short “more ambition required”. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Interesting reading this at the same time as researching T Dan Smith for my PhD. Former Liverpool mayor charged with bribery www.bbc.com/news/article...

ULEZ works. It’s that simple. Expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone wasn’t a decision I took lightly, but the latest figures show that it was the right one for the health of millions of Londoners.

Every piece of evidence from every ULEZ or CAZ shows crystal clear benefits. Moreover, it further exposes the absolute wrongheadedness to shy away from doing it under the excuse it would harm the worst off amongst us (Manchester, Liverpool).

Elected politicians are central to leadership of local public services. Our update of the 21C councillor report is published today. 21stcenturypublicservant.wordpress.com/the-21st-cen... Take a look and join the conversation!

This is so depressing! on.ft.com/3F7M4Bk Colleges of further education in England will get less funding than promised

Former MP for Cheadle Mark Hunter is now the leader of Stockport Council.

This is refreshing. Politicians moving between elected office in central and local government is common in many countries including France. Good for both tiers of government.

Same weekend every year….the frogs are back in town!

Interesting to note that De Croo has become mayor of him home town having been the Belgian prime minister. Another example of “revolving door” political careers as opposed to our “escalator”. Belgium’s ex-PM Alexander De Croo: ‘There’s a risk that Europe is being redrawn’