Fortunately @jillongovt.bsky.social has just written us an excellent explainer on digital ID cards! Everything you need to know here… www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/di... www.thetimes.com/article/3fed...

Our first fringe event at the @libdems.org.uk conference is underway, with former party leader Nick Clegg in conversation with @drhannahwhite.bsky.social Full audio landing in the IfG Events podcast feed soon. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/ifg-li...

Very much looking forward to joining the panel for this excellent event!

BONUS EPISODE OUT NOW! In this PPF+ bonus ep David talks to @drhannahwhite.bsky.social of the Institute for Government about changes that could improve the quality of political decision-making. Where to start in reforming the system? Join PPF+ for all our bonuses: www.ppfideas.com/join-ppf-plus

The Liberal Democrats are a big presence in Westminster and in local government. So how will Ed Davey's Lib Dems use the conference spotlight? @drhannahwhite.bsky.social explores ahead of the start of #LDConf in Bournemouth www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/ed-d...

Some good jobs here. The nice folk at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk are looking for Exec Directors for Research & Innovation, and for Impact & Influence, as well as a Director of IfG Academy. You’d work with @drhannahwhite.bsky.social and her excellent team micro.green-park.co.uk/ifg/

Looking forward to this event tomorrow in Brighton… do come along and join the discussion…

NEW: Trump’s State Visit: The Sequel @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @cathhaddon.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social & guest @michaelmartins17.bsky.social preview Donald Trump’s visit (On the IfG podcast, now landing in your feeds a little earlier in the week) podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i...

Very exciting to appear on @ppfideas.bsky.social with David Runciman to talk parliaments…

Great analysis from the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk team of the overarching themes of the reshuffle… www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/seve...

After Angela Rayner’s exit from government, what next for Keir Starmer’s promise to shore up standards in public life? Must-read new @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @instituteforgovernment.org.uk column in the @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/c7b1...

I am delighted to announce that we are recruiting to three new roles in the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk’s senior team. Take a look if you want to help us grow our impact & develop our brilliant research (details of the Academy Director role will be up next week) 👇 micro.green-park.co.uk/ifg/

Giving my live take on the government reshuffle to BBC news channel from the Reform UK conference… “There’s long been an expectation of a reshuffle around this time, but Starmer will be frustrated at being bounced into potentially wider changes than he had planned before Rayner’s departure…

The @instituteforgovernment.org.uk held our first fringe event at a ReformUK conference today while also live blogging Keir Starmer’s first reshuffle - great multi-tasking team! Follow for our latest analysis of Starmer’s new government www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...

♥️

One can only congratulate the institute for Government for being willing to explore some of the most obscure corners of parliamentary procedure - in this case hybrid bill procedure. Surprisingly (to me) they are quite positive about it.

It really does!

How can government legislate better to deliver major infrastructure projects? Fantastic new paper from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk on how to improve the little-known hybrid bill procedure! www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Great to hear @georgiagould.bsky.social talking about creating an authorising environment for civil servants to work differently with the frontline to deliver the test, learn and grow approach - but contrary to No10 media guidance that civil servants shouldn’t engage in public Q&A?

In my time at the Treasury, not once did a civil servant step out of line and cause embarrassment or controversy for ministers when speaking at an event. As I told @prweekuk.bsky.social, the Cabinet Office should relax a little and rethink its new guidance. www.prweek.co.uk/article/1925...

This is also what we are hearing…

1/ The government’s response to the open letter co-ordinated by @instituteforgovernment.org.uk (@drhannahwhite.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social) on civil servants speaking in public is not only disappointing, but also surprising...

Whatever the motivation, it’s clear the new guidance on speaking at public events for civil servants is unworkable and misjudged. Grateful to @instituteforgovernment.org.uk for curating this letter and proud to be one of the signatories.

Pleased to host an event with @progressivepolicy.org at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk hearing former congressman Tim Ryan interviewed by Anushka Asthana discussing the lessons of Trump’s America for UK politics

We at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk have coordinated a letter in @thetimes.com today in which numerous individuals and organisations call on the government to withdraw its mistaken rules which are having a serious chilling effect on civil servants speaking in public…

Meg Russell is on the latest episode of Parliament Matters discussing the hereditary peers bill and our new opinion polling. She calls on MPs to let peers know if they support a cap on the size of the House of Lords. Listen 👉 pod.fo/e/2f59c4. See our polling 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution....

“In many areas, the Labour government has introduced changes that are necessary and valuable and yet these have not been knitted together in a way that is sufficient to shift public perceptions of change” www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/labo...

'Parliamentarians should seize this opportunity now to implement a reform that has been decades (even centuries) in the making. I hope our poll offers them the confidence to do so.' Meg Russell writes for @uk.theconversation.com ahead of the hereditary peers bill being debated today. Read it 👇

Very sensible move from IPSA - there is no right answer on MPs’ pay - talking to the public about how to balance different considerations makes a lot of sense www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Very interesting new polling from @conunitucl.bsky.social showing very clearly that the public wants reforms of the House of Lords to go further than the government’s current bill removing by hereditary peers - report stage this Wednesday the opportunity for that 👇

Spot on from @drhannahwhite.bsky.social Was pointed out to me that if you strip out ministers, PPSs (obv payroll), trade envoys, 'mission champions' etc (less obvs) almost everyone else was a rebel That's despite a highly factional selection process, explicitly designed to yield more 'loyalty'

My latest thoughts on why the characteristics of the 2024 parliament mean the backbench welfare bill rebellion is unlikely to be the last one faced by Keir Starmer www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/parl...

1/ This is an important comment on civil servant's public voice from @drhannahwhite.bsky.social and @alexgathomas.bsky.social at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk. And it could have particular implications for public bodies and regulators. A short thread...

“Big, grumpy blog” says @samcoatessky.bsky.social this morning Thanks Sam! (And agree with what he says that this isn’t going to do much to help the govt) podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/p...

“This new guidance will damage the quality of government and public discourse.” Important new comment from me and @alexgathomas.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...

New report from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk out today - social care is having to be rationed by local authorities in areas of high demand www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Delighted to welcome Sir John Major back to @instituteforgovernment.org.uk today to launch our conference marking the 30 year anniversary of the Nolan Principles with CSPL. Sir John’s speech and conversation with me were full of insight, nuance and urgency about raising standards in public life

🎙️ The morning after the spending review before… @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @tompope.bsky.social and @gilesyb.bsky.social are joined by Gideon Skinner of @ipsosintheuk.bsky.social to weigh up Rachel Reeves’s choices - and what it says about this government podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i...

My instant take on whether this was a mission-led spending review (scroll to the bottom…) www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

As the numbers are crunched and Rachel Reeves's spending review winners and losers emerge, whatever happened to Labour's vision of "mission-led" government...? Here's @drhannahwhite.bsky.social's on the day verdict for the @theguardian.com ... www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The fact Labour has not yet established its ethics and integrity commission is a good thing if it has been working out how it will fit into and add value to the complex standards landscape - my latest for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/stan...

My take for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk on Starmer's #reset .. wider ranging, more ambitious but so much negotiation to come www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/article/comm...

Our next panel will be on House of Commons reform. What are the priorities? What are the aims? And how can reforms attract broad support? Discussing this will be @catsmithmp.bsky.social, @wendychambld.bsky.social and @drhannahwhite.bsky.social, with Tom Fleming as chair. Sign up 👇

Enormous thanks to @joetomlinson.bsky.social and everyone at the Administrative Fairness Lab at @uoy-yorklawschool.bsky.social for hosting a fantastic conference yesterday - brilliant topical discussions on public services, infrastructure and AI www.york.ac.uk/law/research...

Great to publish this new report from former permanent secretary Moira Wallace bringing out the lessons from her time in government… www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Joint letter from us in @thetimes.com today on the need for government to develop an annual migration plan - see our new report out today (www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...)

Important call from Meg Russell of @conunitucl.bsky.social to use the current Lords reform bill to cap the size of the House and reform appointments… 👇

We are recruiting! Fantastic job for someone to help us drive our impact st the heart of UK government… starfishsearch.com/jobs/ins-gov...

NEW PODCAST: After 9 months of Labour in office, we assess progress on the health mission so far with @jobibby.bsky.social and @drhannahwhite.bsky.social Listen now 🎧 buff.ly/Qnw3NuS