I’m delighted to announce that @msvkelliott.bsky.social will be joining our team at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk in early March as the new Director of the IfG Academy - our learning and development arm. Welcome Vicky!

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to a fantastic @instituteforgovernment.org.uk annual conference today - we have had a series of fascinating conversations and - if you missed them - you can watch them all back on our website here www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...

So if the programme for our Government 2026 conference tomorrow wasn’t already stellar enough, delighted to say we will be opening with a keynote from @rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social (with @darrenpjones.bsky.social Mel Stride @andyburnham.bsky.social Louise Casey, Ed Balls already announced!)

I'm really delighted to announce that- in a restructure of the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk’s senior team - I've appointed @gemmatetlow.bsky.social to the new role of Executive Director of Research & Innovation & @alexgathomas.bsky.social to the new role of Executive Director of Impact & Influence

Looking forward to speaking at @raeng.org.uk Policy Fellowships Showcase on Monday! Do sign up to join us!

Latest fascinating & comprehensive analysis from the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk team of Labour’s public services performance… www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

The Cabinet Office has relaxed the rules on civil servants speaking in public. The government is still too defensive about who can speak, but this is a positive step, say @alexgathomas.bsky.social and @drhannahwhite.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/welc...

🎧Tinker, Tailor, Starmer, Spies? Latest @instituteforgovernment.org.uk podcast is out now! @gabyhinsliff.bsky.social @theguardian.com joins @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @amberdellar.bsky.social @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social & @timdurrant.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...

Latest excellent analysis from the @instituteforgov public services team 👇https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/oct/15/english-councils-to-remain-poorer-than-2010-despite-funding-boost-says-report?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Really looking forward to recording an episode of this excellent podcast series which gives a fascinating insight into the working of the Welsh government (produced by Senedd member and former minister @waterslee ) open.spotify.com/show/0cwgtqc...

After attending a marathon five ((FIVE! 😳) party conferences I’ve written about what they told me about how our politicians are thinking about government (tl:dr governing is hard; they want to take back control; and Reform UK was ubiquitous…) www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/five...

We're about to start our final #CPC25 event. Join us and Onward in Central 5 at 15:30 to hear us discuss how governments should rewire the state to get things done. With Jesse Norman MP, @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social zurl.co/Ywwx0

Look out for a #CPC25 Inside Briefing special podcast - the IfG team @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social @tompope.bsky.social are joined by guest @patrick-pme.bsky.social. Landing in your podcast feeds tomorrow. 🎧👀

Over the next two days, the IfG will be in Manchester for the Conservative Party Conference. We have a range of fringe events, covering industrial strategy, public services, devolution, rewiring the state and more 🧵Here's what we're up to at #CPC25 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/ifg-co...

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...