What might the Makerfield by-election mean for the Labour party leadership? Our flowchart explores the potential Labour leadership challenges. Read our explainer to find out more about how a Labour Party leadership contest works 👇 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/la...

Blimey, I hadn’t realised how much the forecast rise in energy bills in July was concentrated on gas. £162 of the £208 forecast rise comes from more expensive gas… (Chart courtesy of Regen and Cornwall Insight)

If you have heard people talking about Jackdaw and Rosebank but are not totally sure what they actually are... ⬇️

10 things we learned in the King's Speech, from across the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk Lots of interesting insights and analysis from across the - really quite broad - range of plans from the government.

New ministerial appointments have been made following yesterday's 4 resignations. Our updated waffle chart and explainer has the latest info... 1/4

Re-upping this because i saw on the other place someone going down the 'but could they use a King's Speech defeat to oust him?'. Again, to reiterate, endlessly, a confidence defeat in the Commons means either the government *as a whole* is ousted. Not just the PM.

Great work from @meganbryer.bsky.social updating our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk ministerial resignation chart with Miatta Fahnbulleh's decision You can see our full list of resignations since 1979 here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

Jess Phillips - minister for safeguarding violence against women and girls - becomes the second minister to resign today, telling the PM that "deeds, not words are what matter". Our explainer @instituteforgovernment.org.uk has info on all 15 ministers that have resigned since Labour took office...

The government’s crisis response is gaining pace – but so is the crisis Our work shows there are ways ministers and civil servants can be most effective in a crisis, say @rosahodgkin.bsky.social and @timdurrant.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...

Our new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report lists 10 things the government needs to do to fix the children's social care market. 👇I've done a little run down of some of the key charts

In one sense this really is a major reform* (the initial removal of most hereditary peers happened almost 30 years ago!); though of course questions about more fundamental Lords reform remain *(Note a few of the hereditary peers being removed are now likely to be made life peers)

Just did a quick bit on the radio about the end of the Parliamentary session, prorogation and ping pong. All the Ps. So let's get into that....

Delighted to welcome the housing minister to IfG on Wednesday to discuss leasehold reform. Do come along. It'll be an interesting conversation* *A complex regulatory landscape, a major overhaul of property law with a 40-year timeline... Need I say more to an IfG audience?

The Commons Speaker has allowed a debate and vote to go ahead tomorrow on whether the PM should be investigated by the Privileges Committee. So what is the Committee and what is the process?

If you are an official making policy in a crisis - this new IfG report from @nehaldavison.bsky.social, @vimbai-dzimwasha.bsky.social and me looks at how different aspects of policymaking can be easier or harder in crisis with prompts to help consider some of the most common challenges 🧵

In other Ed Miliband news… the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (heat pump subsidy) is going up from £7,500 to £9,000 for homes in rural areas that rely on oil or LPG. Given the spike in heating oil prices, and how good an option heat pumps are in rural areas, this is a good idea

. @hzeffman.bsky.social reporting on BBC R4 Today that govt has created a new "Middle East Response Committee (6.35). This is what @instituteforgovernment.org.uk argued was necessary last week to manage the consequences of the war www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Key report from Jill and co on how the government needs to respond to the ongoing impact of the war - building on our work on ministerial leadership during crises, and upcoming work on government's approach to policymaking during crises. (If only there wasn't so much need for work on crises...)

new online paper by @rosahodgkin.bsky.social @danhaile.bsky.social and me on how govt needs to get a grip of the economic consequences of the Iran war. Needs to stand up coordinating machinery - like Gordon Brown's National Economic Council www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

@vimbai-dzimwasha.bsky.social and I are (like @hannahkeenan.bsky.social) very pro govt acting to improve policymaking! But consultation requirements and impact assessments were put in place for a reason so govt needs to monitor changes and innovate around how to perform those functions better

Fine to say "don't panic" but not if it crowds out sensible messaging on how people can manage their energy use and reduce their bills. @rosahodgkin.bsky.social and my new blog for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...

Have written about why I think the sludge stuff (announcements from gov last week on consultations etc) is of a different quality to the 'rewire the state' sloganeering that we have had before and why that is good!

we have an emergency webinar coming up @instituteforgovernment.org.uk - the Chancellor wants to protect households and the public finances. Can she? - great line-up Emma Pinchbeck @thecccuk.bsky.social @acjsissons.bsky.social @nestauk.bsky.social our own @danhaile.bsky.social and Nick Butler

Very excited to see my PhD research referenced in this @newstatesman1913.bsky.social piece www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

NEW: Report from me and @nehaldavison.bsky.social on how and why boys from low-income families get left behind in their early years 🧵⬇️ www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Interested in making government more effective? Applications for our 2025–26 research internship programme, starting in September 2025, are now open. Closing date: Tuesday 29 April, 11:00 ⏰ Find out more: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/about-us/car...

Decided to write out my thoughts on this for @instituteforgov.bsky.social on why tightly ringenced funding with onerous reporting requirements for ministerial pet projects is a drain on local and central government and can drive the wrong incentives www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/poth...

NEW report from me and @nehaldavison.bsky.social on school readiness: - Who is most at risk of not being school ready? - What does this mean for the govt's opportunities mission? Is the target for 75% of children to be 'school ready' helpful? 🧵⬇️ www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

My latest for @instituteforgov.bsky.social makes the case for chancellor Rachel Reeves to do nothing at the Spring Statement, even if she is on course to miss her fiscal rules by a small margin. 1/3

I'd love to see Rachel Reeves launch a fundamental review of the tax system - to make it more efficient/fairer/growth enhancing and just decide that she might as well use her economics background to deliver a legacy of real improvement - even if it doesn't poll well straight away.

A very big week for @instituteforgov.bsky.social and our Inside Briefing pod. We’re recording in Hull now and our instalment featuring the PM will land in your podcast feeds tonight.

In light of today's announcement - this chart gives some context on how NHS England accounts for almost half of government's total spending on ALBs, and how increases to its budget have been the main driver for the overall increase in funding for ALBs in recent years.

For some context on the relative sizes of NHSE and DHSC, this chart is helpful Bit out of date, but NHSE is a very large organisation ~17.5k in May 2023 and has shrunk since then. Will be interesting to see how many of those staff come into the department

There's a decent case for scrapping NHS England but doing so is a major change programme that will take up substantial ministerial and official time. Hard to see how govt can do this while also making good progress on meeting the 18 week target AND the three shifts ahead of the next election

The PM’s speech this morning didn’t have much detail on system-wide civil service reform – despite some welcome pitch rolling by McFadden over the weekend. But for what it’s worth, here’s my initial take on what was in there on civil service reform 🧵 (1/6)

The prime minister is expected to announce plans to cut back regulation. Our explainer takes a closer look at what regulation actually is, how it is used and carried out, and what are the alternatives to regulation www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/re...

For the first time, half of all ministers are women and more women now attend cabinet than ever before – To celebrate international women’s day we've taken a deep dive into the @instituteforgov.bsky.social Ministers Reflect archive to share some insights from women who served in government ... 🧵

Starmer's cut to the aid budget means a really tough set of choices ahead for foreign office ministers - they will need to be very clear on what they're cutting (and not fudge the trade-offs) www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/anne...

There will be more debate this time on the 7th Carbon Budget recommendations from @thecccuk.bsky.social . @rosahodgkin.bsky.social and I think that's a good thing @instituteforgov.bsky.social - www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/seve...

Interim report out today from the Sentencing Review is bang on – not often you get the chance to say that! Prison population has risen because of "inconsistent, ill-considered and knee jerk sentencing reform implemented by successive governments". www.gov.uk/government/p...

My first piece for @instituteforgov.bsky.social - it's still far too hard for civil servants to tackle poor performance, but a new framework changes the incentives (a little) in favour of better people management, and that is a good thing. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/new-...

Really interesting piece from @gemmatetlow.bsky.social Tax reliefs sound boring but are really important - became mildly obsessed with this while looking at the tax system and net zero a couple of years ago (where reliefs are part of what makes the system very incoherent)

Continuing the government's recent roll on planning announcements today we have one on nuclear☢️ Definitely not nuclear experts so apologies for any errors but some thoughts on the govt side…

Following a great IfG event yesterday on the government's clean power targets, a new explainer by me on the role of the National Energy System Operator (NESO)⚡ www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/na...

Still time to sign up to watch this event online - starting in 20 mins and should be very interesting for all civil service types (and everyone, of course)

We @instituteforgov.bsky.social are doing a new project looking at how to help officials make better policy under pressure 💨 If you have experience of fast policymaking please give our survey a look and share your insights! Should take a maximum of 10mins to fill out

TOMORROW: How can the government accelerate its clean power mission? Don't miss our event exploring Labour's progress on decarbonising power by 2030 and the potential pitfalls. @rosahodgkin.bsky.social @chrisstark.bsky.social @dharavyas.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...

Can a new Heathrow runway meet both the government’s growth and climate goals? Transparency is vital if the government is to make the case for it, say @tompope.bsky.social and @rosahodgkin.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/new-...

This collection of interviews with former ministers - and 3 former FMs - in devolved administrations offers a window into decision making within and across the nations. From Brexit and covid to the collapse of the Bute House Agreement, these are well worth a read.

EVENT: How can the government accelerate its clean power mission? 🗓️Tuesday 4 Feb, 12:30 Hear from @rosahodgkin.bsky.social @chrisstark.bsky.social @dharavyas.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social on how Labour can achieve its clean power commitments www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...