Nice example of how our @bennettschool.cam.ac.uk framework for measuring social and cultural infrastructure can cast a different light on important initiatives that may sit at the edge of policymakers' thinking.

Which is a long way round of saying: a lot of the pieces I’m reading on the crucial role of the BBC massively overweight news and underplay the wider role of 50 odd radio stations, a dozen TV stations and the vast majority of its output.

Fantastic Inside Politics by Jen Williams today:

Our new divergence is tracker out: auditing the extent to which UK/EU rules and regs have aligned/diverged since June. It highlights the increasingly awkward position which the UK occupies: of wanting to act like the EU on most regulatory issues, but without being part of the club.

I’ve written for @financialtimes.com about the need for belief in the future to get things built on.ft.com/47cO3Qs Why optimists build better infrastructure

Worth noting that in Nov 24 the govt wrote to South Cambridgeshire to say that voters were best placed to decide on council effectiveness and that Labour would bring an “end to micromanaging” I’d like to see the full text of this latest letter to see what has changed

Really enjoyed recording this discussion with David Runciman, covering threats to democracy, early 20thc theories of oligarchy, how algorithmic social media is changing politics, the problem with 19thc approaches to suffrage - and much, much more!

Tory policy is to revoke permanent residence (ILR) for everybody who does not earn £38k - deporting most nurses who have ILR This is put in the video as "who is unlikely to contribute more than they cost" NB: video does not say EU settled status is exempt No govt since Idi Amin has done this

EXC: English councils will still be poorer in 2029 than they were in 2010, according to the IfG. Report finds councils are increasingly providing social care and little else. Libraries, youth services, parks, all falling by the wayside. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

📣 Waves - the largest trial of digital democracy in Britain - is now live on the streets of #Camden. If you're a Camden resident and want to help shape @camdencouncil.bsky.social's future plan on adult social care, have your say now: who-cares.commonplace.is

Much to agree with in this piece on the Pride in Place programme @alwalker.bsky.social, on why it matters and where the questions still are.

Great blog from my @bennettschool.cam.ac.uk colleague @alwalker.bsky.social on the government's new pride in place programme. www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/blog/unpacki...

The government's ‘pride in place’ programme aims to revitalise local places and empower communities. But it remains to be seen whether the expanded regeneration scheme will mark a meaningful shift in power from the centre, writes @alwalker.bsky.social. www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/blog/unpacki...

New blog for @bennettschool.cam.ac.uk on the pride in place strategy I explore why the government is going quite big on this and has adopted the language of pride in place, and look at whether it marks a real shift in power away from the centre www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/blog/unpacki...

The map below shows how far behind France and Germany we are in mass transit. In France, every place with over 150,000 people has some form of tram or metro. But if mayoral areas can 'become builders' as @tracybrabinmayorwy.bsky.social puts it in the foreword, we can turn this around. 🧵 1/9

📢 Applications are now open for 2026–27 entry to our two MPhil programmes 🎓 New: MPhil in Digital Policy 🎓 MPhil in Public Policy Ideal for professionals in government, business & civic sectors. 🔗 Learn more about the courses & funding & apply: www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/study/

I enormously enjoyed this conversation with David Runciman about the history of compulsory voting, how it came to be adopted in countries like Belgium and Australia, and what it could for British politics today.

Two great opportunities being advertised here at @bennettschool.cam.ac.uk! (Feat. me looking serious and determined)

'Democracy is not just about voting, but it is also about thinking through the issues and working out what you think.' Our Deputy Director, @alanrenwick.bsky.social, appeared on David Runciman's Past Present Future podcast to talk about referendums. Listen on YouTube 👇

Is there a reason I ask that the Times are using a picture of asylum seekers in a boat to describe rules for migrants who came on legal routes such as skilled worker visas for doctors?

I was delighted to contribute to this excellent @uclpolicylab.bsky.social & @powertochange.org.uk essay collection on “Labour and the communitarian tradition”, alongside @ewallis.bsky.social, @mds49.bsky.social, @caitprowle.bsky.social, @kirstymcneill.bsky.social & @andyburnham.bsky.social

This Pride in Place story is much more important for any Labour recovery imo than ID and ought to form a central part of its focus: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Interesting FGF report on regional growth and devolution - lots of common ground with our recent @bennettschool.cam.ac.uk report on collaborative territorial government (which gets a shout out) In particular, both reports argue for a more substantial role for the Council of the Nations and Regions

With today's announcement on Pride in Place, worth noting that policies such as this (it's a rebranding & expansion of Plan for Neighbourhoods) are popular but haven't cut through. Same goes for community right to buy, and community energy. w/ @luketryl.bsky.social @moreincommonuk.bsky.social

Starmer gambles on ‘levelling up’-style initiative to tackle Reform threat

This country made significant progress against racism in my lifetime - but we did not do so by chance. There is a visible visceral regression in experiencing of overt racism because the toxic fringe with the most extreme views have a sense of permission & impunity www.easterneye.biz/racism-in-uk...

The Government is doing its best at the moment to imply it has no problem with the ethnonationalism now rearing its ugly head. And I don't understand why. 1/5

Greater Manchester has been the fastest growing part of the country in the past decade – measured either by total growth or by productivity growth. I’ve had a look into the data to try to work out what is growing and why. Below are some of the things I have found. 🧵 1/7

This is a great piece from @morganj0nes.bsky.social on the importance and growing prominence of Labour's community empowerment agenda The government needs to focus on getting the right neighbourhood governance model and making sure the reality lives up to the rhetoric

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill had its second reading yesterday. My thoughts here for @bennettschool.cam.ac.uk on why it's significant, where the gaps are, and where it could go further www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/blog/the-eng...

🚨 NEW REPORT 🚨 The latest edition of our Policy Landscape report with @resfoundation.bsky.social is now available! As Parliament returns from recess, it's the perfect primer for all the main policy challenges the UK and its politicians must confront 🔗

‘Let us not risk getting trapped in the last war.’ My piece for @pbe.co.uk on why the wellbeing v GDP framing has run out of road pbe.co.uk/insights/bey...

New post out: Today we have a guest post from the brilliant @dmk1793.bsky.social asking whether low turnout is harming growth as well as undermining democratic legitimacy. (Free to read) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/i...

❗Calling all social scientists ❗ 🔎 Want your work to get noticed by non-academic audiences? Our blog page provides clear and insightful analysis on topical issues, especially UK-EU relations🇬🇧🇪🇺 Got an idea? Send it to [email protected] Check out our latest blogs 👉 ukandeu.ac.uk/analysis/blo...

Connect with our leading team: go.bsky.app/UX4T67L

Today, the Bennett Institute for Public Policy has expanded to become the Bennett School of Public Policy, @cam.ac.uk The Bennett School will continue to conduct leading public policy research, teaching & engagement, for the right kind of growth fairly shared. Please now follow our work here.

Interesting piece on the proposals, in the English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill, for Mayors to be able to appoint policy Commissioners (ie their own cabinet), and the continuing Qs about the accountability deficit in English mayoral #devolution outside London feweek.co.uk/legislation-...

The English devolution bill marks a major shift in how England is governed, with more powers for mayors & local areas—but concerns remain over accountability & local voice. @alwalker.bsky.social explores this big moment for the governance of England. www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/english...

Good news alert In 2024, renewables supplied more than half of the UK's electricity for the first time over a year, reaching a record share of 50.4% Renewables and nuclear combined hit a new high of 64.7% assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6889ec...

Political trust is at crisis point and the decline of community infrastructure is a big part of the story. As pubs, youth clubs and libraries disappear, loneliness grows, and so does support for the radical right. Nick Garland, research fellow at IPPR, for LBC 👇 www.lbc.co.uk/opinion/view...

💯

Good overview of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill by @alwalker.bsky.social. Pleased it highlights the debate that has opened up around neighbourhood governance and the case Rich Bell and I set out in @renewaljournal.bsky.social. renewal.org.uk/blog/labour-...

My take on the hefty English devolution & community empowerment bill that was introduced earlier this month. One of several reforms the govt is quietly getting on with, it marks a shift towards a more coherent, standardised framework and places English devolution on a firmer constitutional footing.

Late to this, but really good paper on how the loss of shared spaces has damaged political and social life. Lots of parallels with this @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk blog from last week on what social and cultural infrastructure means for democracy. www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/social-...

Really interesting and timely piece from Rosa - well worth a read

On balance, eggs are probably the greatest food

Enjoyed talking to @feweek.bsky.social about one (slightly niche) aspect of the English devolution bill - the power for mayors to appoint commissioners covering particular policy areas

New blog: As trust in government wanes, devolution must empower citizens & their neighbourhoods. Without tackling deep-rooted inequalities with real local powers & investment, initiatives like the Plan for Neighbourhoods may fall short. www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/making-...

With the government finally announcing its ethics and integrity commission (largely a rebadging of the Committee on Standards in Public Life - not really clear why it took so long) re-upping this piece on trust and standards for @ukandeu.bsky.social from a while back ukandeu.ac.uk/politicians-...

NEW: @jacknewman.bsky.social and I have just published our new article 'Localism, Levelling Up and Taking Back Control: Tensions in the Ambiguous Justification of English Devolution' open access in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social. Read the article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...