Another misplaced attack on the OBR. The government dictates fiscal policy, not the OBR. That includes the OBR's mandate and the fiscal rules. The fundamental problem is a weak fiscal position, which requires tough choices on tax and spend

Between this and "superflu" the NHS is spinning very hard this winter. Few ways to interpret this comms strategy: 1) manufacturing demand crises to shift blame 2) stick to beat the BMA 3) to bounce HMT into emergency funding 4) they actually believe high demand causes long waits None good!

Amid some v good initiatives, lots of the longstanding problems with the civil service got worse again in the past year. If the government wants to 'rewire the state' it needs to set out what that means for the workforce. 👇Sneak peek at some of our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report, out in Jan.

The new powers to debar or exclude suppliers that break the rules or perform poorly were supposed to help fix accountability in public procurement. But I'm not aware of these new powers being used much at all so far, and the attempt highlighted here by @jessicaelgot.bsky.social has faced problems

FAO business case nerds: government are finally getting round to publishing business cases. This has been a long time coming - I remember working on ideas around this over three years ago. So well done to the government for actually getting on with it. www.gov.uk/government/c...

Really important blog from @gemmatetlow.bsky.social on the misguided critiques of the OBR, and why a strong OBR (and person to chair it) is in all our interests www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/stro...

This is an interesting piece. Analysis we've done support some of the findings First, staff absences are higher on average in trusts that serve more deprived populations, and the effect is larger for mental health absences than for other conditions

The 'clogging up' of A+Es is not due to the 2% of people coming to ED with this quite arbitrary list of conditions. The main reason they're clogged is poor flow through hospitals! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I was a little sceptical about the OVfM’s unusual setup but it has worked very well. The key question, as Ben argues, is whether politicians and officials can now put its proposals into practice and take up the mantle of driving further system reform

In my Budget chat for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk I flatteringly compared it to a complex artwork you must spend hours with to see all the details www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/offi... The work of the OfVFM provides an example: @drbenpaxton.bsky.social explains why it is good.

A slice of positive budget news last week was some important improvements to the spending framework I've written about how the Office for Value for Money helped drive this, and why I think others in government could learn from its unusual set-up www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/offi...

Well worth reading this great thread from @meganbryer.bsky.social on the shape of government following the latest PPS and cabinet committee data release. Interesting here that the cabinet committees look less gender balanced on average than cabinet itself (which is 44% women)

New funding plans for mayors may not have made the headlines last week but they represent important steps on the government's journey to 'complete the map' of English devolution. More from me, @akashpaun.bsky.social and @matthewfright.bsky.social below.

Once again, Reeves committed to one fiscal event a year. That would be great. But when there are two OBR forecasts, the temptation is to do further fiscal tinkering each time. The test will be whether she can hold her nerve come the spring www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/au...

This morning we’ll be sharing some further analysis of the chancellor's big budget decisions. In the meantime, check out the summary post on our autumn budget live blog, which highlights some of yesterday's key takeaways www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/au...

Pleased to see the govt commitment to using procurement to drive innovation. Procurement accounts for roughly 1 in 3 pounds spent by govt but it's utterly unstrategic about how it uses this @drbenpaxton.bsky.social and I previously identified the barriers that the task-and-finish needs to remove

Proposed changes to spending controls are incredibly positive. As @instituteforgovernment.org.uk has previously noted, the cumulative complexity of controls muddies accountability, makes govt a worse customer, and wastes time and money. We asked govt to review and that's exactly what they've done

Weeks of speculation, and lots of budget measures - but do they add up to a coherent fiscal strategy? Tune in to our webinar in 10 minutes to get the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk view

"Reeves steered clear of major adult benefits reforms" @drbenpaxton.bsky.social shares his thoughts on today's budget and what it means for welfare – and why big changes to the system won't land unless you've laid the groundwork www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/au...

Not surprising that Reeves is expected to once again freeze fuel duty given her focus on the cost of living. But if they keep doing this, revenue in 2029/30 will be £4.8bn lower than the numbers pencilled in. The cumulative cost of these freezes (+ 5p cut) since 2010/11 has been ~£100bn (!).

We've now had several formal pre-budget announcements (following weeks of speculation, which Treasury 'officially' declines to comment on). Our autumn budget live blog has a list of them (+ our piece making the case for a tourist tax back in July) www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/au...

In a new departure, we @instituteforgovernment.org.uk are going to be live blogging the Budget all through tomorrow. The live blog is now live and we will be sharing our pre-Budget thoughts there, followed by responses once we hear the CX's speech www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/au...

Great to see public sector pensions being discussed. But I think the key issue is are they actually good value for money for recruiting + retaining the public sector workforce we want? Or might giving people flexibility to switch some pension for pay be better value? www.thetimes.com/article/77af...

As the covid inquiry gears up for Module 9 on economic policy, @gemmatetlow.bsky.social and I have a new @ukri.org-funded @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report out on Epi-econ modelling for pandemics. We set out why govt needs to invest now 1/🧵 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

A chart that surprised me: NHS staff absences for mental health reasons are at record highs, above pandemic levels Absences for that reason have grown far faster than the combination of other reasons since 2016 Staff were absent for 1.4% of all working days for mental health reasons in YE May 2025

New comment from us on the six big things we at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk will be looking out for at next week's budget

NEW: Labour inherited public services in crisis. Performance had fallen, investment had been cut + spending plans were undeliverable. It's made some progress, providing stability and positive long-term plans. But it has been undermined by poor prep in opposition and lack of co-ordination in govt 🧵

In two weeks' time, Rachel Reeves will deliver her second budget as chancellor. Join us online on 26 November for our instant reaction to the chancellor's plan for the economy - with @danhaile.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social @gilesyb.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/autumn...

An interesting piece which (rightly in my view) puts policy uncertainty front and centre. But I'm less convinced by the proposed policy prescription: if we kept a 2nd forecast, but don't formally assess rule compliance, what stops everyone else just reading off the OBR spreadsheet?

NEW REPORT Labour is struggling to meet its education priorities. It has big ambitions to improve schools, but a budget that falls short of matching them. And with no clear plans to reform the SEND system or tackle workforce shortages, children are being left without the support they need.

NEW from me on why changes to public sector pensions should be on the table. But politicians must say how they'll cover big upfront costs, and focus on how remuneration can best support the workforce needed to improve public services - not on cuts www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/publ...

"Yet unpopularity — even unpopularity as deep and bitter as that which Starmer is currently experiencing — need not be terminal, provided his MPs have faith in his plan and his vision" @stephenkb.bsky.social smashes out brilliant points I am hoping to publish at greater length 1/ on.ft.com/478WcW7

Good comment from @timdurrant.bsky.social - DSIT has struggled to become the "digital centre of government" and faced a huge culture shift (it was mainly policy & science and engineering staff before GDS moved there from Cabinet Office). (1/2)

NEW REPORT Criminal justice is coming apart at the seams. Police, criminal courts & prisons can’t cope with the level of demand and performance keeps spiralling downwards. Early positive steps from the government won't be enough to turn things around www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Shifting to a more preventative approach rather than just meeting acute demand in these services is vital. But this shows we have long way to go to get to where we were 10-15 years ago. Great analysis from Stuart and the team

Good to see Reeves defending the importance of SR settlements (where changes should be avoided). But disappointing if this means using highly optimistic assumptions re. future tech efficiencies (eg £45bn) to pencil in spending cuts beyond the SR period rather than confronting the need for tax reform

The point of a multi-year spending review and regular SR cycle is to provide stability. That stability allows frontline public services to make long-term decisions that will deliver better outcomes and VfM. It's a big failure of policymaking if spending decisions are being reopened 4 months later

Really looking forward to chatting with this brilliant panel about how to make sure pay and pensions help attract and keep the high-quality public sector workerforce the government needs

The role of procurement in delivering mission-led government New report by @njdavies.bsky.social and @drbenpaxton.bsky.social on how public procurement could support delivery of mission-led government, and the key barriers to this. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

IfG report says a “bias for the status quo” often prompts government to stick with existing approaches that “guarantee poor performance”, rather than taking a chance on change www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/...

This interview is so much worse than the headline lets on

Procurement is massively underrated as an opportunity for improvement, and where a mission-led approach could make a difference. Our NEW REPORT explores why this change is hard, and how procurement should be used to shape markets + drive innovation🧵 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

NEW REPORT: @instituteforgovernment.org.uk finds that confused missions, pervasive risk aversion, poor data quality, insufficient commericial capability, and a failure to focus on outcomes means that govt is failing to make the most of £400bn+ a year it spends on procurement

Making this taskforce 'internal' rather than independent (unlike e.g. sentencing) was a choice, presumably for greater control over recs. So is this just pitch rolling? Or evidence that an 'internal' review of controversial policy doesn't necessarily mean control? www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Government spends >£400bn each year (!!!) buying stuff from the private and voluntary sectors. With a tricky budget coming up and Starmer's focus on delivery, our new report sets out the role procurement can play in delivering mission-led government www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Great article from Meg Hillier, and a message more politicians need to hear. Pinning all responsibility for the UK's fiscal problems on the OBR is not only misguided, but risks damaging economic and fiscal credibility

This from @tompope.bsky.social and @danhaile.bsky.social is a brilliant, quick run down of the fiscal problem facing Reeves this autumn - and why tax rises look like the only real option available to address it

Lots of focus right now is (very rightly) on the use - and length of - the super-injunction. But this data breach is a sobering reminder of the extent to which gov botched the 2021 evacuation from Kabul and the impacts of it having done so. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/afgh...

If government are serious about improving accountability for poor performance/rule breaking under the new Procurement Act, they've got to be proactive in preparing to navigate these tricky decisions on how they would debar companies which the public sector is particularly reliant on

Great comment piece from Heloise and Alex. Mission-led government is no longer front and centre, but it's not dead. In the absence of another narrative/strategy, it continues to shape government policy/prioritisation (but this will wane without buy-in from the centre of government)