A guess a lot people will be spending a lot of today checking some slowly changing numbers on a BBC webpage. If you enjoy that sort of thing and want it to be a more than annual occurrence - can I recommend getting into county cricket?

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/...

Bad news for the headline writers, but the UK will benefit if Rachel Reeves succeeds in her ambition to make the spring forecast a non-event. Me for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk (and @financialtimes.com originally)

Good time to sign up to watch Fiona Hill, @simonfraser00.bsky.social and @anandmenon.bsky.social discuss UK/EU/US relations with @drhannahwhite.bsky.social at our joint @instituteforgovernment.org.uk @ukandeu.bsky.social event on Tuesday eve www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/trump-...

Delighted that Wes Streeting will be kicking off our Government 2026 conference - bright and early tomorrow ⬇️ Other speakers through the day include Mel Stride, Darren Jones, Louise Casey, Andy Burnham, Michael Gove, Ed Balls, Ayesha Hazarika and many more

Tomorrow evening it’ll be my annual duty to vaguely shepherd the activity on the #duvetknowitschristmas hashtag and urge people to give small sums to charity. 7.30pm? Something like that?

The Budget (whether details are published when expected or, erm, somewhat early) is obviously a moment of huge political theatre but it is ALSO the start of a parliamentary process, which we touch on on the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk liveblog

New paper, 'Ministers reflect on the Treasury' from @paddy-mcalary.bsky.social and me for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk. Pre-budget, we've compiled insights from 10 years of Ministers Reflect interviews, plus rex from the IfG catalogue on HMT. Favourite quotes to follow! 1/🧵 tinyurl.com/38anhkc7

Big pre-budget @financialtimes.com story... Read it... And then listen again to last week's @instituteforgovernment.org.uk budget about chancellors and the art of pitch-rolling their budget announcements. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...

Reform-led Worcestershire County Council (WCC) have published a briefing about their financial position, explaining why they might have to raise council tax by 10% It's a pretty perfect encapsulation of the extreme financial pressures facing most local authorities Key points 👇

This is also a story of failing to learn lessons- ten years ago (!) I worked on an energy efficiency scheme at the Treasury, the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund. That was also ripe for fraud and poor quality work, and the NAO found that the "lack of consistency... could increase the long-term cost"

There’s not much to say about the solid wall insulation failures that hasn’t already been said. A diabolical policy failure that wasted money and harmed people. But one thing I will add is: I think it highlights the need for more state delivery capacity on warm homes, not just regulation 🧵

if Mayors ask to be allowed to levy tourist taxes, let them - @instituteforgovernment.org.uk blog by me and @tompope.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/rach... - time to end HMT control freakery

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/...

BIG UK RENEWABLE NEWS ⌛Next govt auction will hand out 20y CfDs, not 15y (lower £/MWh) 🔎Govt can change budget after auction to get GW they want ✅Offshore wind without full planning consent can apply 📝Withdrawn GW can't reapply in AR7 🏗️Onshore wind repowering can apply 1/2

Our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk spending review analysis is out! Take a read here www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/spen... Our key takeaways: 1/7

Some top level views on the SR from me and other @instituteforgovernment.org.uk colleagues 1/2

Most of the focus ahead of the SR has been on how much money depts get. That's understandable, money makes a difference But it's not just about the amount of money, but how departments spend it Here's a summary of how we think the govt can spend money on public services more effectively

'But just as we can move mountains when out liberties are threatened and we will have to fight for our lives, so can we when the future of our London is at stake. If only we will.' New on Substack, my post on the 1943 County of London Plan: municipaldreams.substack.com/p/the-county...

The Climate Change Committee presents a blunt assessment of the government’s failure to prepare adequately for the impacts of climate change. Making it a core value for money issue for departments could help www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/clim...

We know only a little about why Spain and Portugal's blackout occurred on Monday, but enough to what went wrong and what should have happened but didn't. Javier Blas's conference call with REE gives us the clues 1/

✍️I visited British Steel last week - just as workers were discovering that the plant's Chinese owners were effectively planning to starve the blast furnaces to death. It was a strange, unsettling experience. With deep ramifications. Some thoughts: edconway.substack.com/p/the-strang...

Here is our @instituteforgov.bsky.social take on the Spring Statement, covering key questions we were looking out for on how the economic forecast would move and how Reeves would respond Some key takeaways 1/5 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/rach...

Additional capital spending (mainly to meet the defence commitment) shows the effect of a new set of fiscal rules that distinguish between day-to-day and investment spend. If the old debt rule was still binding, capital would have been an easy candidate for cuts

What are the current UK fiscal rules? Here's what you need to know ahead of today's spring statement www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/cu...

📣New report from me & @brionya.bsky.social MCAs’ decision-making is often limited by unanimous voting rules Effective decision making for key strategic plans requires a shift to simple majority voting alongside greater capacity and accountability www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Govt is getting rid of NHS England.. the @instituteforgov.bsky.social back catalogue has a couple of top studies by @nicholastimmins.bsky.social on its creation and functioning www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/... and www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

TODAY: What is Keir Starmer’s new plan for government reform? Join us at 13:00 for our expert analysis of the PM’s plans to overhaul the state. @drmatthewgill.bsky.social @hannahkeenan.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social @cathhaddon.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/keir-s...

Really good summary of a policy debate that is both intimidatingly complex and really matters!

The new industrial strategy and multiyear spending review provide an opportunity to prioritise public resources to achieve the government's objectives - they will be most effective if the Treasury considers tax reliefs alongside spending www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/tax-...

How flawed data is leaving the UK in the dark on.ft.com/4hOfMcI

NEW: The @instituteforgov.bsky.social has today published exclusive interviews with nine former Scottish and Welsh Ministers. The transcripts are full of insights into brexit, the pandemic, and government breakdowns. But what advice did they have for their fellow ministers?

Thread for Brexit memorial day I want to highlight 2 big open questions about the economic consequences of Brexit 1. Why did Brexit reduce UK output growth? 2. How bad has the TCA been for UK trade? 1/

Lots of things can be true at the same time. Economies are dynamic. Does the UK currently face a construction capacity constraint partially due to skilled labour shortages? Yes. Would a credible commitment to a decade+ of building projects see the sector expand and ease constraints? Also yes.

This John Vickers talk/paper on competition policy is well worth a read: ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid...

There’s been some great stuff this week on the “what is Labour’s approach to growth” question. You’ve probably read or ignored it all by now, but worth a quick recap?

Me: on how there has been way too much fuss around these gilt market moves. They bring the worst out in the government. Gilt moves are no verdict on current policy. Reacting violently bad vibes creates silly policy spasms. Grow a thicker hide. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gilt...

No doubt you've all been waiting for this: The Enlightened Economist Prize for 2024 www.enlightenmenteconomics.com/blog/index.p... @dsquareddigest.bsky.social @kjhealy.co @marionf.bsky.social Plus a run-down of previous winners

I'm on the train back from the launch of the devolution white paper, and finally getting a chance to read the document properly! A few thoughts, based on past @instituteforgov.bsky.social research. 1/