Goodness me this is wonderful. Think I’ll have to read at least twice more on.ft.com/47M4tyi Bridget Riley: ‘I want my paintings to make people feel alive’

📸Snapshots | Leadership change in the civil service: How can new permanent secretaries deliver for government? A big thank you to our panel: Atul Devani, John-Paul Marks CB, Baroness Gisela Stuart and @alexgathomas.bsky.social Watch back the event www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/leader...

WEBINAR | The Covid Inquiry: What does Module II say about government decision making and political governance? Join our IfG experts webinar to unpack the Covid Inquiry's findings and explore their implications for future governance. 🎟️ www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/covid-...

“These are not the actions of mature adults. They are examples of crude people displaying their incompetence as they flail about in jobs—including the presidency—for which they are not qualified.”

Our event Leadership change in the civil service: How can new permanent secretaries deliver for government? is happening today! Join us in person or online: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/leader...

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...

Inexplicable why the UK govt and associated accounts are still Twittering. On our podcast I mentioned Musk as a wannabe enemy of the state here bsky.app/profile/inst...

NEW: Home Office truths The Home Secretary says Home Office is not fit for purpose So what’s the problem/solution? 🎧Today’s @instituteforgovernment.org.uk podcast with @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social & ex spad Hannah Guerin www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...

PODCAST 🎙️ Home Office truths with Shabana Mahmood Hannah Guerin joins @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social to explore one of Whitehall’s most challenging departments. Plus: Kruger's govt reform plans, and Labour’s historic poll low www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...

Great to team up with @ipsosintheuk.bsky.social to find out what the public think about the civil service www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/...

Some thoughts on the Kruger press conference on reforming government, and Reform in government www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/dann...

Nothing worrying about it - am fully embracing middle age

Fallen so far

Well this is a particularly depressing illustration of what a collapsing justice system looks like. 262 people were released from prison by mistake in 2024/25 — more than twice the previous year and almost 4.5x 2014/15 www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Excellent new comment piece from Heloise on Nick Timothy’s review of the Home Office Not fit for purpose all over again…

Glad to see a bit of rowing back by Government on the 'gagging' civil servants issue. Thanks to @instituteforgovernment.org.uk @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social for leading the charge on this www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/welc...

🎧NEW @instituteforgovernment.org.uk podcast - Royal trouble - Inquiry woe - Prisons crisis @dannyshaw.bsky.social joins @cathhaddon.bsky.social @cassiarowland.bsky.social & @alexgathomas.bsky.social to make sense of it all www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/pris...

As Alex says, this is a step in the right direction But one letter is not a strong enough signal to civil servants that they can speak & engage, or to those departments who've used this guidance to clamp down on openness Make things open: it makes things better, as govt's own design principles say

Some - cautious - good news on the govt’s civil service gagging rules Nick Thomas-Symonds has written to us rowing back on the worst aspects: “it is important for civil servants to speak in public about matters for which they have responsibility” www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/welc...

EVENT | Leadership change in the civil service: How can new permanent secretaries deliver for government? 📅 Monday 3 November, 12:30-13:30 With Atul Devani, John-Paul Marks CB, Baroness Gisela Stuart and @alexgathomas.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/leader...

We have an updated ministerial code! The new code makes clear that ministers "are expected" to pay back any severance payment if they quickly get a new ministerial job or are found to have broken the rules on post-government jobs www.gov.uk/government/p...

V interesting piece from @geoffmulgan.bsky.social Yes, there should be more thought about ministers (and civil servants) being put in the right roles and supporting them to do well!

Enjoy recording these podcasts on the road. My Tory highlights - ‘hold your nerve’ Team Badenoch vs ‘hold fire’ Team Jenrick - stamp duty announcement might set some terms of debate for the coming months - a fascinating speech - and an ECHR warning - from the Irish Ambassador

🎧NEW: Lessons in Kemistry.. Brilliant Conservative Party conference (& stamp duty) analysis on @instituteforgovernment.org.uk podcast @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social @tompope.bsky.social and Patrick English of @yougov.co.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...

Great piece from Alex and Jack (of course) Plenty of savings to be made in the civil service, but the response to all these kinds of announcements (from government and opposition parties!) should always be: what do you want the state to stop doing?

Our reaction to Mel Stride’s big day at the Tory conference There are savings to be made in the civil service. But an arbitrary headcount target & ignoring new demands on the state won’t deliver them The hard work of doing that falls to the govt www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/mel-...

Am looking forward to this post-party conference palette cleanser ⬇️

On the civil service bit of this…£8bn savings *a year* by the end of the Parliament claimed Reducing headcount to 2016 levels is easier said than done, as previous govts know on.ft.com/46Da3nm

Obviously easy to dunk, but it is a good sign if new politicians are getting to grips with finance and trade-offs and wrestling with them. Denying reality is the danger, not trying to balance the budget

What an admirably clear statement from the Jewish Leadership Council, especially when all of those involved must surely have been dealing with so many other urgent challenges in safety, security and grief + shock today before having this further divisive and distracting intervention to address too.

Absolutely astonished @hignfy.bsky.social just stated that Multiverse will be running the government's digital ID scheme An incredibly basic failure of fact-checking fullfact.org/technology/d...

Five things the IfG learned at the 2025 Labour Party Conference @timdurrant.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social @gemmatetlow.bsky.social @gilesyb.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social explore what #Lab25 revealed about Keir Starmer’s government www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/2025...

🎧🎧Listen now! Brilliant analysis of Starmer’s speech and the Labour conference with @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @cathhaddon.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social and guest @sophiestowers.bsky.social of @moreincommonuk.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...

What a ludicrous thing DOGE is. Predictable and predicted madness and bad government - this is well worth a read

How can government use leadership and innovation to deliver for the public? 📅 Tuesday 30 September | 10:30–11:30 Don't miss our #Lab25 event with Chris Ward MP, Kelly Beaver at Ipsos, Conrad Thompson at PA, Moira Wallace, @alexgathomas.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/ifg-la...

New @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report by me, @gemmatetlow.bsky.social and @jillongovt.bsky.social on how Reeves should approach tax this Autumn With tax rises inevitable, Reeves should reject path of least resistance and embrace tax reform 1/3 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

How Number 10's strengthened economics team can work for Keir Starmer @gilesyb.bsky.social identifies four key steps to help No10's new economics team succeed. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/numb...

The civil service is still growing… (just)

The fast stream consistently ranks (near) the top of graduate employer rankings - and this year it's taken the top spot (again!). But while graduates find the scheme very attractive, exclusive @instituteforgovernment.org.uk research shows their expectations aren't always met once on the scheme.

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...

Starting now - Radakin giving his first speech “in my new role as former Chief of the Defence Staff”

How are the UK's ambassadors and high commissioners appointed – and removed? Read the latest explainer on Senior diplomatic appointments by @cathhaddon.bsky.social, @hannahkeenan.bsky.social, @jackworlidge.bsky.social and @alexgathomas.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/se...

Starting shortly - join us in a few minutes

As with all coverage of the civil service internship scheme, it is important to remember: (1) It allows those on it to skip one of 2 or 3 stages of the fast stream recruitment process. Former interns then compete on an equal footing with any and all other applicants to get on the fast stream.

Moving the mission delivery unit from the Cabinet Office to No10 is I think a good thing. Looks like gov is going from potentially having lots of big figures doing delivery at the centre, to making clear Darren Jones in charge of it (with Nin Pandit reporting to him). That is useful clarity!

V good article from Hannah for @politicshome.bsky.social on the No10 shuffle ⬇️

What should the brand new chief secretary to the prime minister do? Thoughts from me for @labourlist.bsky.social labourlist.org/2025/09/darr...

NEW: Keir Starmer’s No10 reshuffle must provide coherence and clarity @drhannahwhite.bsky.social & @alexgathomas.bsky.social react to the appointment of @darrenpjones.bsky.social to a big No10 job - & call for the PM to make more structural changes www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/keir...

What does the Darren Jones move to be first ever “chief secretary to the PM” mean for the govt? Here’s our take… www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/keir...

Vandalism - totally wrong and unacceptable