Ageing isn’t a 2070 problem – it’s happening now. In my latest podcast @bjafranklin.bsky.social @ilcuk.bsky.social shares how longer, healthier lives could boost the economy, reshape work & retirement, and unlock opportunities we’re missing. 🎧 www.lcp.com/en/podcasts/... #LongevityEconomy #Ageing

Excellent column by Ezra Klein, and you should read all of it. He gets it. Stop Acting Like This Is Normal www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/o...

Britain is now one of very few countries where Gen Z are firmly left-of-centre

A careful study of every populist episode since 1900 finds catastrophic consequences, which play out slowly. On average, incomes fall behind by nearly 15% over 15 years. For the U.S., this is a cost of about $13k per person per year. Over a lifetime, that's million bucks.

THE GUARDIAN: Young carer faces £2,000 repayment demand after DWP's flawed advice, highlighting systemic failings in support for Britain’s carers. This story exposes the fragility of a lifeline for those most in need. - by Patrick Butler

My piece ahead of Spending Review explores how govt can signal it's serious about reform and inclusive growth against the backdrop of an ageing and unhealthy population. The huge fiscal pressures mean structural reform is even more important.

🚨 New role! 🚨 Excited to join @ilcuk.bsky.social as Deputy CEO — the UK’s leading voice on demographic change and its impacts for health, pensions, the future of work and more. Vital issues today. Huge opportunities.

🚨 New publication 🚨 : Happy to share that my paper, "Losing Touch: The Rhetorical Cost of Governing" is now forthcoming at @cpsjournal.bsky.social. Short 🧵 about the paper here 👇 1/10

UK’s paternity leave entitlement is worst in Europe – just 2 weeks on low pay A more generous offer will support families financially and help them make more equal choices around who cares For the first time @centrepropolicy.bsky.social modelling for JRF establishes the economic benefits too 🔽 1/2

Excellent summary. There is even more in the DWP documents, including confirmation that an expected 150,000 people will lose carer's benefits. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67e3fa...

Personal news update: This week is my last at the @centrepropolicy.bsky.social after 6 and a half brilliant years. There have been too many highlights for my highly limited Bluesky abilities so have put out an extended post on my time and next steps here: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

This is a compelling analysis of why Labour will lose in 2029. Starmer, like Wilson, will continue until the contradictions in his economic policy become politically untenable, and the resulting U turn will be seen as a defeat rather than seizing new opportunities open.substack.com/pub/kellnerp...

Essential reading from my colleagues at @resfoundation.bsky.social here on yesterday's benefit changes: www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications... Bottom line: it's hard to escape the conclusion that many of yesterday's reforms are about making cuts rather than improving the system.

Tension for the government's "good jobs everywhere" ambition clear in this paper on East Mids 83% of people work outside the 8 sectors govt is backing through industrial strategy How do we: a) shift some of the 83% over into the 8 sectors? b) improve work for *everyone else*

With all the fixation on technology/AI to improve productivity, this essential point about how technology often drives increasing costs in healthcare is conveniently overlooked. Good piece about the bigger picture on healthcare demand and spending from @sallygainsbury.bsky.social

Prompted by the government's recent Plan for Neighbourhoods and @iconeighbours.bsky.social interim report, I wrote a short piece reflecting on the challenges people face in my neighbourhood and how policy can respond.

Cuts to welfare won’t solve the working age health challenge. Coverage of new @healthfoundation.bsky.social report in todays @theguardian.com It’s not enough to reform welfare - there must be more support for people in work but in ill health www.theguardian.com/business/202...

An alternative way forward. Well done Tom Clark for this piece. The crisis facing us is more acute and existential than financial crisis or pandemic. Austerity and destitution is not the way to respond as we rearm for the dangerous years ahead.

Quick thread on today's commitment to £1.5bn for neighbourhood renewal channeling John Prescott's New Deal for Communities of the 2000s. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Nice piece from my colleague @tanyasingh99.bsky.social . New shiny sectors are important, but can't forget about lower paid sectors too in understanding our productivity malaise and spatial inequalities.

Good piece by the great @drodrik.bsky.social on the competing factions and unholy alliances in the Trump administration.

The mad merry-go-round of spending on stop-gap accommodation for homeless. Up 80% in a year. Huge waste of money that isn’t fixing the problem. New report out from LSE and @crisis-uk.bsky.social reported in @financialtimes.com w @amyborrett.ft.com @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social on.ft.com/43d3q9U

The UK's falling fertility rates and ageing population need proactive thinking now—waiting until we reach East Asia's situation isn't an option. Great to have contributed to this @smfthinktank.bsky.social collection, which makes a strong progressive case for action.

Not sure how often this link works for free, but here is my latest article, 'The Right Kind of Growth for Everyone': academic.oup.com/cjres/articl...

The details of the 2025/26 PH grant allocations are now available, including the £200m uplift announced first thing this morning. However, the grant value is still 26% lower per person in real terms than 2015/16. Short 🧵 on why today's uplift is important and why it needs to be just the start. 1/

Wrote about whether Labour has a plan for regional growth, after a speech last week in which the most eye catching headlines were all in the south east on.ft.com/3EnEmCR

Useful piece seeking to do the impossible - putting some numbers on the impact of Trump's tariffs and some historical precedent inc. William McKinley, who imposed a whopping 49.5 per cent tariff in 1890!

NEW: 2025–26 will continue the trend of substantial above-inflation increases in funding for English councils, but their costs have also been outpacing inflation. Read Kate Ogden's response to the final England local government finance settlement: ifs.org.uk/articles/ifs...

Like other economists I'm being asked to comment on Trump tariffs. We should do so - it's our job. But first we should make the point stated eloquently here by @alanbeattie.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/c26b...

I can be as critical as anyone of the government's occasionally muddled message on growth but Look! At! This! Chart!! Anything they've done pales next to this GIGANTIC UNFORCED ERROR COMMITTED IN 2016! (fagpacket maths follows) on.ft.com/4hzyvbJ

Luke Charters MP at PMQs today raising improving paternity leave and sharing new @jrf-uk.bsky.social and @centrepropolicy.bsky.social modelling which shows increasing statutory paternity leave to 6 weeks (with pay at 90% of earnings) could result in economic gains of £2.6bn in the near term.

At PMQs today, I’ll be outlining the economic opportunities we can create by improving paternity leave. This is about ensuring dads across the UK can play a meaningful part in their children’s lives while delivering an extra £2.6bn annually of economic growth.

Growth alone won't tackle poverty but poverty reduction measures generate growth - like a paternity pay system which helps mums care less and work more. With @centrepropolicy.bsky.social we've estimated the growth impacts could be big. Government should be acting now.

Important piece in House Magazine on the economic value of increasing paternity leave. Pleased to have supported this vital @jrf-uk.bsky.social research.

Good piece re Labour's approach to growth.

Nice piece summarising recent theories of economic growth adopted by different chancellors and current apparent lack of coherence. But is there a compelling grand theory of everything, or is less dogmatic but evidence based pragmatism the sensible path forward?

Lots of media focus on autumn budget as cause of rising UK gilt yields. But this largely misses the point - expectations of stagflation at home and abroad are causing rising borrowing costs for many countries:

Good thread re social care reform - not another commission. And let's not forget social care pressures manifest themselves in higher NHS pressures at high cost. Fixing social care is critical to enabling a more preventive healthcare system.

Great piece from Annabel Smith on yesterday's devo White Paper. A pragmatic first step in providing additional powers, and joined up budgets, but the proof will be in how we can deliver in every community across the country.

Useful piece from the OBR about their modelling of health improvements on economic outcomes articles.obr.uk/scenarios-fo...

If you've not read it yet, this is a nice piece from my colleague Tanya about delivering successful missions. It was published on the eve of the Prime Minister's speech. Very pertinent as govt. rightly seeks to drive forward a public service reform agenda to deliver the missions.

Great new special episode of The Power Test looking at 6 months of the government and what next to really change Britain - recorded live at @centrepropolicy.bsky.social's Inclusive Growth Conference with @samfr.bsky.social @ayeshahazarika.bsky.social @claire-ainsley.bsky.social @dhnnjyn.bsky.social

A big read from me: How England’s growing army of mayors are being deployed in the drive for growth (featuring a fair few unanswered questions) on.ft.com/3Vk4tAd

Yesterday, at CPP's annual Inclusive Growth Conference, we were pleased to welcome Devolution Minister Jim McMahon OBE MP (@jimmcmahon.co.uk), to deliver a keynote speech. On the same day, the government announced an overhaul of council funding to deliver better outcomes. 🧵1/4

It was brilliant to host you at this year's conference! Brilliant insights into the govts. vision for working with places to drive forward the govts. missions. Even in tough economic times, transformation is possible.

Great to speak at the Centre for Progressive Policy conference today on the important of delivering the governments missions, wider and deeper devolution, rebuilding local government and reforming public services. Working as partners in power we will transform the country for the better.

We kicked off #IGConf24 with powerful opening thoughts from Ayesha Hazarika and CPP’s Interim CEO @bjafranklin.bsky.social, reflecting on a critical mission for growth.

Always exciting to see the beautiful branding IRL for @centrepropolicy.bsky.social #IGConf24! Today’s the day - come and say hi if you’ll be here.

We have published our response to the government's consultation on the industrial strategy Green Paper, Invest 2035. Full thing downloadable in this short blog from me, which focusses on some of the areas govt should go much bigger on: www.progressive-policy.net/publications...

With the devo white paper imminent, a great time to have the minister speaking about this govt's vision for growth and reform.