Enjoyed talking with @markpackuk.bsky.social @calummillerld.bsky.social @greenmirandahere.bsky.social this morning about how progressives can fight right-wing populism: root politics in place, listen to what really matters in people’s lives and show courage on reform when systems are failing.

IPPR's conference season kicks off at the Lib Dems with a fringe on populism, with: - @markpackuk.bsky.social - @calummillerld.bsky.social - @greenmirandahere.bsky.social - @emmanorris.bsky.social www.youtube.com/live/e_PBCpz...

My god. This is homophobia pure and simple. The kinds of things I heard as a child; growing up in a gay household. I thought we were past this. But they are out of step with the majority of people who support, know & care for families like mine.

Josh MacAlister, Liv Bailey and Georgia Gould going to DfE massively strengthens the department at a critical moment. A big positive from the reshuffle.

NEW: UK taxpayers are losing £22 billion every year from losses at the Bank of England - the same as the entire Home Office annual budget. This is the result of a flawed implementation of the BoE's quantitative easing programme. We propose two steps to fix this leak. (1/4)

NEW REPORT: how does where you live and your background affect how you do at school? - Inequalities have widened around the country and between groups of children since the pandemic - Progress depends on sharing what works to support disadvantaged pupils & cutting high absence 🧵👇

Interesting @theguardian.com story about the govt trying to replicate the success of Blair's London Challenge to raise school standards outside London www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Just imagine a world in which streets were cleaner, high streets better maintained, crime was a bit lower, there were more good jobs, public transport was a bit more frequent, council tax bills didn't go up 5% every year, some new libraries and leisure centres open. These are things people notice.

Story tonight about our joint open letter to The Times We’re calling for the guidance that is preventing civil servants from participating in public and stakeholder events to be withdrawn www.thetimes.com/article/2e4f...

I am writing a policy pamphlet. Here are all the ways to demonstrate I don't really have a policy answer, that I need to avoid: a. You call for a "national conversation or debate" b. You suggest that what is needed is “a change in culture” 1/

Excited to be hiring a Senior AI Research Fellow @ippr.org . With AI progressing rapidly, the economic and social impacts could be huge – from job disruption to misinformation. We design bold, sector-specific policies to ensure AI delivers public value. www.ippr.org/jobs/senior-...

If you missed our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk webinar this afternoon, with our take on the Spending Review, you can listen/watch back here www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/2025-s... with @njdavies.bsky.social @drbenpaxton.bsky.social and @jillongovt.bsky.social

I wrote this about how to read and why. Books remain the best technology ever invented to understand life and the world. There is no alternative. Every book you read helps you build a richer picture of the entire world. jmarriott.substack.com/p/how-i-read

What are we @instituteforgovernment.org.uk looking out for at next week's spending review? Our latest comment highlights six key questions 1/9 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/spen...

Thrilled to be appointed as Director of Policy and Politics at @ippr.org, after a decade with the amazing team here at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk IPPR is a powerhouse of progressive thinking, and this is the moment it is needed most. Looking forward to getting started later this summer.

If you are interested in public policy do look at the new @theifs.bsky.social report on the impact of Sure Start - a powerful piece of work. Here are the estimated benefits and costs. Really pleased @nuffieldfoundation.org supported this programme of work.

EVENT | Effective urban leadership: What are the international lessons for England’s mayors? Join us on 21 May to discuss what lessons England’s mayors can learn from other countries with Jorrit de Jong, Director of Bloomberg Center for Cities. 🎫 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/effect...

superlooking forward to chairing @instituteforgovernment.org.uk discussion tomorrow on lessons or warnings from DOGE... great line-up with @donmoyn.bsky.social joining us from US, Munira Mirza, @jenitennison.com and our own @alexgathomas.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/trump-...

Intriguing report of the thinking of the Universities Minister www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05...

Important new report for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk by former Social Exclusion head Moira Wallace on how last Labour govt reduced school absence. Lots of lessons - and proof govts can make change happen www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/... Look out for further instalments..

Really striking finding from new @instituteforgov.bsky.social report on general practice: patients are much more satisfied in practices with more partners. Yet the number of GP partners has fallen by around a quarter since 2016 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

This is exactly the wrong approach to NHS cuts. The NHS is already under-managed and specialist non-healthcare roles are crucial to better planning and efficiency: analytics, admin support, effective contract management. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

The Hillsborough Law should be a starting point for reform of public inquiries Public inquiries need to be faster, more effective and more accountable, says @emmanorris.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/hill...

The Spring Statement was "exactly the wrong way to be making complex policy changes, tweaking policy to hit a precise number in an uncertain and inevitably changeable forecast", writes the Institute for Government's @tompope.bsky.social

The Hillsborough Law should be a starting point for reform of public inquiries It is time to overhaul the UK’s unwieldy and ineffective public inquiries system, says @emmanorris.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/hill...

We need to improve public inquiries esp putting those impacted at the centre. See this from @emmanorris.bsky.social on why need to improve inquiries & Hillsborough Law needs to be starting point. @cbffjuk.bsky.social

For top analysis of Rachel Reeves’ spring statement, be sure to follow: @gemmatetlow.bsky.social @tompope.bsky.social @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social @njdavies.bsky.social @drbenpaxton.bsky.social @danhaile.bsky.social @instituteforgov.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/rach...

I wrote up my Sunday morning blootings into a piece here The chancellor broadly said the right things about the civil service yesterday - the govt now needs to make good on a commitment to build high performance www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/rach...

‘Functions have to be performed somewhere… we’ve seen some very high costs coming from ill thought out deregulation… think about the things that led to the Grenfell fire’ 📻 @jillongovt.bsky.social on quangos for BBC Radio 4👇

Great to interview Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones for @instituteforgov.bsky.social Inside Briefing this week - he told us about plans for a new real time performance management system in Whitehall that will - amongst other things - help monitor progress towards the five missions.

This week's PolHome podcast is a banger @suzannahb.bsky.social & the @instituteforgov.bsky.social's Hannah Keenan join @alaintolhurst.bsky.social to discuss Keir Starmer's attempt to re-wire the state We're also joined by ex-No10 spokesperson Max Blain — his first media since leaving government!

TODAY: How is the Treasury helping to deliver the radical transformation of the state? Join us at 12:30pm when @darrenpjones.bsky.social will set out his plans to reform government financial systems. Register now to attend 📆👇 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/darren...

Another important @instituteforgov.bsky.social date for the diary... This Thursday, 12:30, chief secretary to the Treasury @darrenpjones.bsky.social is going to be giving a keynote speech at the IfG Register to attend here: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/darren...

So pleased to hear how strongly Gus O'Donnell, @emmanorris.bsky.social and @alexgathomas.bsky.social are denouncing the silly chainsaw, anti official tone of some Whitehall briefing too. It doesn't capture Starmer's approach at all

I got a better sense of the real Keir Starmer in this interview with @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @instituteforgov.bsky.social #Insidebriefing than I have ever had before. Come for the PM, stay for the top analysis of his reform plans www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...

“I’ve spent 10 years in opposition, where it’s very difficult to change things. I’m not going to spend years in government equally not being able to change things” Listen to our exclusive interview with the Prime Minister on why he thinks reforming the state is a necessity.

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/...

NEW: Expert @instituteforgov.bsky.social analysis of Keir Starmer’s NHS England, civil service, + quango plan @jillongovt.bsky.social @hannahkeenan.bsky.social @emmanorris.bsky.social @njdavies.bsky.social @drmatthewgill.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/five...

of course you are waiting up for @instituteforgov.bsky.social Inside Briefing with the PM as a bonus guest... (avail this eve) - but catch up with our analysis this lunchtime... and answers to a LOT of questions from "anonymous"

V good point from Cath - DHSC perm sec recruitment is well advanced, & the PM’s announcement today fundamentally changes the job Does that benefit someone who has run a big org before, a large council perhaps? Or a Whitehall insider? Or someone w/NHS experience? Choices for the cab sec, PM & SofS

A very big week for @instituteforgov.bsky.social and our Inside Briefing pod. We’re recording in Hull now and our instalment featuring the PM will land in your podcast feeds tonight.

We’ve just recorded this week’s Inside Briefing - with the prime minister joining us following today’s speech in Yorkshire. @drhannahwhite.bsky.social’s interview with Keir Starmer will be landing in your podcast feeds tonight www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/our-podcasts...

Think this is key - what will actually change after today’s speech, other than moving a few bureaucrats around? What will the government do differently? Or not do any longer?

🚨📺 What is in Keir Starmer’s new plan for government? Sign up for today’s essential @instituteforgov.bsky.social lunchtime webinar with @cathhaddon.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social @hannahkeenan.bsky.social @drmatthewgill.bsky.social 1300 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/keir-s...

The @instituteforgov.bsky.social is so here for McFadden's proposed reforms (and redundancies), @alexgathomas.bsky.social blogged on a Sunday for you all! If you weren't perusing our website yesterday, here's what you need to know: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/civi...

Three cheers for Pat McFadden for resisting civil service headcount targets on Trevor Phillips just now - while acknowledging that change is needed and numbers can still reduce He’s rightly pointing out that previous govts tried headcount targets and they failed

First ministerial resignation over policy disagreement since the election. I wonder if we'll see more? @paddy-mcalary.bsky.social and @sachinsavur.bsky.social are your go-to follows for all the latest on ministerial resignations and where this leaves the govt www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Cutting international aid to pay for defence is Keir Starmer’s first spending review trade-off There must be accountability for spending the extra defence funding well and greater clarity on where cuts will fall, says @drbenpaxton.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/cutt...

A good opportunity to promote our event next Monday on the imminent legislation on the duty of candour Sign up here www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/legisl...

The government has just announced a new statutory public inquiry into the Nottingham attacks in 2023. If you think you've been hearing more about public inquiries recently...it's because you have, there are now 20 ongoing (including the 2 announced this year) more than ever before.