Take your mind off other stuff… with something positive happening in the civil service Antonia Romeo has set out her objectives, and they’re good! Tl; dr - to lead a civil service of curious, confident, high performing stewards of the system

NEW REPORT: the government claims that it wants public services to be more devolved, better integrated, and more focused on prevention With a raft of reform programmes now underway in services, are they on track to achieve those aims? www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

A genuinely big announcement on English devolution from Rachel Reeves today! As we at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk alongside others have argued fiscal devolution was a missing piece of the puzzle in the government's devolution white paper.

It's not just DHSC where morale is plummeting; the HSJ reports that morale declined in every NHS integrated care board that answered the NHS staff survey in 2025 Worth remembering that these are the people who are supposed to deliver Streeting's 3 shifts www.hsj.co.uk/policy-and-r...

So much to change in the civil service. It needs - a centre of govt that works - far better performance management - confidence & curiosity to lean in - less churn and more reward for sticking around and achieving things - many more reforms (see all our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk work)

NEW REPORT: The government’s proposed reforms to criminal trials risk tilting the system too far towards speed over fairness and justice, and could lead to further declines in performance and productivity. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Fantastic to see both of the brilliant @emmanorris.bsky.social and @gemmatetlow.bsky.social recognised in this year's Women in Westminster top 100. Both are incredibly impressive colleagues and I've learnt so much from them. www.politicshome.com/in-focus/wiw...

"...sticking to one major fiscal event a year gives the government more time and space to make better policy decisions." @danhaile.bsky.social, IfG senior economist, reacts to today's 'low-key' spring forecast. More analysis to follow soon www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/spring-forec...

This is excellent discussion of the arguments for and against deliverism. I agree with the conclusion that delivery is necessary, but not sufficient, with governments needing to deliver in ways that are 'visible and salient'

The wider point here is that you can only sell assets once. Sales such as these, which many councils are being forced to make, are not a sustainable solution to financial pressure. Likewise drawing down reserves, which an increasing proportion of councils have now been doing for 3 years or more

Everyone is analysing the implications of the byelection for Keir Starmer and Labour but the most important lessons are for democracy - my latest for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gort...

Some news on my next book.... www.thebookseller.com/rights/sam-f...

This goes to something @jillongovt.bsky.social taught me soon after I joined IfG - no matter how long something has been discussed and played around with in government, the only test is how it is received in the real world.

Totally agree with this. There's a reason we talk about the problem with one person as 'judge, jury and executioner' - having multiple people involved in these decisions makes them more robust. Striking too that cutting jury trials is proposed hand-in-hand with dramatic *restrictions* on appeals

Aside from question of whether you can meaningfully hold NHS accountable for labour market outcomes, my main issue with this is it’s yet another ‘priority’. Waiting lists, three shifts, structural reform, getting people into work etc. There’s not enough money to do everything. Ministers must choose!

Great thread of unanswered questions about how incentives and accountability will work in the govt’s SEND proposals

Great piece. I agree with Reform efficiencies can be made but not via their salami slicing approach. The key is greater collaboration between local services and making best use of the assets within communities. That requires building strong relationships with public/charities/other public bodies

Govt’s proposed SEND reforms contain positive ideas to move the system towards early intervention. But there are tensions the govt has not yet worked through between investing in these changes quickly and ensuring reforms are fully evidenced.

Punchy editorial from the Health Service Journal calling on Streeting and Milburn to go "Put bluntly, those that were dying waiting for an ambulance are now doing so on a trolley in a hospital corridor."

Very exciting! @gavinfreeguard.com, who has set this up, is amazing so I’m sure they will be producing some must read/watch/engage with work

So the new cabinet secretary will indeed be Antonia Romeo Here’s what we think she needs to prioritise www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/next...

Yesterday the Cabinet Office published the ministerial direction on Chris Wormald's exit payment 👇 This has been discussed a bit in the media, mainly in terms of 'civil service tried to block the huge payout' A few points on this.. www.gov.uk/government/p...

Lots here to agree with (not just as it cites @instituteforgovernment.org.uk's work on the centre). But the last point is key- without a clear vision from the PM, no matter how you restructure No10 or how many more spads you appoint, govt can't get things done. Everything else flows from that...

Details of public health grants to councils were published yesterday (we're shifting treatment to prevention, remember) But they appear to confirm my story from December that the grant will be held flat in real terms / eroded over the next three years. (lnkd.in/eXQx3Jbb)

Our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk conclusion on Chris Wormald’s time as cabinet secretary - and what needs to come next By me and @hannahkeenan.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/next...

Major news for local government finance. Great that there's now more certainty - without action it's likely the majority of councils would have faced 'bankruptcy' in 28/29. But unclear (at least to me) where the £5bn is coming from. For context that's about 8% of the core schools funding for 25/26

Time for my increasingly frequent, 'there's a clear Trend on this chart' joke

It’s a tough job and govt leadership hasn’t made it easier. But one mistake for example is that I don’t think Wormald agrees the cab sec as leader of half a million people is at least a semi-public role. I think that horse has long since bolted and you need to lead more actively as head of the CS

I have listened to these bands many, many times but never once have i thought “now I’m ready to land a backside 1260 melon and a Cab 1080 stalefish”

Govt's court reforms have focussed on crown court backlogs, but they will put more pressure on magistrates courts that also have record backlogs. A great new @transformjustice.bsky.social report looks at the causes of poor productivity in the magistrates

I can feel myself being radicalised into believing we need complete technology independence from the US every time the Apple keyboard autocorrects ‘tea’ to ‘yea’

Really good piece, and not (just) because it cites me! Illustrates so clearly why reliable data that *tells you something meaningful* is so critical. It lets you make informed policy choices, and it lets you explain and advocate for those choices to get people on board.

Great FT piece citing @cassiarowland.bsky.social’s analysis which shows gov plans to radically reduce jury trials save relatively little court capacity. The should focus on court productivity instead Also makes important point that MoJ data is poor. Needs to be fixed asap ep.ft.com/permalink/em...

TOMORROW | How can the government make a success of the abolition of NHS England? Join our webinar on Thursday 29 January, 12:30, with Mark Dayan and Sarah Reed @nuffieldtrust.org.uk, @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social and @njdavies.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...

I have a report out today on the near-perennial question of why UK governments struggle to stick at growth policy in anything like a strategic way. Some hurried points:- 0/ www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Plans for major police reforms (finally!) being published tomorrow. In principle, it makes sense to bring together national responsibilities (counter-terror, fraud, organised crime) and functions (procurement, vetting etc) into a single organisation.

NEW REPORT: the gov’s proposals for judge-only trials will deliver only marginal savings and distract from the real route out of this crisis: reversing recent falls in court productivity.

Penny Dash today also pushed back strongly against suggestion govt is centralising, arguing they are cutting layers of management. That is true and *could* give more frontline autonomy, but it is entirely dependent on the health secretary, who now has far more direct control over the NHS

Quick reaction to Darren Jones’s speech - good stuff - min leadership, risk appetite, reducing approvals, new models of doing things - worried about - leaving fundamental reform for later. Structures in centre, depts and public services need addressing now. Danger this is all a bit sticking plaster

We have an exceptional lineup for today's event on NHS structures. We are fully booked in-person, but you can watch the event online from 12.30. Link below

Darren Jones: "I felt from the whitehall monitor section on missions that you were a bit sad." As the author of that bit, I am happy to confirm that yes I was a bit sad about the missed opportunity for reform. But have a read for yourself! www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Fascinating thread on govt consultancy spend. It’s falling but that is largely due to post-pandemic decline in use. Will be hard for govt to hit their target

Government is looking for efficiencies within its tight spending plans: 16% back office cuts, 'technical' efficiencies as big as the MoJ budget (£13.8bn) and a reheated Sunak-era blanket 5% savings target Some thoughts on how these all add up from the IfG's Whitehall Monitor report out today...

Louise Casey: "Everybody needs to be a grip and fix it person at the same time as they do strategy and long term. It’s a mixed model of management. That’s some bollocks isn’t it but I’m sure I could write a book if I had time. Deliverology: mixed management of whatever. I’m sure I could make it up"

A few thoughts on Streeting's speech: 1) Streeting majored on decentralising power in NHS. But he's overseeing huge concentration of power into his and DHSC's hands while merging ICBs into larger, less local bodies 2) No mention of social care reform. Continues to be the govt's greatest failure...

Louise Casey really bringing to life what this means in practice for how stuff gets done in the civil service: "And I look at a grade 5 [deputy director] and think god love you, on a good day you might make a decision that an HEO used to make"

This is getting going now, will live tweet some of the highlights of what Streeting says Thread below...

Combine with the context of what’s going on with ICSs, both in terms of resources and in terms of reducing number and increasing geographic scale

Streeting criticises IFG for calling his changes to NHSE/ICBs ‘a distraction’. But whether you support the changes or not (we’re pretty agnostic) they are definitely a distraction, particularly if you announce it with no clear plan on how to deliver, almost a year into office

Streeting’s ongoing focus on prevention is very welcome. As ever, the question is whether that rhetorical commitment will lead to a meaningful shift in resources to more preventative services. Choosing the 18 week waiting time target as the key milestone for the NHS makes that less likely