What would a Burnham govt mean for public services? How can he bring a more coherent approach to reform? No better way to answer those Qs than with a guest blog from Thomas Johnson who works on reform strategy in GMCA, Burnham's old patch Short 🧵👇 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

We are hiring! Brilliant senior job running our new UK Government team… …looking for someone creative and strategic with experience of government who would seize this fantastic opportunity to make government work well for the people of the UK! www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/about-us/car...

Good decision by Burnham (if true). He needs to prioritise improving the centre of govt and economic/fiscal policy making, but splitting the Treasury would be a damaging distraction (set up a bolstered PM dept, have a bold tax strategy and improve the SR instead) www.ft.com/content/61c0...

Pub opening hours for special occasions remain my go-to example for helping people understand the differences between primary and secondary legislation and how the two interact with each other. Which I appreciate is not very exciting.

Quite here for No.10 North (if that's what we're calling it). Loads of pitfalls, and I think you do need to keep quite a lot of centre of gov in your capital city, but there is a v good version of this which moves out Burnham priorities. Have written down some ideas on how to make it work 👇

It's progress like this that should remind us that making the world better isn't all reliant on having l loads of money to spend, thankfully

10 years ago I was organising a barbecue for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk staff to watch the result of the referendum. The IfG had acted until then as though the EU did not exist. After the referendum we built a fantastic team which I had the privilege of leading for 2 years

Excellent. About bloody time. What excuse is there for any other Department -and the PM?

I don’t have strong views on the u16 social media ban but if these platforms are so harmful, why does the govt still use them for comms? Likewise, while kids (and everyone else!) should be encouraged to socialise in-person, they now have far fewer options following brutal cuts to youth services

As debates rage about where to get the money for higher defence spending, it’s important we have a clear picture of how we spent the peace dividend while it was around. Thread 🧵⤵️

Defence secretary John Healey has just resigned over the govt's Defence Investment Plan, writing that it "falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time". We're getting our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk resignation chart fired back up..

I think this is at the core of the issue re anti-racism guidance. Similar example: should police treat men and women the same? In some ways, clearly yes: a woman who commits a crime should get the same treatment as a man who commits an equivalent crime. But in practice it’s more complicated:

NEW | A ‘radical overhaul’ is the wrong move for the youth justice system The government’s white paper risks undermining one of the few public services currently working well, says @cassiarowland.bsky.social Read our latest comment: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/article/comm...

Utterly joyous on the streets of North London

Friends have started messaging to ask if the tracker is back yet. I’m afraid it is…

There is something that I think multiple successive prime ministers over the last decade or so have failed to grasp and to respond to: that the way backbench MPs see their role has shifted.

Fascinating event on a project that is a metaphor for much of what is wrong with governing in the UK. come along

Residents have overwhelmingly re-elected the Lib Dem’s in S. Cambs. Perhaps national politicians could consider the issue of the 4 day week settled for now? www.scambs.gov.uk/our-district...

As I said last week, I'm starting a substack focused on social affairs, public services, policymaking etc - and I'll be launching it soon I've given it the unglamorous but self-explanatory name Policy Matters. Free for now, and for a while yet I imagine Sign up here! chamindajayanetti.substack.com

There's so much to write about everything that's happening with Mandelson vetting fight (and always happy to explain the process, others have done so v well on here). But the v. aggressive approach from no10 is over the weekend is just so damaging - so have tried to capture some of that

This paper represents a small but deeply impressive and genuinely important achievement by the much maligned British state in what is probably the most important global issue of our era. Hear me out ( 🧵) 1/ www.aisi.gov.uk/blog/our-eva...

We're doing a series of interviews with former PMs (to be published in the coming months!) and one of them said exactly this: the job is so varied, and you can't pick and choose the good bits of the job - you *have* to do them all.

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/...

The constant Westminster-based attacks on S. Cambs by Conservatives and Labour are both depressing and incredibly boring It’s good for councils to try new things! Evidence suggests the 4 day week scheme has been successful! If residents don’t like it, they can vote out the Lib Dems next month!

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