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

Streeting says that centralisation has ‘infantilised’ the NHS and he’s scrapping NHSE because you can’t run the NHS from ‘two offices’ in London. Yet scrapping NHSE gives him more power, with the NHS now arguably run from one office in London

📢NEW REPORT📢 Every year @instituteforgovernment.org.uk sets out the latest on the civil service - size, professions, pay, morale. You name it, we analyse it. This year's report is out today. If you're interested in state capacity, you should be interested in what's happening in the civil service. 🧵

Delighted that Wes Streeting will be kicking off our Government 2026 conference - bright and early tomorrow ⬇️ Other speakers through the day include Mel Stride, Darren Jones, Louise Casey, Andy Burnham, Michael Gove, Ed Balls, Ayesha Hazarika and many more

On his always interesting substack @timleunig.bsky.social proposes that on snow days teachers unable to get to their school should be supply teachers for other schools to keep them open A friend grew up in rural Isle of Wight and this is what happened there. Chaotic classes but kids were taught

I think that there are more with verified .gov.uk handles, I was just making a list here, mostly councils and NI Exec bodies: bsky.app/profile/agvb...

So... I've created a starter pack of UK government organisations currently on Bluesky: go.bsky.app/JHsY1Wz (Currently includes all those listed under ministerial and non-ministerial departments here www.gov.uk/government/o... - let me know any I've missed, or got wrong)

Following accounts like this is probably quite an effective way to convince others to move

Fantastic news that a government body is now on here. Zero excuse at this point for all others not doing the same

There's now data out about the resident doctor strikes last month So how disruptive did they end up being? And what can we say about how the NHS is responding to ongoing strikes? Short 🧵👇

New to Bluesky? Or just interested in the workings of government in the UK? Check out our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk starter pack here - find all my fantastic colleagues and follow for their insight and analysis go.bsky.app/P7JZCH

A reminder for anyone new to Bluesky (or who just wants to follow more policy wonks here) that I've made a starter pack of all the think tanks I've spotted on the platform and the researchers working at them (if you're missing and want adding in let me know!) - go.bsky.app/Geu9Jd8

Bumping this again. We'd really value the feedback of anyone who has read Performance Tracker. If you haven't yet, you can read it below....and then fill in the survey www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

NEW ‘Scandal’. A word to be used sparingly - but this is it. Ministry of Justice is spending over £100 million on a prison that can’t hold prisoners - Dartmoor. Key decisions taken in March 2022. Justice Secretary was Dominic Raab & Permanent Secretary Antonia Romeo, now at the Home Office…

as an antidote to Paul Ovenden's despair at getting things done in govt, here is Moira Wallace's case study for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk on how the Blair govt tackled school absence. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/... Determined govts with clear priorities can get stuff done.

Not sure any of these framings around stakeholder state / blob / quangocracy etc get us very far We know what’s wrong with the state (see innumerable IfG reports), we know it requires political will, action & agency. If a framing or phrase helps generate agency then great, but the key is to act

Books I read in 2025. A Suitable Boy is probably the best single book I’ve ever read (it’s certainly the longest). Honourable mentions for Perfume, Who They Was, Under the Frog, Killing Thatcher and the trilogy of Station Eleven, The Glass Hotel and Sea of Tranquility

The new powers to debar or exclude suppliers that break the rules or perform poorly were supposed to help fix accountability in public procurement. But I'm not aware of these new powers being used much at all so far, and the attempt highlighted here by @jessicaelgot.bsky.social has faced problems

Any thoughts or feedback on our Public Services Performance Tracker most gratefully received! Even if you’ve only skimmed the summary (or read our threads on here!) we’d love to know what you thought

Have you ever read the Public Services Performance Tracker published by @instituteforgovernment.org.uk? If so, we’d love to hear from you. We’re surveying readers to find out what is most useful and what we should prioritise next year. It will only take around 5 mins to complete

WEBINAR | How can the government make a success of the abolition of NHS England? Join our webinar to explore the risks and opportunities associated with abolishing NHS England. @markgdayan.bsky.social @sjanereed.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...

"Every time I pull a lever" says the Prime Minister. This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done. There aren't any levers. There's only leadership. howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...

NEW: judge-alone trials would save just 2% of time in the Crown Court. In total, we estimate reforms to jury trials would save <10% of court time. Great write-up from @reporterrwright.ft.com here www.ft.com/content/8a9f...