Has Rachel Reeves rolled the budget pitch? And how did former chancellors manage expectations? Fascinating @instituteforgovernment.org.uk podcast with @stewartwood.bsky.social Giles Winn @gemmatetlow.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/rach...

This is a very good line-up. The @benchu.bsky.social 3 part BBC report on taxes this week is great, I really recommend it.

Obviously, it's up to the EU to decide who it wants to have access to its market and on what terms. But this suggests to me they're rowing back on commitments made in the Common Understanding agreed at the May summit 1/3 www.ft.com/content/8963...

Cross-party agreement can create political space for tax reform It is time to take the political heat out of attempts to reform the tax system, says @gemmatetlow.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/cros...

We seem to suddenly in a super weird position. We might actually be about to have an honest conversation about taxes, pretty much by accident inews.co.uk/opinion/lyin...

TOMORROW | IfG DevoLab #3: How devolution can improve transport connectivity Join us at 10:30, live from Leeds, to hear from Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Huw Jenkins @lpoolcityregion.bsky.social, Richard Crabtree and @jillongovt.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/devola...

and a lot of other things messing up the economy - just all seems a bit -- late?

Rachel Reeves cannot start to blame Brexit now for her economic fix @jillongovt.bsky.social takes a closer look at why the government is talking about Brexit and the economy again www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/rach...

EVENT | The UK-EU ‘reset': Six months on Join us! Professor @anandmenon.bsky.social and Sir Ivan Rogers will explore the UK's new 'deal' with the EU and how much progress has been made on it. @jillongovt.bsky.social and @calummillerld.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/six-mo...

🔀 For all the latest trends in UK-EU regulatory divergence, check out our latest tracker by @jreland.bsky.social 💡It highlights the UK's increasingly difficult position of wanting to act like the EU on most regulatory issues without being a member Read in full 👇 ukandeu.ac.uk/reports/uk-e...

Another day, another standards question facing this government... while the PM shut this case down very quickly, ministers across government need to actually learn from it this time www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/rach...

📉 Calling all chart enthusiasts! 📢 The Resolution Foundation is hiring 👀 This is a rare opportunity to join our senior leadership team and take forward our work on productivity and growth. Applications close in a little over two weeks ⤵️ buff.ly/x40DZV1

The mistaken release of Hadush Kebatu is a symptom of a failing system, and the dramatic rise in prisoners released in error is just one aspect of a collapsing criminal justice system, argues @cassiarowland.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/pris...

Apply for my job

This is @instituteforgovernment.org.uk equivalent of a 19th century novel with cliffhangers as each part comes out.. prepare for weeks of near unremitting gloom on the state of public services (I assume). by our stellar #performancetracker team

NEW: Part 1 of the brilliant @instituteforgovernment.org.uk Performance Tracker @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social & @amberdellar.bsky.social have dug deep into local government services & finances It’s.. gloomy As @theguardian.com @kiranstacey.bsky.social reports www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

The IfG DevoLab is going on the road - join us in Birmingham on Monday 20 Oct to hear how mayors and strategic authorities secure investment into regional economies. With @greatermcr.bsky.social @jpgibson.bsky.social, North East Combined Authority www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/devola...

Rishi Sunak is shaping up to be a very good ex-PM

There’s not much to say about the solid wall insulation failures that hasn’t already been said. A diabolical policy failure that wasted money and harmed people. But one thing I will add is: I think it highlights the need for more state delivery capacity on warm homes, not just regulation 🧵

The new Ethics and Integrity Commission has launched today, with a shiny new website (outside the gov. uk brand!) We spoke to its chair, Doug Chalmers, earlier in the year about the new body and its work... eic.independent-commission.uk

"One thing is clear: in stark contrast to the late 2010s, party conferences are not the place to go for really vigorous debates about the UK’s future relationship with Europe." @jillongovt.bsky.social argues that UK-EU relations is a dividing line in UK party politics ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-eu-relati...

If they do this, they’ll need a convincing answer to the obvious question some will ask: ‘why don’t we rejoin?’ Keir Starmer’s plan to blame Nigel Farage for budget tax rises www.thetimes.com/article/8875...

Enjoyed doing this @ukandeu.bsky.social event with my #BGE2024 co-author @psurridge.bsky.social - and 👏 to @jillongovt.bsky.social for coping admirably with the 'two-Tims-problem'!

thanks a lot - think we need a playbook of campaigns to cut through the noise rather than a ‘one and done’ mentality of small policy launches.

V interesting new substack from @peterhyman.bsky.social on what decent modern media management in govt should look like - and why the Grid is no longer the way to go peterhyman21.substack.com/p/revealed-h... (the lesson of Major era is, I think, hopeless division not great for media management)

Warm invitation @eulegalstudies.bsky.social annual lecture with the most inspiring @ukandeu.bsky.social Director Prof @anandmenon.bsky.social with Reflections on the Brexit ‘Revolution’ - please join us @cambridgelaw.bsky.social on 3 Nov 5.30pm - open to all. www.cels.law.cam.ac.uk/press/events...

V Important piece from @andrewgmccormick.bsky.social for @ukandeu.bsky.social on why UK guarantees would be inadequate replacement for ECHR for GFA/Belfast agreement. UK govts are joint guarantors of that agreement with Irish counterpart

Still haven't learnt the academic skill of not giving direct answers....

Flagged in this morning’s Politico Playbook, here’s @tompope.bsky.social’s excellent new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk blog on Kemi Badenoch’s stamp duty plan - and why the sums don’t quite add up. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/kemi...

And here's a new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer by @jillongovt.bsky.social on how stamp duty works (and whether Kemi Badenoch's plan to abolish it is sensible..) www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/st...

stamp duty and associated devolved versions raise big money and forecast to go a lot higher acc OBR in March (that said, a genuinely popular policy which could pave the way for serious tax reform)

I dialled in from Manchester to discuss the state of the right with @psurridge.bsky.social @timbale.bsky.social and Tim Montgomerie (also in Manchester - even though he is now in Reform) for @ukandeu.bsky.social Utterly fascinating (TM @anandmenon.bsky.social) - watch www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivRL...

⏰ ONE HOUR TO GO ⏰ ‼️ Don't miss our online panel assessing the state of right-wing politics in the UK There's plenty to discuss 👇 ukandeu.ac.uk/events/ukice...

Badenoch’s pre-conference announcement was a promise to ditch the Conservative Party’s commitment to net zero It’s a big move - with potentially bigger consequences Read @jillongovt.bsky.social’s verdict for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/bade...

That's defo one for @anandmenon.bsky.social to ponder...

Looks like a good time to be discussing the state of the Right. I'll be in Manchester, but you don't have to be -- sign up online for this @ukandeu.bsky.social event ukandeu.ac.uk/events/ukice...

Industrial strategy, tariffs and global trade: Is the government's strategy working? Heading to #CPC25? Join us on Monday 6 October with Lord Willetts, Helen Bower-Easton, Prof Nigel Brandon @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social, @jillongovt.bsky.social @gilesyb.bsky.social zurl.co/K0WeZ

supersensible stuff from @helenmiller.bsky.social @theifs.bsky.social in @financialtimes.com (£) on need for tax reform. www.ft.com/content/d425... Echoes similar points we have made @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

I confess I'm surprised that this outcome of the recent EPC summit didn't get more coverage. www.gov.uk/government/n...

Five things the IfG learned at the 2025 Labour Party Conference @timdurrant.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social @gemmatetlow.bsky.social @gilesyb.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social explore what #Lab25 revealed about Keir Starmer’s government www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/2025...

...which is much less than 1% of *total* spending. Repeat one thousand times: public spending is not about Whitehall bureaucrats. Maybe that bill needs to come down, but proposing it as a route to fiscal responsibility is not serious.. And you may gut the expertise you need to do it properly 2/2

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As Ken Clarke used to say, the trouble with feeding buns to crocodiles is that eventually you run out of buns and the crocodile eats you instead

Join us in 15 mins

🚨 TODAY AT LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE🚨 For everything you need to know about UK-EU relations, join our expert panel with @fes-uk.bsky.social 🇬🇧🇪🇺 💥 With the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, @jillongovt.bsky.social, @ellenmilligan.bsky.social, @almutm.bsky.social & Tobias Cremer MEP 💥 📍11:15am, Hilton Hotel

BBC News - Ryder Cup 2025: How Luke Donald masterminded Europe’s victory over United States at Bethpage - BBC Sport www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/a... So is Keir Starmer checking the fragrance of the shampoos in the Cabinet's hotel rooms? Fascinating leadership insights from #rydercup win.

Really excellent @nestauk.bsky.social fringe on Budget choices: with @timleunig.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social @chriscurtis94.bsky.social and @yuanfenyang.bsky.social . Chris starts with a punchy point: he's a defender of the OBR but the *timing* of its productivity downgrade is terrible

PODCAST 🎙️ Starmer's Liverpool drama Former No.10 adviser Tom Webb joins @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social @tompope.bsky.social to preview a massive couple of days for the PM at #Lab25. PLUS: What did we learn from #LDConf? www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...

The 2025 budget and beyond: How Rachel Reeves can approach tax reform to help drive growth The new insight paper explores a big autumn approaches for the chancellor. @gemmatetlow.bsky.social @tompope.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Impossible to know right now how the UK and EU will be treated on pharma, whatever the original deals said.