Encourage working from home, subsidise public transport and temporarily lower speed limits to start for reducing demand. Either cash transfers to lower income households or a social tariff (if possible) for domestic fuel bills. Subsidise roof top solar.

The era of supply shocks cries out for a politician willing to be straight with people: these shocks make us poorer, we have to divide out the pain while sticking up our values. None of these measures pass that test

What are Jackdaw and Rosebank? Amid heightened debate, following fossil fuel supply disruptions, Ed Miliband will have to make decisions on the oil and gas projects. @rosahodgkin.bsky.social and @jillongovt.bsky.social are on-hand to explain: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/ja...

Policy jobs! We have several excellent – and rare – openings at @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social in London and Brussels. 1. Senior research fellow in European energy economics and climate policy, based in Brussels Closing date: Friday 29 May www.cer.eu/job/senior-r...

I’m off to the launch of the Pensions Commission Interim Report this morning. It sets out our analysis of the problem of inadequate savings for retirement in 2050 and beyond. PN is here, full report to follow. www.gov.uk/government/n...

WEBINAR | Chaos returns to Westminster: What next for Keir Starmer and the government? 📅Tomorrow, 10:00-11:00 Join us as resignations, revolt and uncertainty shake Starmer's leadership. Our expert panel is on hand to brief you on what an explosive week in Westminster means for the government.

Old problems and new challenges can be addressed by a government with the right ideas and commitment. But claiming the UK is ‘ungovernable’ is a dereliction of responsibility www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/is-u...

Lots of people asking this question. Some good answers here from @tom-clark.bsky.social

Bit overshadowed but my assessment of the EU section in Starmer's underwhelming reset speech for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/keir.... Will there even be another Starmer summit?

Health secretary Wes Streeting has just resigned from government, writing in his resignation letter that he has lost confidence in the PM - "where we need vision, we have vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift". We're live updating our chart here at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk

so is there a scenario in which a Labour leadership contest is between Streeting and Miliband, but Starmer also stands: Starmer just pips one of the other two on the first ballot into second place, and then gets most of their second preferences (its AV) and is reelected? Or is that bonkers?

The interesting thing about the bill is that it gives the govt powers to extend the powers to any other area it chooses to align with

The civil service's blind spot for justified text is on full display in the explanatory notes to the King's Speech.

Looking forward to this - discussing what we can learn about PMBs from the recent failed passage of the assisted dying bill.

Re-upping this because i saw on the other place someone going down the 'but could they use a King's Speech defeat to oust him?'. Again, to reiterate, endlessly, a confidence defeat in the Commons means either the government *as a whole* is ousted. Not just the PM.

Labour's processes for changing leader are hopelessly, catastrophically unsuited to government. More than half of all prime ministers since 1945 have taken over between general elections. This is not an unusual procedure. So it really matters when parties screw this system up... 🧵

As the govt falls to bits, it's refreshing to hear the v impressive @joshmacalistermp.bsky.social set out @instituteforgovernment.org.uk how the govt intends to improve children's social care. Memo to any future MP - let him see this change through.

Another memory of the Brexit political wars is back - the IfG graph on ministerial resignations, with Johnson and May still leading. Aside from all the drama, the quick overturn of UK ministers is one of the problems of recent years also in establishing networks with allies in Europe.

Absolutely excoriating letter from Jess Phillips that drives home exactly why this matters so much. It's not about Westminster psychodrama, it's about the ability of gov to make decisions that *shape people's lives*. Instability and indecisiveness at the top both have real consequences.

Sure but there's no inherent reason why a youth mobility deal entails equal treatment in tuition fees. (BTW free movement entailed equal treatment in loans too; the Commission proposal does not)

Social care reform, immediately. Bon the commission, give task force 3 months to propose final recommendations building from Dilnot proposals, implement immediately with penny on basic and higher rates of income tax to pay for it. Immediately transforms local govt fortunes too…

On 7 May 2026, Britain ran a PR experiment: Scottish Parliament: a Mixed-Member Proportional system Welsh Senedd: a (new) Low-Magnitude Party List system Same day, same political context, different outcomes. Which version of PR would be better for Westminster? 🧵

thinking the EES can apply easily to the volume of Brits who travel to Europe (as opposed to long haul passengers) is the EU's equivalent of Dominic Raab being surprised that the Dover-Calais was a significant trade route. Greece has a point. www.thetimes.com/travel/advic...

Thank goodness for @pickardje.bsky.social actually asking what Starmer meant by his EU reset .. still (hopelessly?) vague - what does "not turning back on old grievances" mean? What is he actually going to ask the EU to do?

Its hard to see how you can be "at the heart of Europe" without rejoining the EU - unless you manage to make the UK physically move to Switzerland or Austria.... Do Starmer and his advisers not realise that is a yawning rhetoric-action gap

Starmerism a nutshell: "Incremental change won't cut it." "Britain at the heart of Europe." And then he doesn't even nudge at his EU red lines.

IS THAT IT?!!!!!! No details? 'This Labour government will be defined by rebuilding our relationship with Europe, by putting Britain at the heart of Europe'.

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

This may be my favourite argument ever advanced by a politician:

As we wait for the PM‘s speech, and to see how Catherine West (and the cabinet?) respond, here’s your handy Labour leadership contests revision guide from @meganbryer.bsky.social and @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/la...

Not sure Labour lost the local elections because it didn't have a coherent position on global finance.

They order ballot papers by drawing lots in Australia. Yet more evidence for: Australia has the best electoral system.

some useful ideas from Moira Wallace who ran the Social Exclusion Unit under Blair on how to make things happen in govt labourlist.org/2026/05/the-... and here is her @instituteforgovernment.org.uk case study www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Join my fab colleagues at 4 to hear them talk through what we know so far

Am proud to link you here to my review of John Kampfner's cheerful new book full of inspiring policy success stories. Braver New World by John Kampfner — how to be bold in troubled times - giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... The man is a good writer.

I think it's difficult to see the EU wanting to negotiate seriously on Rejoin for as long as Reform looks likely to form the next government, or even to be the main opposition party. In that respect, these results probably weaken the cause of rejoining.

was always frustrated we could never persuade @stevebakerfrsa.stevebaker.info to do an @ukandeu.bsky.social Brexit Witness Archive interview so kudos to @instituteforgovernment.org.uk for getting him on the record. Diving in now...

Polls are open till 22:00 for the Senedd, Scottish Parliament and English local elections. To find out more details about the elections head over to the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk local and devolved elections hub www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/our-work/top...

Trump may end up being the US president who does the most to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels

This dual national policy change just seems so utterly pointless. Home Office explanations completely unconvincing. Maybe new perm sec can persuade Home Sec to change course. .current Cab Sec clearly did not

On the domestic complexity of UK dynamic alignment with the EU… ukandeu.ac.uk/the-uk-eu-sp...

My first - and hopefully last - outing as a royal correspondent for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk . Huge success that failed to shift the dial (unless you are a distiller)

15/ And a reminder on voter ID: photo ID is required for English local elections, but not for the Welsh or Scottish parliamentary elections. Here's the full guide 👇

total pleasure to talk tennis yesterday on the BBC World Service with Jonathan Overend -- at 36 minutes in www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Just posting this because its such a good upsum of where we are after two weeks of self-inflicted lacerations on the Mandelson affair. Thanks Marina @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

If you honestly believe the only reason problems haven’t been solved is because you weren’t in charge, you need a therapist, not a job in Downing Street. Thoughts on civil service reform. howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/going-for-...

Last few spaces available for our BISA-BFPG Undergraduate network event tomorrow on UK-EU relations at Warwick Uni. A fantastic line up of speakers including the always brilliant EU Ambassador to the UK Pedro Serrano. Open to all undergrad students across the UK. www.bisa.ac.uk/members/work...

One odd thing in Barton testimony to FAC. As far as I can remember there was a lot of chat before Mandelson was announced that he was in the frame to be US Ambassador. If FCDO or Foreign Secretary had reservations, they could surely have conveyed those then to No.10.

Subsidising energy consumption in the face of both a short-term supply shock and the long-term need to decarbonise. Bad for the economy, bad for the planet, bad for the world's poor. And *if* you favour a wealth tax (I am sceptical but there's a case) spending it on *this" is just idiotic.

The Commons Speaker has allowed a debate and vote to go ahead tomorrow on whether the PM should be investigated by the Privileges Committee. So what is the Committee and what is the process?