This is definitely worth a listen - real pleasure to talk to @duncanweldon.bsky.social

and that will be available in October? Really?

The government ought to be honest about why this is bad (terrible) policy. I think their silence is bad, but this is so much worse.. the populist bandwagon rolls on... are there any fiscal conservatives out there?

Spread the word. I've had the privilege of working for @cergrant.bsky.social, @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social's founding director, for 13 years. After 28 years in charge, he will step down at the end of the year. It will take someone with outstanding qualities to replace him. Details on our website.

📢 new blog post ✍️ I've fleshed out some thoughts on the Iran crisis and what might happen next... 🤔 #TACO or #Trumpageddon? julianhjessop.substack.com/p/two-scenar...

Suspect Starmer will regret not urging people to limit their car use. Feels a bit 2020: Other countries taking action, Britain complacently assuming it'll muddle along

So Starmer has chosen the EU over the US after a year of not choosing. Big question remains about how far the EU is up for his new partnership whatever that means. None of the agreements on trade promised last year have landed www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/reev...

Bridget Phillipson’s media round to tell people to fill up their cars as normal was an attempt to prevent panic buying. But the desire to reassure risks repeating the mistakes of 2022, warn @jillongovt.bsky.social and @rosahodgkin.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...

I agree with @timharford.ft.com and the govt could help by promoting ways of saving energy as prices rise - me and @rosahodgkin.bsky.social for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove....

Good piece by @jillongovt.bsky.social & @rosahodgkin.bsky.social. Governments have an important "teaching" function. UK govts have been reluctant to use it of late, for fear of looking "out of touch". But it matters, & shouldn't just be abdicated. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...

NEW: Britain's great and good share their Easter preparations with Peston's Inbox. thecritic.co.uk/issu...

Published today! My take on why it’s so difficult for governments to make immigration policies that people trust What Is Immigration Policy For? amzn.eu/d/03bM5fDM

Fine to say "don't panic" but not if it crowds out sensible messaging on how people can manage their energy use and reduce their bills. @rosahodgkin.bsky.social and my new blog for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...

Misleading framing. The energy crisis will make the country poorer, so the 'pockets' of 'Reeves' will be emptier www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

The fact that such a big element in UK fuel prices is fixed in cash excise duty means we see much lower % increases at the pump when the underlying fuel price rises. Low tax jurisdictions like the US v exposed. Can't imagine this is going down well

a more serious contribution to the debate on fuel prices than we have seen from the official opposition parties

It is absolutely stupid that a major focus of policy response to the Iran War is on the planned 1p rise in fuel duty in September (watching Trevor Phillips interview Bridget Phillipson). Of no help now to anyone to abandon it. Shows how trivial our political debate has become.

The @instituteforgovernment.org.uk research internship programme is now open for applications www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/about-us/car... And if you're interested in applying, see what advice our current interns have:

There's a whole array of strategic bungles in this operation, it deserves a thread. 1/ below

new acronym needed - Trump Strategies Usually Backfire.. T-SUB. Pushes UK closer to EU (and makes EU more open to trad deals around the world). Pushes countries into the arms of China.. Makes oil and gas incredibly risky and unpredictable so accelerates moves to decarbonise..

The warmth of the government’s Brexit rhetoric is outpacing concrete progress Keir Starmer’s claim that “this is not the Britain of the Brexit years” doesn’t yet add up, says @jillongovt.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/reev...

Prompted by @jillongovt.bsky.social I looked at what happened to NHS energy usage and spending during the energy shock in 2022 Spending increased dramatically between 2021/22 and 2022/23, from £779m to £1.2bn, an increase of 53.4% in cash terms. It's remained high since Energy usage barely changed

Note that, taking stated Green values of pro-Net Zero and anti-poverty, three *clearly* better things to do than this proposed universal bailout could be: - Targeted relief at the poorest. - Give people cash instead. - Spend the money on solar/heat pumps etc. This is bad *on its own terms.*

Guess what? I have written something! I think it is interesting!! How to get more building!!!

I think central bank reaction function here is very non-linear. Short term spike in inflation driven by disruption: look through. Medium term rise in inflation: hike to control expectations. Major spike in inflation driven by lasting war: growth fears dominate, cut.

With Rachel Reeves due to give an update on energy bills support, why not check out our webinar on the chancellor's options for protecting both households and the public finances from the energy price shock www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/rachel...

EVENT | Book launch: What is immigration policy for? 📆Tuesday 28 April, 18:00–19:00 Join us online as Madeleine Sumption is joined by former Home Secretary Amber Rudd to explore how governments can design immigration policies that work www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/book-l...

Young @stephenkb.bsky.social writes about the much mocked cones hotline today. (Younger readers: ask your parents). I knew someone who thought it meant that if you had seen a cone that had fallen over, you would ring, and someone would come and put it the right way up. ep.ft.com/permalink/em...

OK @explaintrade.com did it.. the best gloss on it is that the UK-Australia FT is much better for UK beef consumers than the EU one is...

Significant day for UK trade policy. With the announcement of the EU-Australia FTA the UK now only has an FTA where the EU doesn't with Malaysia and Brunei as part of CPTPP. The EU meanwhile has a deal with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay that the UK doesn't.

Interesting to do a compare and contrast with the UK-Australia deal. Australian farmers seem unhappy (contrast UK-Aus where UK farmers worried). Looking forward to @samuelmarclowe.bsky.social comments.

NEW: Keir Starmer says he's already looking at prospect of energy bill support next winter - suggesting he doesn't expect energy price shock to be resolved soon. PM again suggests he would prefer a plan which focuses on poorest households rather than a costly universal bailout.

another war and energy week, so get up to speed with @instituteforgovernment.org.uk webinar from last Friday with Nick Butler, Emma Pinchbeck @thecccuk.bsky.social @acjsissons.bsky.social @nestauk.bsky.social and @danhaile.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/rachel...

we found that internal party divisiveness seems to be a feature of many of the most successful policies. Lots of case studies from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk - smoking ban, climate change act and devo and the minimum wage in this from 2012 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Ministers are meeting next week to work out what the govt should be doing to prepare for the increasing impacts of the energy shock. They must have been listening to our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk event www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/rachel... If they missed it, they certainly should

What an incredible coup for The Observer! Ben's one of the best economic communicators in the business - and also a top researcher/thinker in a formidable range of economic areas

This was great - my main takeaways: - We have summer months to crunch down on oil/gas demand (heat pumps, EVs)- all no-regrets stuff- even if the crisis ends tomorrow, it won't be the last - There's more to do on levy reform - The fiscal space for universal bill support just isn't there this time.

half an hour to go until our top webinar on the energy price shock and what it means for households and the public finances.. join @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/rachel...

really looking forward to chairing this @instituteforgovernment.org.uk event at 10.00 a.m. previewed by @politico.com - everything you need to know about the energy crisis but were afraid to ask

⏰ COMING SOON ⏰ 👀 The next instalment of the UK in a Changing Europe podcast is a regulation special 🎙️ @anandmenon.bsky.social, @jillongovt.bsky.social & @jreland.bsky.social discuss it all - from the take back control agenda to the current govt.'s ambitions for closer alignment with the EU

I’ll be talking about the energy crisis (alongside a dauntingly impressive IfG panel) tomorrow morning at 10. Sign up here: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/rachel...

TOMORROW | As war in the Middle East disrupts energy markets, what are the implications for UK households and businesses and how should government respond? Tune in live at 10:00am with Emma Pinchbeck @thecccuk.bsky.social @acjsissons.bsky.social @danhaile.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social

With gas prices rising, what impact could the ongoing conflict in the Middle East have on domestic energy bills? Our explainer looks at what the government was already doing to lower energy bills – and what it could do if energy prices stay high www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/do...

British schoolgirl blocked from returning to U.K. because of Labour’s new rules on British dual nationals getting on board flights to london. This girl is sitting GCSE’s and has already two weeks of class www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

What does the pandemic tell us about the true capacity of the UK state? ☕ @jillongovt.bsky.social and @andrewgreenway.bsky.social join the Policy Fix to explore why the "crisis energy" of the furlough scheme is so hard to harness for long-term policy. 🎥 Watch here: https://bit.ly/4shTzt9

and now the picture changes again... so get up to the minute reaction on the ever shockier energy shock from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk tomorrow morning

🚨Clearly there's loads of news today so there's a chance this gets ignored but... it is a BIG deal. Britain, the country that invented free trade as we know it, is raising steel tariffs to 50%. Biggest tariffs since Brexit. A massively symbolic moment. news.sky.com/story/waters...

so @anandmenon.bsky.social decided to be nice about RR's reset proposals.

we have an emergency webinar coming up @instituteforgovernment.org.uk - the Chancellor wants to protect households and the public finances. Can she? - great line-up Emma Pinchbeck @thecccuk.bsky.social @acjsissons.bsky.social @nestauk.bsky.social our own @danhaile.bsky.social and Nick Butler