🤝 | NEW: At IPPR North, recent polling shows trust in politicians, MPs & Parliament is at rock bottom. Today, IPPR launched a new report on how to rebuild democratic trust in Parliament. Written by our very own @ryanswift93.bsky.social Take a look 👇 www.ippr.org/articles/rei...

👀🏅Some people are criticizing the Northern Olympic bid for 2040... Here's why we disagree 👇

🚆HS2 was never about speed, it was about infrastructure. Somewhere along the way that got lost. Now we have neither. 14 years on, the north still runs on Victorian railways. Delays, disruption, stress for millions just trying to get to work. NPR can't be the next HS2. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

GDP grew 0.6% in March — better than feared, but don't get comfortable. As I wrote today, the Iran shock barely shows up in this data. The real damage is still coming, and leaving it to the Bank of England is the wrong response. www.lbc.co.uk/article/gdp-... 🧵👇

👑| NEW: Key takeaways from the King's Speech that everyone in the North should know👇

Big news for the North in the King's Speech today. From Northern Powerhouse Rail to the Visitor Levy, there's real potential for growth in our region. But if govt want to make real, tangible change for the north, they must go further, faster to make life fairer. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

🗳️¦ NEW: "The higher-than-expected turnout in these local elections showed voters were ready to demand change. Local leaders need more political and fiscal autonomy than ever to deliver for their residents." ✏️ Read more from @ryanswift93.bsky.social... www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

🏡Renters across the North have seen housing costs rise far quicker than their wages. The Renters Rights Act was a welcome start, now govt must go further to protect working people and stabilise rents around the country. Read IPPR's latest report to find out how👇

The new political map of Greater Manchester. Unsurprising that we’ve seen big shifts. Polling for @ipprnorth.bsky.social on the eve of the election showed trust in both local and national politicians and institutions was a rock bottom levels across GM (except interestingly for the mayor).

☁️A troubling reality hangs over today's local elections: trust in politics has collapsed. New polling in Greater Manchester finds low trust in political institutions to listen to ordinary people and act in the interests of their local area. But why is trust so low?

Read more here: www.ippr.org/articles/the...

Delivery matters - Manchester has led the way on devolution and local policy innovation in recent years - but is not enough alone. Ahead of the elections the message is clear: local leaders need to do democracy differently and experiment with new approaches to improve public satisfaction. 2/3

New polling in Greater Manchester for @ipprnorth.bsky.social lays bare the crisis in political trust. 1/3

Great news for the North, as the English Devolution Bill (now Act!) received Royal Assent this week 👏👏👏 A welcome demonstration of the government’s commitment to the devolution agenda and a prosperous North...🧵 www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

🏬❤️‍🩹People rightly judge the economic health of the country by the state of their high streets. This is even more acute in the North. Trading Standards latest report, the top 10 hotspots for organised crime on high streets, 6 are based in the North of England 👇 www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...

📊New data on UK healthy life expectancy is a stark reminder that where you are born and brought up in this country is still an indicator of your well-being...🧵 ⬇️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

🗳️It's the last day to register to vote in next month's local elections, taking place across the north! With 8million eligible citizens unable to vote at the last general election due to being unregistered, signing up has never been more important ⬇️ www.gov.uk/register-to-...

Manchesterism! What is it, what isn’t it? My piece for @thehousemag.bsky.social, featuring a great picture of Andy Burnham riding a bee. www.politicshome.com/news/article...

🤔💷Should local leaders have more say over how our taxes are spent? Fiscal devolution might be the game changer the North’s been waiting for. Here's why 👇

🚎🚊Inter-connectivity for our public transport isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. 🛤️Rural areas across the North and the UK deserve reliable, common-sense transport networks that get people where they need to be. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Today is the deadline for entries to the UK Town of Culture competition! It's great to see so many northern towns put themselves forward; the north is a region rich with contributions to the UK's music, arts, and theatre scenes. www.gov.uk/government/n...

Celebrating Big Local – the movement communities made 🎉 For 15 years, 150 communities across England led change in their areas. As the programme closes, we’re celebrating the people, stories, and legacy of what’s possible with time, trust, and resources. Explore it all here: https://bit.ly/4m4GqS2

Big news from MHCLG on the latest in local government reorganisation! IPPR North's @ryanswift93.bsky.social reacts to the announcement today 👇

🚨💷 The £1.7bn to boost the North's industrial strategy is a huge win for the region, and the nation. IPPR North have long championed the link between deeper devolution and the country's industrial strengths👇👇 www.ippr.org/articles/reg...

🤩Blackpool, Sheffield, and Middlesborough have all been shortlisted for the UK City of Culture 2029! Will we be able to hoard the esteemed title in the North? We certainly hope so. Best of luck to all those involved with their bids. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

📈🗝️Regional growth, particularly in the North, is key to a thriving economy. Prosperity in the North means prosperity for the UK. Mirte Boot, Interim Head of IPPR North reacts to the Chancellor's annual Mais Lecture today👇

1/ Said this in our transport report, and good to see it in Reeves’ Mais Lecture. Plans for fiscal devolution, including a share of income tax, are overdue. It stifles growth that mayors take on the risk to deliver projects, while central government captures the upside through rising tax receipts.

🏨A visitor levy could be a game‑changer for the North, as it has been across Europe. 🪙A small charge on overnight stays, led by mayors, could help fund better transport, support culture + green spaces, and boost our towns and cities that welcome millions each year. Here’s why it matters 👇

IPPR North's @indiafhg.bsky.social reacts to the National Audit Office's report released today on Northern Powerhouse Rail:

💪Northern county identity is STRONG YouGov's latest survey looked at English residents' attachments to their county. 7 of the strongest 10 counties were in the North. Avg across England for 'very strong attachment' was 29%, in North it peaked at 44%! yougov.com/en-gb/articl...

Stability is what the country needs, and it appears stability is what this Spring Statement has offered. But people listening will be measuring their own financial stability... (1/3) www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

What a headline! 🎼The North has rich cultural heritage and dynamic creative industries that it is proud of. It's about time the rest of the country - nay the world - recognised that too. www.standard.co.uk/culture/musi...

🚨 | NEW BLOG: Student loans have become one of the biggest political flashpoints of the year. Our new blog breaks down the pros, cons and costs of the three main options, and who really gains from each. Read here: www.ippr.org/articles/stu...

👥 Local democracy is about to change... 🗳️ Government’s plan to scrap district councils in favour of unitary authorities risks moving local residents further from power - unless action is taken to empower communities. @ryanswift93.bsky.social explains why that matters...

👥 Local democracy is about to change... 🗳️ Government’s plan to scrap district councils in favour of unitary authorities risks moving local residents further from power - unless action is taken to empower communities. @ryanswift93.bsky.social explains why that matters...

Great to write in @labourlist.bsky.social today about our latest @ipprnorth.bsky.social report and how local government reorganisation must result in local democracy renewal. labourlist.org/2026/02/unit...

We cannot afford for devolution not to work. If government want to make devolution its flagship programme, they must put communities in the driving seat, the future of democracy depends on it. 📋Read the full report here: www.ippr.org/articles/mak...

NEW @ipprnorth.bsky.social REPORT Nearly 30% of England is about to see the biggest shake-up in local government for a generation. Unitarisation is coming and it will fundamentally reshape how millions are represented.

👥NEW REPORT: Local government reorganisation is once-in-a-generation opportunity - if done well. Government and local authorities should take action to use the process to revive democracy in local communities and shift power downwards👇 Read the full report here: www.ippr.org/articles/mak...

I think it's right that the May local elections will be going ahead, even in areas undergoing local government reorganisation. Democracy cannot be a matter of convenience or cost. mhclgmedia.blog.gov.uk/2026/02/16/u...

For months, we have been digging into a big myth — that strong social protection holds back economic growth.🔍 Spoiler: it doesn’t.💪 We launch our findings tomorrow in our report 'More than a Safety Net'. Stay tuned.🚀 For now, hear it from @stephenboydippr.bsky.social ⤵️

🏘️"Neighbourhood precincts are often people’s go to spaces... it’s right they are taken as seriously as high streets. We need physical spaces to come together, to regain a lost sense of community." @zoebillingham.bsky.social spoke to The Guardian👇👇 www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

🥇 NORTH OF ENGLAND 2040 🥇 Hosting the Olympics in the North would be a GAME CHANGER for the region. Bringing a boost to investment, job opportunities, and the visitor economy; people would feel its impact in the years to come and the decades following. thegreatnorth.org.uk/news/the-gre...

North of England 2040 - we like the sound of that! www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

📗We welcome the Chancellor's efforts in shifting Treasury orthodoxy so that projects in the North can get fair shots. Yet, this is the 3rd change to the Green Book in as many years, the fact it's taking so long shows the depth of this culture in Westminster. www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politic...

🏠 How do we fix the housing crisis? 🔧 🏗️Government says it’ll build 1.5m homes this parliament. But IPPR North research shows housing challenges differ across regions. We need a place‑led approach, not just more supply. @indiafhg.bsky.social explains why👇

💪 A strong North stands together. 📰In our paper released today, IPPR North says The Great North partnership and government should act collaboratively to establish the north as a great place to invest and ultimately help raise living standards. 👇👇 www.ippr.org/articles/rol...

Reform’s plans to push half a million children into poverty to fund a suite of hospitality tax cuts are indefensible. ✒️ @henryippr.bsky.social spoke to the @bigissue.com 👇 www.bigissue.com/news/politic...

🔥IPPR North's @zoebillingham.bsky.social on the perceived 'brain drain' from the North to the South: "There is no need for London as the capital city to be the capital of everything and we’d all be better off for it." www.gbnews.com/news/brain-d...

The North East is a very transient place, we're always hopping over bridges and boundaries. Very welcome transport news to ensure better connectivity for everyone around the region - which is crucial for regional growth www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... @heidialexander.bsky.social and Kim McGuiness