@jesscraig.bsky.social explores for @labourlist.bsky.social how Community Investment Zones could transform the future of our high streets—bring life back to local economies, support small businesses & create vibrant, community-led spaces: bit.ly/48EGocX

Last night we launched our essay collection at @britishacademy.bsky.social with a bumper panel reflecting ideas from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social describing rewilding as a metaphor for civic renewal to @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social imagining how future data centres could be owned by communities.

1/4 Today we've published our new essay collection. 'From the ground up: Community business & Britain’s next decade' marks a decade of progress for community business and Power to Change and presents bold ideas for a brighter, more connected future: buff.ly/XiNc26W

The Cloudflare outage currently prevents me from sharing the wonderful new @powertochange.org.uk essay collection we're launching today. BUT if you'd like to get your hands on an old fashioned paper copy come along to our launch event tonight Info/sign up: powertochange.typeform.com/to/L2W7DYk9?...

I tried to cover a lot of ground here. A few points developing the argument, regarding current government's "Pride in Place" etc: basically I like this stuff, but worry a bit about lack of realism about what they might achieve in isolation.

On Tuesday we launch 'From the ground up: Community business and Britain's next decade' - an essay collection to celebrate 10 yrs of @powertochange.org.uk and look ahead into the future of our communities. Delighted we'll be joined by this excellent panel of guests to share their 2035 vision 👇

Wrote something for @powertochange.org.uk about the fact that government policy must include a new category - digital social policy - to address the social impacts of technologies. Tech policy has to be more than cutting-edge innovation and growth www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and...

💭 We're reflecting on a busy #LabourConference 2025, where the power of community, and the importance of growth that everyone can see and feel, were central themes. Here are our 5 key highlights: #Lab25

@powertochange.org.uk last event of Labour conference getting underway! Our community business reception is all about how communities create growth you can see, feel and that everyone benefits from.

@nickplumb.bsky.social (in jazzy headphones) kicks off a Reclaiming Our Regional Economies panel on resisting the rise of the far right with a striking stat that £2.9bn of assets sold by councils in last two years, leading to loss of vital shared spaces for connection.

Nice to hear @georgiagould.bsky.social speaking on the need for culture change at the centre to enable communities to drive change in their local areas. She says govt can decide the outcomes it wants to see but needs to be flexible on the ‘how’ so places can deliver on the way that works for them.

@kirstymcneill.bsky.social - bangs the drum for Pride in Place announcements, arguing that they are a radical new form of statecraft. And sets out a really clear view of how difficult working relationally is, but also how rewarding and meaningful it is.

Packed room for our first conference event with @joshsimonsmp.bsky.social, @kirstymcneill.bsky.social, @morganj0nes.bsky.social, Andy Jackson @right-here.org and Frances Foley @compassoffice.bsky.social - discussing communitarianism (Beyond Blue Labour)

Felt right to start Labour conference yesterday with an event with Merseyside community leaders, @coopparty.party.coop and Birkenhead MP (and new MHCLG minister) @allymcgovern.bsky.social talking about how community business drives pride in place, connection and an economy that works for all.

I’ve been reading through govt’s new pride in place strategy. I like this sentiment a lot, but making sure the Pride in Place programme delivers outcomes that are genuinely community led will be its real test.

1/4 | Our @powertochange.org.uk response to today's announcement. Today’s Pride in Place announcement should be applauded. In targeting investment at the hyper-local level, the government has shown that it understands...

Happy conference season to those who participate. I'm heading to Labour conference this weekend and Conservative conference next weekend - please get in touch if you'd like to get coffee (I'll be needing lots of it)

I'll be at Labour conference in a couple of weeks with @lucysym.bsky.social @jesscraig.bsky.social and Tim. And we're doing things a bit differently. We have not one, not two, but 7 community business leaders joining us - to help burst the conference bubble.

MPs are back in Westminster today and so are @right-here.org - launching their Museum of Broken Dreams, charting some of the many ambitious community projects that have been stymied by a lack of support, investment, trust that communities can deliver what their places need.

📝 ‪@jesscraig.bsky.social from @powertochange.org.uk shares how government and combined authorities can unlock inclusive growth by backing the social economy. A must-read for policy makers and changemakers. 👇 ow.ly/v1bf50WAAtL

"Kindred isn’t radical. It costs far more to exclude people than to include them; far more to drip-feed poverty than to fund potential." Properly inspiring piece from Erika Rushton of @kindredlcr.bsky.social for @powertochange.org.uk 10 year collection. www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and...

‘“How do we roll that out to every community.” This is precisely the wrong instinct. We must shift to a new question: how do we enable each community to lead and deliver the change it needs?’

A fascinating essay from the unique vantage point of Vidhya Alakeson, Deputy Chief of Staff to the PM and former CEO of @powertochange.org.uk for our 10 year anniversary essay collection.

This is great, and digs into all the nuances of the relationship between community space and populism. Yes, declining social infrastructure is linked to rising support for right-wing populism parties (as @powertochange.org.uk and others have shown). BUT...

Agree, the diagnosis is broadly right. The trick is how to achieve a combination of (a) quick material improvements (e.g. to the public realm) that people notice and associate with politics listening and making a difference. But at the same time…. 1/n

Seven years ago the community in Chelmsley Wood said if someone's going to make money in our neighbourhood running a chippy, why not us? Great to join @richardparkerwm.bsky.social and the Co-op Party for a community-powered chippy at the lovely Three Trees Community Centre in sunny Solihull.

💬 Today, the Chancellor unveiled her highly anticipated spending review. While we welcome the investment in local growth and regeneration through the expansion of the Plan for Neighbourhoods, there is a missed opportunity to transform our high streets and bring empty community spaces to life again.

New funding for up to 350 communities (for cohesion, regeneration and public realm improvements) and Growth Mission Funding sound promising in enabling communities to drive local economic and social renewal but...

The Chancellor's rhetoric on pride in place, community assets and high streets was correct - these things are important, particularly at the moment when face to face is more important than ever so we can see ourselves in one another. There are announcements in that vein, but little detail so far...

Until I'm unbanned (low iron not misbehaviour) I'm on the blood donation bench, but really encourage others to donate! You get biscuits and social clout - what's not to like? Lots of appts in London going - take on the fun/nightmare of navigating your way out of westfield in a post-donation haze!!

I've been thinking about bottom-up growth and the need for economic strategy to produce visible, tangible change that people can see and feel in their lives, in the context of the coming industrial strategy

Lots of new stuff from @powertochange.org.uk on inclusive growth and the social economy today! We've brought together ten lessons for combined authorities on how to promote sustainable local growth via the social economy, inspired by our work in three regions and new conversations with CA staff.

8/8 TLDR: the state of the high street matters, and taking it seriously isn’t just good policy for the government, it’s good politics. Full briefing here (thanks to excellent work by my colleagues @jesscraig.bsky.social, @lucysym.bsky.social and Linda Hien) 👇

2/8 At the 2024 general election, Reform UK came 2nd in 24% of these seats—significantly higher than in the rest of England (14%). This reinforces the thesis of @trfetzer.com et al. that local decline is significantly associated with the rise of support for right-wing populist parties.

Nice thread from my colleague @nickplumb.bsky.social on our recent analysis which indicates that support for Reform UK is growing in areas which have experienced the greatest increases in long-term vacancy. 👇

How would we govern if we took community agency seriously? I was asked to write an essay for the 10 year anniversary of @powertochange.org.uk Here it is. Testing a few ideas in here so I'd be interested in thoughts. medium.com/@jamestplunk...

On the train back from spending some time in Hartlepool where we saw and heard about profound challenges that - crucially - are being met by rooted community businesses and organisations, not the machine. We simply can't afford to not get behind this broad agenda and 'take off our machine glasses'.

Spending today in Dyke House with Sacha and colleagues reminds me that community businesses like the Wharton Trust create an impact you feel as well as see. As Sacha’s essay details, they’ve got bags of ambition and an investment plan to back it up - if those in charge give them community power.

On the panel: 🗣️ Afzal Hussain @wittonlodge.bsky.social 🗣️ Jo Leek @lpoolcityregion.bsky.social 🗣️ Natalie White, Power to Change 🗣️ Kate Duffy, Junction Point CIC 🗣️ @nicolasteuer.bsky.social @powertochange.org.uk (Chair) Register 👉 buff.ly/H5HqYBn

Our new @powertochange.org.uk report captures learning from five years of partnership with strategic authorities and insights from conversations with CAs developing Local Growth Plans, outlining how regions can foster good local growth through the social economy. Join us on 5 June to find out more!

How do communities contribute to high street revitalisation? We're working with 5 great community businesses testing different approaches to improving their town centres, unlocking community space + decision making. We'll also be looking at how these local practices can shape national place policy.

I'm sure many of you have read the excellent paper on high street vacancy and support for right-wing populist parties by @prashantgarg.bsky.social @jacobedenhofer.bsky.social @trfetzer.com. What to do about it? We're working with 5 places to test models of community-led high street renewal 👇👇

Really fantastic piece from Sacha for @powertochange.org.uk 10th anniversary collection, talking about his aspirations for his community in Hartlepool and the need for a politics that gives more power back to communities like his. www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and...

Sensitive and thoughtful essay by Sacha Bedding for @powertochange.org.uk that shows the ambition for Hartlepool. This section in particular hits on a diagnosis more need to hear in Westminster and part of what we’re trying to do with @right-here.org www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and...

Great piece. At @powertochange.org.uk my excellent colleague @jesscraig.bsky.social worked with @ojgarling.bsky.social & Rosa Marks at @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk on the important social role fulfilled by businesses like supermarkets. Loads to dig into 👉 www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and...

Govt's Plan for Neighbourhoods is a £1.5 billion, decade-long neighbourhood regeneration programme for 75 communities. @jesscraig.bsky.social explores for The MJ what the legacy of New Labour's New Deal for Communities can teach us about longevity in regeneration. Read for free: bit.ly/4kMO7ei

Great piece by @guyshrubsole.bsky.social on the case for including environmental benefit in the Community Right to Buy. Community ownership of environmental assets can help create greener, healthier places, enhance access to nature and support community wellbeing.

I wrote more about this lesson from the NDC and what it means for the Plan for Neighbourhoods, in the MJ: www.themj.co.uk/sustainable-...

Labour's new Plan for Neighbourhoods draws a line under the levelling up agenda. Instead, it looks back to New Labour's New Deal for Communities for inspiration. What can this teach us about longevity in regeneration programmes? @jesscraig.bsky.social in the MJ 👇 www.themj.co.uk/sustainable-...

At the launch of a new report from @iconeighbours.bsky.social Angie Wright of B-Inspired in Braunstone, Leicester, underscores this point. B-Inspired came out of the NDC but since then, has brought in significant additional investment and raised ~£25m through trading and the assets it owns.