[NEW] How can the government support better decision making in mayoral combined authorities? Our new report examines the government’s proposed shift to majority voting and the support that is needed to enhance decision making in MCAs Read in full 👇 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

It's a local - central - local government sandwich this week from @instituteforgov.bsky.social Following our event on Tuesday on effective decision making in MCAs with @jimmcmahon.co.uk, the PM on the pod yesterday, today we have a new report examining the shift to simple majority voting in MCAs 👇

📣New report from me & @brionya.bsky.social MCAs’ decision-making is often limited by unanimous voting rules Effective decision making for key strategic plans requires a shift to simple majority voting alongside greater capacity and accountability www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

On 1 May voters will be heading to the polls to elect the mayors of the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Hull and East Yorkshire, and Greater Lincolnshire. At the @instituteforgov.bsky.social we have been building a picture of the candidates they will be choosing between. 🧵

Yesterday the Cabinet Office public bodies team published their 2022/23 ALB report. It's a really interesting and well-visualised piece of work. Check it out here: co-public-bodies.github.io/ALB_Landscap...

If for some reason you're not able to tune into the webinar, I'll be posting some highlights below ✨ www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/labour...

Make sure to tune into our webinar this morning (9:30-10:30) for our take on the English Devolution white paper and a chance to get your questions answered! www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/labour...

In just over an hour- make sure to tune in if you’ve got any English devolution white paper questions!

Nine things we learned from the English devolution white paper The IfG's devolution team explore what the white paper does and does not contain, and what challenges lie ahead for the government www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/engl...

Yesterday I spoke to ITV meridian news about the implications of the new English Devolution White Paper for the South East - drawing on a recent @instituteforgov.bsky.social report

Interesting move in Scotland - will have to wait and see how it's enforced re personal devices... the UK government would fall apart, I think, if they tried it - but maybe they'll follow suit! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A thought from me on the English Devolution White Paper out yesterday...

At 9:30 tomorrow @akashpaun.bsky.social, @tompope.bsky.social, @rebeccamckee.bsky.social and @matthewfright.bsky.social will be answering all* your questions on the English devolution white paper. Submit your questions on slido (can be anonymous) or put it in the replies and I'll pass it on!

I'm on the train back from the launch of the devolution white paper, and finally getting a chance to read the document properly! A few thoughts, based on past @instituteforgov.bsky.social research. 1/

"The government can and should go further in future, but this framework represents a strong base to build on." @tompope.bsky.social, IfG Deputy Chief Economist, gives his verdict on today's devolution white paper and what it means for growth.

Well that's much bolder than expected on voting requirements! @brionya.bsky.social time to archive the many, many CA constitutions you've had to read this year?

Today the government will launch its English Devolution White Paper. On Wednesday we will analyse the implications in this webinar. While we wait on the govt announcement here is a run down of recent @instituteforgov.bsky.social devolution work

Excl: Government will move to scrap district councils in its devolution white paper on Monday, sparking the biggest local government reorganisation in 50 years on.ft.com/3VBH0ui

1. On a bright November morning, the final tranche of spad data for the Sunak government was released, completing 14 years of Conservative (and coalition) spad data. At @instituteforgov.bsky.social we’ve crunched the numbers – here’s what we found - www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/14-y...

Today the @instituteforgov.bsky.social has published my research into the role that mayors can play to help 'get Britain building'. A 🧵on what the research found

Excellent new report from my colleague @milliemitchell.bsky.social on the impact of mayoral development corporations. The report sets out some key lessons for mayors, drawing on 6 case studies of MDCs from across England.

New - bad - figures have just been published on the schools spending deficits that councils have Seven out of 10 LAs now have a cumulative deficit, with the total across these LAs leaping to £2.1bn (£1.7bn net deficit across all LAs) – largely as a result of SEND spending

Today the Northern Ireland Assembly votes on whether it will continue with post-Brexit trading arrangements. For the low down on today's democratic consent motion debate here is a summary of a great @instituteforgov.bsky.social explainer

Interesting to see this in the Plan for Change doc.

Lovely to go on the Dirleton Solar Walk and see some of what @bensutlieff.bsky.social has been up to 🪐 Would definitely recommend, and Neptune is near a great garden centre if you need cake motivation.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passed its second reading by 330 votes to 275 this afternoon. Adding a devo spin to the @instituteforgov.bsky.social’s analysis, I’ve been taking a look at how MPs across the four nations voted today and what this could mean for its future. 🧵

Amid the discussion of citizens' assemblies and the assisted dying bill, some thoughts... CAs can be a v useful tool to understand what the public think on a complex issue. We know participants can get to grips with technical detail and good facilitation can ensure high quality deliberation.

With plans for reorganisation of some local government areas expected in the upcoming English Devolution White Paper - we have a newly updated @instituteforgov.bsky.social explainer outlining all you need to know about "unitarisation" 🧵

New from @drhannahwhite.bsky.social & @jillongovt.bsky.social on why the government has taken the wrong approach to legislation on assisted dying www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...

Another independent review! Pretty typical getting someone independent to set out a credible position on a controversial issue, but this is a much more specific topic than many other reviews. Likely reflects just how contentious this has become in the workforce www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

Today the IfG hosts Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister of Scotland, reflecting on the 10th anniversary of the Scottish Independence referendum and 25th anniversary of Scottish devolution. The DFM will also speak about Scotland's economy and public services in light of the UK budget.

The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill has passed the Commons stage and is now waiting for its second reading in the Lords to be scheduled. But what lessons can the government learn from past Lords reform attempts? @nehaldavison.bsky.social and I look at successive attempts in a new comment.

EVENT: In conversation with Kate Forbes MSP, Deputy First Minister of Scotland 🗓️Monday 18 November, 17:00-18:00 Register now to hear Kate Forbes MSP reflect on the Scottish independence referendum and the 25th anniversary of Scottish devolution www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/kate-f...

Here's the @instituteforgov.bsky.social starter pack 👇 go.bsky.app/P7JZCH

My first comment with @nehaldavison.bsky.social and the @instituteforgov.bsky.social policy making team is out! This forms part of series on how the government can learn lessons from past policy to turn their manifesto promises into tangible results.

Today both the House of Commons and the House of Lords will debate Lords reform. MPs will consider remaining stages of the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill, with lots of amendments proposed. A 10-part thread 👇

Labour should commit to both the letter and the spirit of the Sewel convention The UK government should consider and consult its devolved counterparts in its legislative agenda. 👇Read the comment www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/sewe...

Relations between the UK and devolved governments came under serious strain during the 2019–24 parliament, particularly after Brexit 👇Read the five case studies on the implementation of the Sewel convention www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Excited that our research on the Sewel convention has been published today. We look at five UK acts of parliament passed between 2019-24 to investigate what happened in the legislative consent process, and what lessons can be learnt. Report here: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Moves announced in last week's budget to give mayors more control over their budgets are welcome, but in a new @instituteforgov.bsky.social blog I argue that attention also needs to be paid to local accountability arrangements 🧵

EVENT: In conversation with Kate Forbes MSP, Deputy First Minister of Scotland 🗓️ Monday 18 November, 17:00-18:00 Register now to hear Kate Forbes reflect on the Scottish independence referendum and the 25th anniversary of Scottish devolution 👇 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/kate-f...

Thanks to @finnbaker.bsky.social for spotting this: the government seems to have confirmed that they are dropping the Conservatives' plan to provide more regular transparency updates about ministers meetings - sticking to quarterly reporting, not monthly. This is disappointing!

Going to start using BlueSky more. Here’s my latest for @instituteforgov.bsky.social on the rise & fall of the Department for International Development. Advocates need to reckon more seriously with why it was abolished www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/depa...

Interrupting my holiday in Australia to tell you that @tompope.bsky.social and I have an great new report setting out our thoughts on Local Growth Plans 👇 Really important to get these right, lots of promising stuff so far but purpose, sequencing and powers and funding need clarity.

New @instituteforgov.bsky.social report out today from me and @rebeccamckee.bsky.social looks at the Local Growth Plans mayors's has been asked to develop TL;DR: a promising innovation, but govt needs to get their purpose and the sequencing right www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

With confirmation that a new ministerial code is coming soon, thought I'd update this chart: Starmer has now taken longer than every PM, apart from May, to publish his version of the code (Blair was the first to publish a Ministerial Code)

This is a very helpful overview from Scope on what’s going on with PIP and the proposed changes. One of the most misrepresented benefits out there!

Appearing on an @instituteforgov.bsky.social #LPC24 panel on Monday, Jim McMahon called for all English regions to have a mayor. In a new IfG report Akash Paun and I I show some of the options across the regions www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

We summarise these alternative approaches as ‘Option 1’ and ‘Option 2’ – although this isn't a binary choice. Ministerial preferences for different factors in different areas could see a mix of smaller and larger deals in the final map

Yesterday the government announced it plans to proceed with 8 provisional devo deals concluded by the previous administration. Today Akash Paun and I lay out in a new @instituteforgov.bsky.social report how the govt can reach 100% English devolution by the end of the parliament 🧵