And also a great write up in @stephenkb.bsky.social 's always excellent morning email today 5/5

Much more in the excellent report from @drbenpaxton.bsky.social and @martha-ford.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/... and more detail in Martha's thread bsky.app/profile/mart... Follow them for much more to come in this space 4/5

There are no easy answers, but it finds that more devolution to mayors - with appropriate accountability - would help engage more people, tailor support and learn more about what works 3/5

It looks at how the government can deliver employment support to help those inactive due to ill health. TMost employment support has focused on those with work requirements - not those who are sick. But this is a growing group and 2/10 say they want to work. 2/5

I am just back @instituteforgovernment.org.uk this week from 5 wonderful months of parental leave, just in time for another quiet week in British politics...

And I'm back just in time to share a brilliant new report on employment support www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/... 1/5

Designing and delivering employment support | Institute for Government How can government better support people out of work due to ill health?

The extent to which I would much rather be writing about the IfG's new report on employment support (read it! It's really interesting) tomorrow than yet another round of 'man who refuses to do the job of PM properly continues to be bad at it' cannot be overstated.

Rachel Reeves and the art of pitch rolling the budget | Institute for Government Former Treasury advisers Stewart Wood and Giles Winn reveal how chancellors prepare the ground for budget day.

Has Rachel Reeves rolled the budget pitch?

And how did former chancellors manage expectations?

Fascinating @instituteforgovernment.org.uk podcast with @stewartwood.bsky.social Giles Winn @gemmatetlow.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/rach...

The mistaken release of Hadush Kebatu is a symptom of a failing system | Institute for Government The problems in criminal justice run far deeper than one high-profile error.

The dramatic rise in prisoners released in error is just one aspect of a collapsing criminal justice system.

Read our recent comment from @cassiarowland.bsky.social following today's news of another mistaken prisoner release
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/pris...

Autumn budget 2025 | Institute for Government On Wednesday 26 November, Rachel Reeves will deliver her second budget as chancellor.

There are only three weeks to go until Rachel Reeves delivers her second budget as chancellor.

Follow our autumn budget 2025 page for our analysis of the current fiscal context facing the chancellor and how Reeves should approach tax policy making www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/autumn-budge...

What if there was a consensus on the tax reforms the UK needs?

What if it was backed by policy experts from think tanks across the political spectrum, from the Adam Smith Institute to the Resolution Foundation?

The consensus is real. The question is: will anyone act on it?

and a lot of other things messing up the economy - just all seems a bit -- late?

The Prisons Crisis Strikes Back | Institute for Government Former BBC journalist and Labour adviser Danny Shaw joins the podcast team to discuss the state of the criminal justice system.

I'm back on the IfG podcast! Great to welcome @dannyshaw.bsky.social to discuss just a few of the big home affairs stories dominating the news this week - as well as our new report. Have a listen!
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/pris...

Performance Tracker 2025: Criminal justice system | Institute for Government The government must act to avoid the justice system returning to the crisis point seen when Labour entered office, or worse.

NEW REPORT Criminal justice is coming apart at the seams. Police, criminal courts & prisons can’t cope with the level of demand and performance keeps spiralling downwards. Early positive steps from the government won't be enough to turn things around
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

While we wait for the second part of our Performance Tracker 2025, join us for the launch of one of our much awaited events of the year. @amberdellar.bsky.social @cassiarowland.bsky.social @jesstud.bsky.social @nuffieldtrust.org.uk

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/labour...

Our #DevoLab2 is happening today!

Join us at The Exchange - University of Birmingham to learn how mayors' and strategic authorities' powers can be used to secure and deliver private investment for key regional strategic projects.

🎟️Get your ticket:
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/devola...

The 2025 budget and beyond: How Rachel Reeves can approach tax reform to help drive growth | Institute for Government A big autumn approaches for the chancellor.

Guardian article here: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

And top tips on how to do tax reform from @gemmatetlow.bsky.social @tompope.bsky.social and @jillongovt.bsky.social here:
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Chancellor admits tax rises and spending cuts considered for budget Speaking exclusively to Sky's deputy political editor Sam Coates, Rachel Reeves says Brexit, austerity, and the Liz Truss mini-budget have all played a role in damaging Britain's economy - as she prep...

The point of a multi-year spending review and regular SR cycle is to provide stability. That stability allows frontline public services to make long-term decisions that will deliver better outcomes and VfM. It's a big failure of policymaking if spending decisions are being reopened 4 months later

Kemi Badenoch’s promise to abolish stamp duty has ducked tax trade-offs | Institute for Government Do Kemi Badenoch's stamp duty sums add up?

Flagged in this morning’s Politico Playbook, here’s @tompope.bsky.social’s excellent new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk blog on Kemi Badenoch’s stamp duty plan - and why the sums don’t quite add up.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/kemi...

Yes I think so... The Block Grant Adjustment for SDLT would go to zero, so all else equal the grant from Westminster to Scotland/Wales under Barnett would increase. If the cut were funded by cuts to spending on devolved areas, it would mostly net off

Kemi Badenoch’s promise to abolish stamp duty has ducked tax trade-offs | Institute for Government Do Kemi Badenoch's stamp duty sums add up?

In light of Kemi Badenoch’s pledge to abolish stamp duty, @jillongovt.bsky.social is refreshing our memory with a very useful explainer on Stamp Duty Land Tax:

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/article/expl...

You can hear more about that and everything else at Conservative Party conference in our podcast, out now!

bsky.app/profile/samm...

Kemi Badenoch’s promise to abolish stamp duty has ducked tax trade-offs | Institute for Government Do Kemi Badenoch's stamp duty sums add up?

My instant reaction to Badenoch's stamp duty announcement for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Stamp duty is a bad tax. But abolishing it without a broader reform of property taxes would be a missed opportunity and hard to afford.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/kemi...

Lessons in Kemistry | Institute for Government YouGov's Patrick English joined the Inside Briefing team in Manchester to assess the state of the official opposition.

🎧NEW: Lessons in Kemistry..

Brilliant Conservative Party conference (& stamp duty) analysis on @instituteforgovernment.org.uk podcast

@drhannahwhite.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social @tompope.bsky.social
and Patrick English of @yougov.co.uk

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...

A the end of last month @instituteforgovernment.org.uk headed to Bournemouth for the Liberal Democrat Party Conference 2025

We held an event in partnership with @uniofsurrey.bsky.social exploring how local places can ensure devolution delivers economic growth, chaired by @tompope.bsky.social

Last week the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk travelled north to Liverpool for the Labour Party Conference 2025.

At our event on the Monday, with @uniofsurrey.bsky.social & chaired by @tompope.bsky.social we explored how local places can maximise the benefits of devolution to drive growth

Starmer’s Liverpool Drama Podcast Episode · Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government · 24/09/2025 · 32m

🎧Starmer’s Liverpool Drama?

Ex-No10 adviser Tom
Webb joins the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk podcast to preview the @teamlabouruk.bsky.social conference (& review @libdems.org.uk conf)

With @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social @tompope.bsky.social

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i...

All UK adults to require digital ID under Keir Starmer plan The ‘Brit card’ would be part of efforts to tackle illegal migration by verifying right to live and work in Britain

Fortunately @jillongovt.bsky.social has just written us an excellent explainer on digital ID cards! Everything you need to know here… www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/di...

www.thetimes.com/article/3fed...

The role of procurement in delivering mission-led government | Institute for Government How can the government remove the barriers to its missions?

NEW REPORT: @instituteforgovernment.org.uk finds that confused missions, pervasive risk aversion, poor data quality, insufficient commericial capability, and a failure to focus on outcomes means that govt is failing to make the most of £400bn+ a year it spends on procurement

Autumn budget 2025 | Institute for Government On Wednesday 26 November, Rachel Reeves will deliver her second budget as chancellor.

Follow our autumn budget 2025 page for more in the lead up to Reeves' second budget as chancellor on Weds 26 November www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/autumn-budge...

Follow the team @gemmatetlow.bsky.social @tompope.bsky.social @drbenpaxton.bsky.social @danhaile.bsky.social @gilesyb.bsky.social

The 2025 budget and beyond: How Rachel Reeves can approach tax reform to help drive growth | Institute for Government A big autumn approaches for the chancellor.

So Reeves should
Choose sensible tax increases this autumn, even if that means revisiting tax pledges

Set out tax strategy for reform over the parliament with clear principles and objectives

Some ideas for what that might look like in the paper
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
3/3