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Sam Macrory @sammacrory.bsky.social · 4d

🎧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...

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.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Sam Macrory @sammacrory.bsky.social · 6d

NEW: Mel Stride’s civil service savings are more signal than substance

@alexgathomas.bsky.social & @jackworlidge.bsky.social give the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk verdict on Mel Stride's civil service savings

(& yes, it's a fantasy numbers game)

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/mel-...

Mel Stride’s civil service savings are more signal than substance | Institute for Government

Setting a civil service headcount target is too simplistic.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · 6d

Does Mallorca have merch that can be used to compensate me?

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Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · 6d

I might forgive you if it turns out my tote bag went to Mallorca.

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Sam Macrory @sammacrory.bsky.social · 11d

🎧🎧Listen now!

Brilliant analysis of Starmer’s speech and the Labour conference with @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @cathhaddon.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social and guest @sophiestowers.bsky.social of @moreincommonuk.bsky.social

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

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Sam Macrory @sammacrory.bsky.social · 25d

NEW: Trump’s State Visit: The Sequel

@drhannahwhite.bsky.social @cathhaddon.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social & guest @michaelmartins17.bsky.social preview Donald Trump’s visit

(On the IfG podcast, now landing in your feeds a little earlier in the week)

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

Trump’s State Visit: The Sequel

Podcast Episode · Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government · 17/09/2025 · 32m

podcasts.apple.com

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Philip Nye @philipnye.bsky.social · Sep 12

I'm on the pod this week talking all things _government_ reshuffle

(Also features others talking _ambassadorial_ reshuffle)
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...

The Mandelson misjudgement | Institute for Government

The Observer’s Cat Neilan joins the podcast team to weigh up the dramatic end of Mandelson’s time in Washington.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · Sep 12

Quite right.

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Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · Sep 12

I'm so sorry! Only left him out because of keeping the word count down. Blame Ed Llewellyn having so many long worded former jobs and me being keen to get mention of Wellington into it....

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Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · Sep 12

For further reading see this excellent Commons library briefing for more nerdy detail on letters of credence and the constitutional language around ambassadors appointments commonslibrary.parliament.uk/how-are-dipl...

How are diplomats appointed?

Diplomatic representatives of the UK to other countries are appointed by the Monarch, on advice from the Foreign Secretary.

commonslibrary.parliament.uk

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Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · Sep 12

Mum had questions about how ambassadors are appointed and what vetting they go through. No idea why. But i assembled a crack team of IfG experts to answer her questions

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/se...

Senior diplomatic appointments | Institute for Government

How are the UK's ambassadors and high commissioners appointed – and removed?

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · Sep 11

But one minister is now doing one less job. Michael Shanks is now minister in only one dept.

bsky.app/profile/timd...

Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · Sep 11

We've literally just closed the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk live blog with this fantastic wrap-up from the team... and government has announced MORE changes! Michael Shanks is no longer doing two jobs...

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/seve...

Michael Shanks MP as Minister of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Chris McDonald MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade
Liz Lloyd CBE as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and the Department for Business and Trade, and Baroness in Waiting (Government Whip)
His Majesty has also been pleased to signify His intention of conferring a Peerage of the United Kingdom for Life on Liz Lloyd CBE.

Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · Sep 11

Liz Lloyd gets THREE jobs as well as a peerage. We were used to joint ministers, and a lot more of them this time, but is this a first? She is a Parly Under-Secretary in DSIT and DBT and a whip.

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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · Sep 11

Here's the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk 'seven things we learned from Keir Starmer's reshuffle' from @jackpannell.bsky.social @timdurrant.bsky.social and I with data from @philipnye.bsky.social & our now updated Ministers Database

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/seve...

Seven things we learned from Keir Starmer’s first reshuffle | Institute for Government

What does the prime minster’s first major reshuffle tell us about his new-look government?

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · Sep 11

London weather to londoners: YES, IT IS AUTUMN. LET ME REMIND YOU OF MY RAINYNESS

Londoners: it's good for the garden i suppose

Also londoners: oooh there's weather, let me post about the weather

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meganbryer.bsky.social @meganbryer.bsky.social · Sep 10

Angela Rayner's resignation on Friday means that a contest to replace her as deputy leader of the Labour Party has started.

Read my first explainer at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk to find out how the process will work, who is running, and when will we find out who Rayner's successor will be!

Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · Sep 10

Angela Rayner has stepped down as deputy leader of the Labour Party.

So who is in the running to replace her? How will the process work? And when will we find out who Rayner's successor will be?

Read our new explainer from @meganbryer.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/20...

The 2025 Labour Party deputy leader contest | Institute for Government

Angela Rayner has stepped down as deputy leader of the Labour Party. Who is in the running to replace her and how will the process work?

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · Sep 9

Over on @instituteforgovernment.org.uk live blog we're posting our 'cabinet flashcards' - key info on who's who in Starmer's reshuffled cabinet.

Helping you prepare for - presumably - the hottest round at every pub quiz this week (if your local one hasn't been cancelled due to tube strikes...)

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Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · Sep 9

Fascinating analysis from @paddy-mcalary.bsky.social on the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk blog of the new ministers: 14 of the 19 new MPs in their first ministerial role were previously parliamentary private secretaries

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...

A table from the IfG showing the parliamentary private secretary roles that newly-appointed ministers held before being appointed - the original table is available at https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/starmer-reshuffle-september-2025

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Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · Sep 8

What happened with ministerial changes over the weekend? @instituteforgovernment.org.uk has kept an eye on it - there are *62* ministers in new roles, meaning around half the government are in a new role today

Keep an eye on our analysis here:

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...

Chart from the Institute for Govt showing the degree of change in the reshuffle

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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · Sep 8

Latest chart from the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk live blog showing the government line up post weekend reshuffle - lots of new people in new roles

Keep an eye on the blog as we take a look at the new intake and what's in their inbox

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...

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Hannah White @drhannahwhite.bsky.social · Sep 5

Giving my live take on the government reshuffle to BBC news channel from the Reform UK conference… “There’s long been an expectation of a reshuffle around this time, but Starmer will be frustrated at being bounced into potentially wider changes than he had planned before Rayner’s departure…

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Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · Sep 5

Superb photography

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Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · Sep 5

But Jill makes excellent point about wider Whitehall. Lots of private offices will also have been scrambling all day, wider depts now wondering what it means.

I suppose at least it’s not days of filling time with speculation

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Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · Sep 5

Like everyone (except a select few in No10) for one this scale, probably not very!

But for those at centre, in simply executing the PM’s decisions, the logistics of such a massive scramble seem to have gone ok

(Some of us still remember the time someone forgot to keep Buck Palace in loop)

Jill Rutter @jillongovt.bsky.social · Sep 5

am wondering how ready Whitehall was for a major reshuffle happening today ................

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Alice Lilly @aliceolilly.bsky.social · Sep 5

Great point from Cassia- and more broadly re legislation, quite a lot of the govt bills currently going through parliament are seeing their sponsoring department change Secretary of State

Cassia Rowland @cassiarowland.bsky.social · Sep 5

Her sentencing bill was published *this week* and is bound to be seriously controversial. The department is also in the middle of deciding on their court reform programme & considering abolishing jury trials for most offenders, all while (let's be frank) picking a fight with some v senior judges:

Justice Secretary introduces democratic lock over Sentencing Council

The Sentencing Council will be unable to issue new guidelines without the approval of the Justice Secretary.

www.gov.uk

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