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Michael Kenny

@michaelkenny.bsky.social

1.2K followers 550 following 5 posts

Professor of Public Policy, Inaugural Director of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge, Author

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Political science 67%

History 18%

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Reposted by Michael Kenny, Maria Abreu

Owen Garling @ojgarling.bsky.social · 25d

Really excited to be recruiting to this role at @bennettschool.cam.ac.uk.

We're looking for someone to help broaden our connections between the school and the worlds of academia and policymaking.

Sound interesting? Details below.

www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/about-us/vac...

Research Assistant/Associate - Bennett School of Public Policy

Department/Location: Department of Public Policy (Bennett School of Public Policy)Salary: £33,002-£46,049Reference: JB47263Category: ResearchDate published: 12 September 2025Closing date: 10 October 2...

www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Yusuf @yusufimaadkhan.com · Sep 1

“I worry that sometimes the world of statistics can become a proxy battleground. Statistical debates about what to measure can be used as a way to transpose a philosophical or political argument about what we actually value in more cloaked and technocratic way.”

Yup

pbe.co.uk/insights/bey...

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · Jul 28

Really support this. We’ve been banging on about the importance of this community social infrastructure for a while including this recent report with @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk on how it can be measured www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/value-o...

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Reposted by Michael Kenny, Laura Díaz Anadón

Bennett Institute for Public Policy @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk · Mar 31

We're looking for an Assistant Professor to join the new Bennett School of Public Policy in September 2025, to play a leading role in the running & teaching of our M.Phil in Public Policy and PhD programme, & to also conduct original research.

Apply by 27 April 2025:
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50808/

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Bennett Institute for Public Policy @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk · Jul 3

📸 A productive & inspiring team away day!

Team Bennett is hard at work planning for the exciting opening of @bennettschool.bsky.social this October 2025 - under the leadership of @michaelkenny.bsky.social & @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social

#Research #Teaching #Engagement #Impact

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Reposted by Michael Kenny, Thomas Hale

Blavatnik School of Government @blavatnikschool.bsky.social · Jun 27

How can democracies think long-term?

The Heywood Fellowship team says the UK is being outpaced – and is building a plan for action:
🧬 Diagnosis
🎯 Objectives
🧭 Big bets
🔀 Trade-offs

Learn more about their call for a long-term national strategy + Spain’s example ➡️

Heywood Fellowship

The Heywood Fellowship is a visiting fellowship created in memory of Jeremy Heywood, Cabinet Secretary from 2012 to 2018. The purpose is to give a UK Civil Service Permanent Secretary the opportunity…

www.bsg.ox.ac.uk

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Michael Kenny @michaelkenny.bsky.social · Jun 10

New piece from me and @ojgarling.bsky.social on what kinds of thinking and policy on infrastructure now needed to achieve more equitable growth acss.org.uk/the-role-of-... @acadsocsciences.bsky.social

The role of infrastructure in good growth – Academy of Social Sciences

acss.org.uk

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Alex Walker @alwalker.bsky.social · May 23

Starmer is meeting with the devolved heads of government and English regional mayors today for the second instalment of the Council of Nations & Regions

Good time to read our report with @policywise.bsky.social to find out what it is & why it matters!

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/publications...

A more collaborative way of governing? Why the UK's Council of the Nations and Regions matters - Bennett Institute for Public Policy

The Council of the Nations and Regions represents an opportunity to foster better relations between the key players in the territorial government of the UK – the UK’s central government, its devolved ...

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

PolicyWISE @policywise.bsky.social · May 22

Can tomorrow's Council of Nations & Regions meeting navigate the big and small 'P' politics of national and local #devolution?
Watch our webinar with @michaelkenny.bsky.social @alwalker.bsky.social & Dewi Knight www.youtube.com/watch?v=tru3...
Read our report www.policywise.org.uk/about/inter-...

Watch the Webinar: "A More Collaborative Form of Governance?

YouTube video by PolicyWISE

www.youtube.com

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Michael Kenny @michaelkenny.bsky.social · May 22

Shrewd overview of the politics surrounding the second Council of Nations and Regions summit happening this Friday - with reference to our brand-new report on this under-the-radar constitutional innovation (with @policywise.bsky.social) www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The UK risks falling apart. Keir Starmer can mend it now – but he doesn’t have much time | Martin Kettle

The PM has little choice. Unless he brings the fractured nations together, none can move forward, and neither can he, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Bennett Institute for Public Policy @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk · May 21

Drawing on in-depth research, @alwalker.bsky.social & @michaelkenny.bsky.social set out why the Council of the Nations and Regions matters for devolution in times of political fragmentation.

In a new blog, they discuss what’s needed to make it work.

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/why-the...

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Alex Walker @alwalker.bsky.social · May 13

Our new report is out! @michaelkenny.bsky.social, Dewi Knight and I look at the Council of the Nations and Regions.

This initiative has so far flown pretty under the radar, but we argue it has the scope to be significant.

Some key points below.

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/publications...

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

PolicyWISE @policywise.bsky.social · May 12

Tomorrow! Join Dewi Knight, @alwalker.bsky.social and @michaelkenny.bsky.social to hear why the Council of Nations and Regions matters and the importance of working with all UK leaders no matter the politics....
Sign up www.policywise.org.uk/node/671
#intergovernmentalrelations #ukpolitics #webinar

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

The Syllabus @the-syllabus.bsky.social · May 7

Challenging lists of cultural assets, our hidden gem of the week calls for measuring goods like networks that foster relationships.

By Dimitrios Panayotopoulos-Tsiros, @ojgarling.bsky.social, @annaalexandrova.bsky.social, @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social at @britishacademy.bsky.social

buff.ly/DtQ009T

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Reposted by Justin H. Kirkland, Michael Kenny

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · Apr 30

New @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk @britishacademy.bsky.social report today on the need for policymakers to not overlook the importance of investing in social and cultural infrastructure, and how we might go about measuring it
www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/value-o...

Value of social and cultural infrastructure ‘risks being neglected in decision-making' without new measurement framework - Bennett Institute for Public Policy

New framework for measuring the value of social and cultural infrastructure will more effectively highlight its crucial role in improving wellbeing and economic growth.

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Bennett Institute for Public Policy @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk · Apr 30

🚨 New report from the Bennett Institute warns that social & cultural spaces like libraries, galleries & community hubs risk being overlooked without better ways to measure their impact. They’re vital for economic growth & tackling inequality.

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/value-o...

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Martin White @martinwhite33.bsky.social · Apr 7

I participated in the @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk Crossing Channels podcast series with a programme on the food system, diets and health. Interesting conversation with Jonathan Stieglizt, evolutionary anthropologist. Listen or read here: www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/posts/types/...

Podcast Archives - Bennett Institute for Public Policy

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk

Reposted by Sarah Hall

Michael Kenny @michaelkenny.bsky.social · Mar 31

Great new opportunity, teaching on and researching public policy here, at Assistant Prof level here in Cambridge - please spread the word! @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk

Bennett Institute for Public Policy @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk · Mar 31

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Matthew Mckeague @memckeague.bsky.social · Mar 28

Really good session on 'forgotten about places' at @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk conference this afternoon. Glad to hear the importance of social infrastructure get a few mentions! @michaelkenny.bsky.social

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Andy Westwood @andywestwood.bsky.social · Mar 28

Fantastic panel to discuss spatial inequalities and their consequences. Chaired by @michaelkenny.bsky.social @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · Mar 28

I’m at the @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk conference and @sarahoconnorft.ft.com has mentioned Blackpool which gives me an excuse to link to her seminal article from 2017 in case some of you are too young to know it
www.ft.com/blackpool

Left behind: can anyone save the towns the UK economy forgot?

Soaring antidepressant usage, falling life expectancy: Blackpool embodies much of what is going wrong on the fringes of Britain

www.ft.com

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Rachel Extance @rachelextance.bsky.social · Mar 28

At @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk for their annual conference today. "We are talking about these issues at a time of crisis," says Michael Kenny #BennettInst

Michael Kenny addressing the audience at Churchill College.

Reposted by Michael Kenny

Owen Garling @ojgarling.bsky.social · Mar 21

Really useful guide to using Large Language Models (LLMs) from my @bennettinstitute.bsky.social room-mate @alturobov.bsky.social.

Will definitely be of use beyond just the civil service.

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/publications...

Using Large Language Models responsibly in the civil service: a guide to implementation - Bennett Institute for Public Policy

UK civil servants, along with officials at other levels of government and in other countries, face a potentially transformative moment in the adoption of digital tools with the availability of...

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk

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Michael Kenny @michaelkenny.bsky.social · Mar 3

Delighted to announce that we are going to become an independent Department - the Bennett School of Public Policy - @cambridgeuni.bsky.social from this autumn. Thanks to all those who have supported us on our journey to this point - www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/bennett...

Major new policy school at Cambridge University set to take on AI economy and reviving ‘left behind’ regions - Bennett Institute for Public Policy

The Bennett School of Public Policy opens this October, and is already leading work on two of the most pressing policy problems of our time: implementing AI and revitalising post-industrial areas.

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Bennett Institute for Public Policy @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk · Feb 28

Join us for our Annual Conference keynote lecture with @profsanderlinden.bsky.social discussing how it is possible to “immunize” people against disinformation so they can recognise & resist unwanted attempts to be manipulated & misled.

Keynote-only tickets: www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/conference

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Bennett Institute for Public Policy @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk · Feb 28

New data on how public sector employees use their time & which tasks they consider unimportant suggests significant scope for improving both their productivity & their job satisfaction using AI, writes Nghi Nguyen. Here's how ⬇️

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/working...

Working time in the public sector: opportunities for AI? - Bennett Institute for Public Policy

The UK government is placing high hopes on the potential for AI to improve productivity in public services. But how big is this potential? As Nghi Nguyen explains, new data on how public sector employ...

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Bennett Institute for Public Policy @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk · Feb 27

We're pleased to be at the @bennett-innovate.bsky.social launch event.
Cambridge's @michaelkenny.bsky.social joined a panel discussion with other directors of Bennett Foundation funded institutions to discuss new frontiers in research & innovation.

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Reposted by Michael Kenny

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · Feb 26

Most believe that being born in England + identifying as English is what matters.

Nobody could have become English across a thousand years after 948 AD if the children of migrants needed "ancestry" so couldn't qualify on the basis of birthplace + identification + acceptance by the existing group.

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Reposted by Michael Kenny, Adelina Comas‐Herrera, Peter Allen

Bennett Institute for Public Policy @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk · Feb 26

Cambridge University is looking for 2 Assistant Professors in Public Policy to work in the Faculty of Human, Social, & Political Science, starting August 2025.

Scholars with research & teaching experience in public policy are encouraged to apply by 10 March 2025.

www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50248/

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Reposted by Michael Kenny, Mark Sandford

Bennett Institute for Public Policy @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk · Feb 26

New blog by @marksandford.bsky.social explores govt's white paper on English devolution discussing strengthening collaborative governance between central govt & mayors, & challenging Westminster centralism through joint initiatives for regional growth.
www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/english...

Slow burn revolution? Collaborative governance in the English Devolution White Paper - Bennett Institute for Public Policy

Strengthening collaborative governance could transform the UK’s Westminster model, fostering 'embedded autonomy' seen in other states. The UK government is showing increasing willingness to focus on s...

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk

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