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timdurrant.bsky.social
Tim Durrant
@timdurrant.bsky.social
5.8K followers 1.8K following 560 posts
Programme Director at the Institute for Government - interested in how government works and how it can work better 🏳️‍🌈
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Reposted by Tim Durrant
drhannahwhite.bsky.social
Hannah White @drhannahwhite.bsky.social · 17h
After attending a marathon five ((FIVE! 😳) party conferences I’ve written about what they told me about how our politicians are thinking about government (tl:dr governing is hard; they want to take back control; and Reform UK was ubiquitous…) www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/five...
Five party conferences reveal different visions for how government should work | Institute for Government
Labour, the Conservatives, the Lib Dems, Reform UK and the Greens all have plans to change how government works.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
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Reposted by Tim Durrant
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 20h
Industrial strategy, tariffs, regional growth and public services. These are only few of the many events the IfG hosted in Manchester for the 2025 Conservative Party Conference.

🎧The events' recordings can be listened back on our website:
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/ifg-co...
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Reposted by Tim Durrant
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 18h
The party membership ballot for the 2025 Labour Party deputy leadership contest is open until 12pm on 23 October.

Read our explainer to find out more about the process for electing Angela Rayner's successor 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 will replace her? The ballot is now open.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
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timdurrant.bsky.social
Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 22h
We have loads more content about ministerial leadership during crises: a podcast episode, recommendations for ministers and their teams on how to manage in these situations, a guide to dealing with crises in the moment, and more - all here:

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/ifg-academy/...
Ministerial leadership during crises | Institute for Government
We have researched ministers’ role in crisis response and developed resources to help ministers respond effectively to crises.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
timdurrant.bsky.social
Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 22h
As the statement above shows, the lesson-learning afterwards is key: what did participants find out during the exercise and how will that inform their approach during the real thing? Hopefully there'll be a clear write-up of Pegasus so we can all see what govt has learned...
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timdurrant.bsky.social
Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 22h
...do it for real, these exercises allow them and their colleagues across government to practise how they would respond to particular challenges.

As Amber Rudd told us about her time as home secretary, while these exercises can feel like a drain on time, "you're very grateful that you've done it"
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Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 22h
...The importance of these exercises was one of the key themes of our recent @instituteforgovernment.org.uk work on ministerial leadership during crises - ministers won't have much experience of how crises are managed within government, so to ensure they're not caught off guard when they have to...
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timdurrant.bsky.social
Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 22h
What day is it? That's right, it's Day 2 ("containment") of Exercise Pegasus, the "largest ever simulation of a pandemic in UK history" - right now, teams in the NHS, govt depts and others are testing their approach to dealing with a possible future pandemic...

hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2025...
A written statement from Ashley Dalton MP, health minister: Exercise Pegasus will be the largest ever simulation of a pandemic in UK history and will involve participation from every Department, the devolved Governments and representation from arm’s length bodies and local resilience fora. The exercise is due to take place from September to November 2025, led by the Department of Health and Social Care and delivered with the UK Health Security Agency. Core exercise days have been confirmed for 18 September, 9 October and 30 October, simulating the first phases of a pandemic: emergence, containment, and mitigation. A fourth phase—recovery—is also planned for 2026. The UK Government have committed to communicating the findings and lessons of the exercise as recommended by the covid-19 inquiry and a post-exercise report will be delivered in due course.
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timdurrant.bsky.social
Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 1d
As Conservative party conference closes, the Labour deputy leadership contest gets going in earnest: ballots are now open for party members.

@meganbryer.bsky.social has updated the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer on the contest - all you need to know here:
The 2025 Labour Party deputy leader contest | Institute for Government
Angela Rayner has stepped down as deputy leader of the Labour Party, who will replace her? The ballot is now open.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
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Reposted by Tim Durrant
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 2d
Look out for a #CPC25 Inside Briefing special podcast - the IfG team @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social @tompope.bsky.social are joined by guest @patrick-pme.bsky.social.

Landing in your podcast feeds tomorrow. 🎧👀
A group of people recording a podcast
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timdurrant.bsky.social
Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 2d
agreed - as the piece says, headcount cuts are not the best way to go about this, definitely. can't speak to the specifics of your situation - if actual delivery is being put at risk, departments will reprioritise staff. but the civil service does need to be up for reforming itself...
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Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 3d
i don't think that's true- the civil service has grown substantially over the last decade, and as the piece says there are plenty of examples of duplication and poor prioritisation within the civil service. but i do agree that future changes need to have a clear vision for what the CS is there to do
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Reposted by Tim Durrant
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 3d
Kicking off our second day at #CPC25 im Manchester.

This morning we are exploring the role of mayors.

Find out more about our events at Conservative Party Conference www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/ifg-co...
An IfG panel
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timdurrant.bsky.social
Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 3d
Great piece from Alex and Jack (of course)

Plenty of savings to be made in the civil service, but the response to all these kinds of announcements (from government and opposition parties!) should always be: what do you want the state to stop doing?
alexgathomas.bsky.social
Alex Thomas @alexgathomas.bsky.social · 3d
Our reaction to Mel Stride’s big day at the Tory conference

There are savings to be made in the civil service. But an arbitrary headcount target & ignoring new demands on the state won’t deliver them

The hard work of doing that falls to the govt

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/mel-...
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Reposted by Tim Durrant
sammacrory.bsky.social
Sam Macrory @sammacrory.bsky.social · 3d
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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instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 3d
We're kicking off our final panel discussion of the day at #CPC25 with @livuniheseltine.bsky.social.

Find out about tomorrow's fringe events - or keep an eye on our website for an audio recording www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/ifg-co...
A panel at an IfG event
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Reposted by Tim Durrant
gavinfreeguard.bsky.social
Gavin Freeguard @gavinfreeguard.bsky.social · 4d
Do you like EVENTS about DATA & AI?

Well...

- Wed 8 Oct, 2pm, online
- @connectedbydata.org data & AI public engagement community of practice
- @gileslane.bsky.social @raeng.org.uk on their People's AI Stewardship Summits & Anna Beckett on evaluating @civicdatacoop.bsky.social Residents’ Assembly
Data and AI public engagement: Community of Practice
On Wednesday 8 October 2025 at 2pm we will hold the twelfth meeting of a community of practice as part of our project on Giving communities a powerful say in public sector data and AI projects.
connectedbydata.org
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Reposted by Tim Durrant
sirjjkc.bsky.social
Jonathan Jones @sirjjkc.bsky.social · 7d
My thoughts on what Keir Starmer might mean by “looking again” at international law (including the ECHR) in the context of migration, how that might be done and whether it would work www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/keir...
What does Keir Starmer mean by “looking again” at international law? | Institute for Government
The government plans to remain in the ECHR but change how it is interpreted.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
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Reposted by Tim Durrant
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 7d
Five things the IfG learned at the 2025 Labour Party Conference

@timdurrant.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social @gemmatetlow.bsky.social @gilesyb.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social explore what #Lab25 revealed about Keir Starmer’s government www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/2025...
Five things the IfG learned at the 2025 Labour Party Conference | Institute for Government
What did the Labour conference reveal about Keir Starmer’s government?
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
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timdurrant.bsky.social
Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 8d
For more, read our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer on ministerial directions (which doesn't yet have this one, as we haven't seen the official confirmation)

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mi...
Ministerial directions | Institute for Government
Ministerial directions are formal instructions telling departments to proceed with a spending proposal, despite objection from permanent secretaries.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
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timdurrant.bsky.social
Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 8d
And I assume that's why this one has been briefed to the FT, rather than released on the proper page on gov.uk (I assume that'll be coming soon...) - it's a chance for Peter Kyle and his team to show they're not beholden to civil service caution and that they will do things to support UK business
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timdurrant.bsky.social
Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 8d
...they are a way for ministers to say "I think this thing is important and I want it to happen, regardless of the risk". That doesn't mean it's always the right decision, but it does mean ministers can show they're taking into account other factors beyond those the civil service can/should consider
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timdurrant.bsky.social
Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 8d
A new ministerial direction, this time for the JLR loan guarantee. Directions are sometimes seen as a failing- and critics of this one point to the moral hazard risk, that other companies see this and fail to prepare for potential cyber attacks.

But directions per se aren't always a bad thing...
UK business secretary approved £1.5bn JLR loan guarantee despite civil service concerns
Peter Kyle said he was willing to take on greater risk in approving the speedy financial support for carmaker
www.ft.com
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Reposted by Tim Durrant
sammacrory.bsky.social
Sam Macrory @sammacrory.bsky.social · 8d
🎧🎧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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Reposted by Tim Durrant
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 9d
Don't miss our final #Lab25 event on rebuilding the criminal justice system - we will be joined by Deputy Mayor Kate Green, Clare Moody, @cassiarowland.bsky.social @fionarutherford.bsky.social @justicehq.bsky.social @njdavies.bsky.social

Find us in Clyde Room, Arena Floor at 17:15 zurl.co/O52cg
How can the government rebuild the criminal justice system? Tuesday 30 September | 17:15–18:15
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