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Centre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · 2d

For our first fringe event at Conservative Party Conference, we are now starting our In Conversation event with Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Paul Bristow.

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The WEA @weaadulted.bsky.social · 2d

he first fringe session of the day sees
@andrewcities.bsky.social
CEO of @centreforcities.bsky.social in conversation with Mayor Paul Bristow of Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority #CPC25

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Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 7d

184 years earlier than predicted, London has met the legal limits for toxic NO2 for the first time.

This historic milestone proves that bold action like expanding ULEZ works, protecting children’s health and giving millions cleaner air to breathe.

London Ulez reduced nitrogen dioxide to legal limit, mayor says

The mayor of London says the fall in airborne toxins is due to the Ultra low emission zone expansion.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 10d

It's fundamentally impossible to do this kind of politics with a state as centralised as we have. You have to give more power to mayors and councils. Including the ability to raise funds.

Gaby Hinsliff @gabyhinsliff.bsky.social · 10d

V interesting thread on something that could have been the headline going into conference if it hadn’t all been about ID cards & immigration; rebuilding communities, reclaiming ideas about roots & togetherness (the appealing bit of Blue Labour) from the ‘Maurice Glasman saying mad things’ bit of BL

Nick Plumb @nickplumb.bsky.social · 10d

Kirsty cites globalisation and tech as the two big drivers of dislocation.

And champions the importance of social clubs in helping to tackle this dislocation.

"We need a politics of joy and relationships"

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Matthew Pennycook MP @matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social · 10d

I’m immensely grateful to the New Towns Taskforce, under the expert leadership of its Chair, Sir Michael Lyons, and Deputy Chair, Dame Kate Barker, for producing such a considered and comprehensive set of final recommendations 👇🏻

www.gov.uk/government/p...

New Towns Taskforce: Report to government

The government has published the independent New Towns Taskforce report as well as its initial response to that report.

www.gov.uk

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Dave Hill @davehillonlondon.bsky.social · 10d

Good morning. There are overnight Big Media reports that the Crews Hill area of #Enfield is at the top of the government's list for getting a New Town development going. May I modestly point out that you read it here first: www.onlondon.co.uk/where-in-lon.... #london #newtowns

Where in London will government New Towns go?

Expectations in the capital's planning circles are that one site will be chosen in the city's south-east and another at its northern border

www.onlondon.co.uk

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Jennifer Williams @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social · 14d

I’m not going to rant endlessly about this but Labour came into power on a vague ticket to improve northern rail connectivity and over a year later is still wondering what it means

on.ft.com/4pAIfaJ

Plans for high-speed rail line in northern England suffer fresh delay

[FREE TO READ] Proposals for link between Liverpool and Manchester held up by discussions involving the Treasury

on.ft.com

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James O'Malley @jamesomalley.co.uk · 14d

I’m so annoyed by this I’m going to performatively burn all of my copies of the Green Book in protest.

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Andrew Carter @andrewcities.bsky.social · 14d

I don’t know whether VFM is good on this scheme or where the BCR is more than 1, but it doesn’t (really) matter. The decision to proceed, or not, with this scheme (and every other scheme) is a political one made by politicians.

James O'Malley @jamesomalley.co.uk · 14d

I’m so annoyed by this I’m going to performatively burn all of my copies of the Green Book in protest.

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Andrew Carter @andrewcities.bsky.social · 17d

Read Brian's brilliant book and listen to him on @centreforcities.bsky.social podcast talking about it www.centreforcities.org/podcast/city...

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David Smith @dsmitheconomics.bsky.social · 18d

My Sunday Times piece: Weak productivity, poor resilience and self inflicted damage mean UK GDP per capita, properly measured, is falling well behind the US. We’ve closed the gap before, can we again?

America is leaving the UK economy behind. How can we catch up?

www.thetimes.com/article/54cd...

America is leaving the UK economy behind. How can we catch up?

The UK’s productivity gains are poor, while the US economy has proved more resilient to the economic shocks of the past two decades

www.thetimes.com

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Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 22d

'Made in Manchester' paperback is now number seven English history bestseller at Waterstones.

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David Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 22d

Ministers need to pay more attention to local government finance and powers than they seem minded to do.

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Andrew Sissons @acjsissons.bsky.social · 23d

If you want government to work with local areas - whether it’s Greater Manchester or Cornwall - you need a team on the ground, building a local relationship. You also need people in Whitehall on the same team, who can pick up issues and fight battles around Whitehall.
This is exactly what CLoG did

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Andrew Carter @andrewcities.bsky.social · 23d

www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Why teenagers are ten times more likely to go to university in hotspots

In Harpenden, Hertfordshire, 85% of school leavers go to university, compared with 8.7% in Hartcliffe, Bristol. Search our table to see how your area measures up

www.thetimes.com

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Andrew Carter @andrewcities.bsky.social · Sep 5

🥲

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Centre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · Sep 5

The New Towns Taskforce is expected to publish their findings in the next few weeks 📅

This blog reviews what we can expect and what Centre for Cities is hoping they decide 👇

The new towns are coming: Hopes and expectations ahead of the Taskforce’s report - Centre for Cities

The New Towns Taskforce is expected to publish their findings in the next few weeks. What can we expect them to find?

buff.ly

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Neil Lee @neillee.bsky.social · Sep 4

An interesting policy debate: should you just give institutions money to do research, or make them bid?

In think-tanks, two of the most effective outfits over the past twenty years have been Resolution Foundation and Centre for Cities - both with core funding

www.economist.com/britain/2025...

How to take over a government via PDFs

The long march of the Resolution Foundation

www.economist.com

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Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · Sep 3

DC conducted a half-price & free transit fare experiment for low-income residents.

Compared to those paying full fare:
—Half-price recipients took 2x the transit trips
—Free pass recipients took 4x the trips

Subsidized participants reported higher well-being.

thelabprojects.dc.gov/fare-subsidy...

Transit riders who got a half-price pass took more than twice as many trips as those without a discount. Those with a free pass took more than four times as many trips.

Overall well-being improved among those who received a discounted transit pass.

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Centre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · Sep 3

BLOG | A tale of four cities: what local economic role do their universities play? 🎓

🔍@__robjohnson__ takes a look at Plymouth, Exeter, Coventry and Cambridge as examples for what different university roles mean for pursuing local growth.

Read now👇
buff.ly/qbbK0Ek

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Ant Breach @antbreach.bsky.social · Sep 3

Our new briefing is about the role of universities in their local economies.

The short version is - places don't need a university to be prosperous, but where cities have them they are sizable chunk of the local knowledge economy.

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Andrew Carter @andrewcities.bsky.social · Sep 3

Cheers Nick

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Nick Gray @path-dependent.bsky.social · Sep 3

Good briefing.

As I always say, in England's poorest region - the north east - there are three times as many jobs in higher education than there are in the manufacture of motor vehicles.

Centre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · Sep 3

NEW BRIEFING | Town and gown 🏙️🎓

How do local universities contribute to cities’ economic development as high-skilled employers, international exporters, catalysts for city-centre regeneration and innovators?

Read the briefing 🔎👇
buff.ly/qhkNzSi

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Centre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · Sep 3

NEW BRIEFING | Town and gown 🏙️🎓

How do local universities contribute to cities’ economic development as high-skilled employers, international exporters, catalysts for city-centre regeneration and innovators?

Read the briefing 🔎👇
buff.ly/qhkNzSi

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Centre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · Sep 3

PODCAST | The role of universities in city economies 🎙️

@andrewcities.bsky.social chats with the authors of our latest briefing 'Town and Gown' @rjson.bsky.social and @xuanrulin.bsky.social about the key ways in which universities contribute to city economies 🎓

Listen now 🎧👇
buff.ly/mBozliW

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