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Emma Norris @emmanorris.bsky.social · 23h

Yep - and low level anti-social behaviour, fly tipping, street crime and so on persist and in some places ramp up. Completely agree that neighbourhood-level problems are a big driver of a more pervading sense of decline and dissatisfaction.

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Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 6d

Politics is not like selling biscuits, where the task is to find out what people like & flog it to them.

It's a moral activity. It's about arguing for the things you believe in. It's about *shaping* the "median voter".

Farage has moved the centre-ground of politics. His opponents can move it back.

The New Statesman @handle.invalid · 7d

Crying racism only hurts Labour

Activists like it, but the median voter will feel attacked.

📊 @bwalker.uk

Crying racism only hurts Labour

Activists like it, but the median voter will feel attacked.

www.newstatesman.com

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Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 7d

Today's speech was easily the best Starmer has given.

For the first time since the election, he told a compelling - & optimistic - story about what the government is trying to do; charged that story with moral purpose; & drew clear battle lines with the Right.

A few quick thoughts & a challenge...

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Emma Norris @emmanorris.bsky.social · 17d

Enjoyed talking with @markpackuk.bsky.social @calummillerld.bsky.social @greenmirandahere.bsky.social this morning about how progressives can fight right-wing populism: root politics in place, listen to what really matters in people’s lives and show courage on reform when systems are failing.

Institute for Public Policy Research @ippr.org · 17d

IPPR's conference season kicks off at the Lib Dems with a fringe on populism, with:
- @markpackuk.bsky.social
- @calummillerld.bsky.social
- @greenmirandahere.bsky.social
- @emmanorris.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/live/e_PBCpz...

Lib Dem conference 2025 | The antidote to populism: Building the centre ground in a divided age

YouTube video by Institute for Public Policy Research

www.youtube.com

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Institute for Public Policy Research @ippr.org · 17d

IPPR's conference season kicks off at the Lib Dems with a fringe on populism, with:
- @markpackuk.bsky.social
- @calummillerld.bsky.social
- @greenmirandahere.bsky.social
- @emmanorris.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/live/e_PBCpz...

Lib Dem conference 2025 | The antidote to populism: Building the centre ground in a divided age

YouTube video by Institute for Public Policy Research

www.youtube.com

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Emma Norris @emmanorris.bsky.social · 19d

Regret to inform we still spend every week saying this… eight years in…

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sianushka.bsky.social @sianushka.bsky.social · 22d

My god.

This is homophobia pure and simple. The kinds of things I heard as a child; growing up in a gay household. I thought we were past this.

But they are out of step with the majority of people who support, know & care for families like mine.

Adam Schwarz @adamjschwarz.bsky.social · 23d

Nigel Farage:

"Children who have two stable parents have a better chance in life... The most stable relationships, the ones that last the longest, tend to be between men & women... There's an awful lot of kids in the country not getting the kind of start... they deserve."

Farage has two ex-wives.

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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · Sep 7

Josh MacAlister, Liv Bailey and Georgia Gould going to DfE massively strengthens the department at a critical moment. A big positive from the reshuffle.

James Heale @jaheale.bsky.social · Sep 7

Some of Labour's brightest young MPs – Kanishka Narayan, Kate Dearden, Josh Simons, Josh McAlister – handed junior ministerial posts

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Carsten Jung @carsjung.bsky.social · Aug 29

NEW: UK taxpayers are losing £22 billion every year from losses at the Bank of England - the same as the entire Home Office annual budget. This is the result of a flawed implementation of the BoE's quantitative easing programme. We propose two steps to fix this leak. (1/4)

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Amber Dellar @amberdellar.bsky.social · Aug 20

NEW REPORT: how does where you live and your background affect how you do at school?

- Inequalities have widened around the country and between groups of children since the pandemic

- Progress depends on sharing what works to support disadvantaged pupils & cutting high absence

🧵👇

Educational outcomes across England | Institute for Government

Examining the performance gaps in schools.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Emma Norris @emmanorris.bsky.social · Aug 17

Very sorry to hear it Sam - sending best wishes, and get well soon.

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Jill Rutter @jillongovt.bsky.social · Aug 16

Interesting @theguardian.com story about the govt trying to replicate the success of Blair's London Challenge to raise school standards outside London www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Ministers aim to export London’s academic success to England’s struggling schools

Exclusive: Bridget Phillipson says Rise scheme will use techniques from Blair government’s London Challenge

www.theguardian.com

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Simon Parker @simonparker.bsky.social · Jul 21

Just imagine a world in which streets were cleaner, high streets better maintained, crime was a bit lower, there were more good jobs, public transport was a bit more frequent, council tax bills didn't go up 5% every year, some new libraries and leisure centres open. These are things people notice.

Tom Arnold @tjarnold.bsky.social · Jul 21

Increasingly convinced the cheapest way to address this is to reverse local government austerity. Returning English local authority budgets to 2010 levels would cost about £7bn. Factor in population and demographic change and you'd want maybe £15bn. Benefits could be seen quickly and felt widely.

Jonn Elledge @jonnelledge.bsky.social · Jul 21

"The truly unnerving thing about the fall of Rome (yes, I’m going there again, sorry) was that most Romans probably didn’t notice it had happened."

Morning all!

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Alex Thomas @alexgathomas.bsky.social · Jul 13

Story tonight about our joint open letter to The Times

We’re calling for the guidance that is preventing civil servants from participating in public and stakeholder events to be withdrawn

www.thetimes.com/article/2e4f...

Sir Keir Starmer is facing growing demands to ditch a new government edict that bans senior health officials, military leaders and even the head of the civil service from speaking openly in public.
In a letter in today's Times the leaders of more than a dozen think tanks, including the Royal Society and Nuffield Trust, warned the prime minister that the new rule was having a "chilling effect on public discussion" with some events already being cancelled.
In private, several former cabinet secretaries are understood to have made their concerns clear to Downing Street.
The new rules have even been condemned by Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's former head of communications, who was himself not shy about controlling the messaging of No10.

In their letter the think tanks describe the new rules as a "mistake", saying that
"effective government" relies on public servants hearing directly from businesses, charities and citizens to help them make better policy. They warned: "They should be able to explain government activity to those same groups. It the guidance] is causing confusion and a chilling effect on public discussion. The government should withdraw it."

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Giles Wilkes @gilesyb.bsky.social · Jul 8

I am writing a policy pamphlet. Here are all the ways to demonstrate I don't really have a policy answer, that I need to avoid:

a. You call for a "national conversation or debate"
b. You suggest that what is needed is “a change in culture”
1/

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Carsten Jung @carsjung.bsky.social · Jun 16

Excited to be hiring a Senior AI Research Fellow @ippr.org . With AI progressing rapidly, the economic and social impacts could be huge – from job disruption to misinformation. We design bold, sector-specific policies to ensure AI delivers public value.

www.ippr.org/jobs/senior-...

Senior Research Fellow, AI and the economy | IPPR

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) is an independent charity working towards a fairer, greener, and more prosperous society.

www.ippr.org

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Gemma Tetlow @gemmatetlow.bsky.social · Jun 11

If you missed our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk webinar this afternoon, with our take on the Spending Review, you can listen/watch back here www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/2025-s...

with @njdavies.bsky.social @drbenpaxton.bsky.social and @jillongovt.bsky.social

What choices did the government make in the 2025 spending review? | Institute for Government

IfG experts provided instant analysis of what Rachel Reeves’s spending review means for public services, investment and the government’s missions.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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James Marriott @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social · Jun 7

I wrote this about how to read and why.

Books remain the best technology ever invented to understand life and the world. There is no alternative.

Every book you read helps you build a richer picture of the entire world.

jmarriott.substack.com/p/how-i-read

How to read and why

I love reading and I love advice about how to read.

jmarriott.substack.com

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Thomas Pope @tompope.bsky.social · Jun 6

What are we @instituteforgovernment.org.uk looking out for at next week's spending review?

Our latest comment highlights six key questions 1/9

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/spen...

Spending review 2025: Six key questions for Rachel Reeves to answer | Institute for Government

IfG experts set out the six questions they will be looking out for at the spending review.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Emma Norris @emmanorris.bsky.social · Jun 5

Thrilled to be appointed as Director of Policy and Politics at @ippr.org, after a decade with the amazing team here at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk IPPR is a powerhouse of progressive thinking, and this is the moment it is needed most. Looking forward to getting started later this summer.

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Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · May 22

If you are interested in public policy do look at the new @theifs.bsky.social report on the impact of Sure Start - a powerful piece of work. Here are the estimated benefits and costs.

Really pleased @nuffieldfoundation.org supported this programme of work.

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Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · May 14

EVENT | Effective urban leadership: What are the international lessons for England’s mayors?

Join us on 21 May to discuss what lessons England’s mayors can learn from other countries with Jorrit de Jong, Director of Bloomberg Center for Cities.

🎫
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/effect...