Harriet Shaw

Me, @matthewfright.bsky.social and @meganisaac.bsky.social on another messy u-turn.

Working in the think tank sector Webinar for undergraduates or those with similar experience interested in working in the sector Think tanks are research organisations that develop ideas and suggestions for action on a whole range of subjects affecting society. Using research, analysis and commentary, we aim to inform and influence politicians, policy makers and the public. This event is aimed at people from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups, people with work-limiting health conditions or impairments, young adults with caring responsibilities (including young parents), mature students, people from lower-income backgrounds, care leavers and LGBT+ students. Wednesday 18 February 2026 3:30 pm - 6:05 pm

Thinking of a career in think tanks?

On Wednesday, we're hosting a webinar for undergraduates or those with similar experience interested in working in the sector. We'll have speakers from numerous organisations sharing their insight and experience.

Register here 👉 buff.ly/a3cO0df

We're heading out of London again🐝... Join us on 25 Feb in Manchester (or online) for our fourth #IfGDevoLab as GMCA, WECA and Homes England share what works - real lessons on how mayors can boost the supply of affordable homes 🏡

Great thread from @matthewfright.bsky.social on the government's reversal of the local election delay. Ultimately the right outcome but yet another messy u-turn that's cost time and goodwill.

An image for an IfG event:In conversation with Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Leader of Plaid Cymru Monday 02 March 2026, 12:30 — 13:30 (GMT)

EVENT | In conversation with Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Leader of Plaid Cymru

📆 Mon 2 March, 12:30–13:30

Join us to hear @rhunapiorwerth.bsky.social discuss the 2026 Senedd election, his plan for government, and @plaidcymru.bsky.social’s vision for Wales www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/rhun-a...

Local elections 2026 | Institute for Government On Thursday, 7 May 2026, local elections will take place in many parts of England.

1/ With only a few months until the May elections, in this new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer we outline where elections are going ahead, where they aren’t, and what’s at stake🧵👇

 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/lo...

IfG DevoLab #3: How devolution can improve transport connectivity | Institute for Government The IfG was in Leeds to explore how mayors and local leaders can use devolved powers to improve regional transport connectivity.

Big developments for NPR. Gvt has set out a phased £45bn plan to improve rail across the North, starting with upgrades in Yorkshire.

As we highlighted at our DevoLab event, improving regional transport is key for driving growth and opportunity: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/devola...

Today at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk we have spent the day looking ahead to the key questions for government in 2026. With crucial elections in Scotland, Wales and English councils in May, what are Kezia Dugdale, Guto Harri, Akash Paun and Luke Tryl looking out for?🧵

Starting soon! Definitely one to tune into

Whitehall Monitor 2026 | Institute for Government Labour’s efforts to ‘rewire the state’ aren’t addressing longstanding workforce problems.

📢NEW REPORT📢
Every year @instituteforgovernment.org.uk sets out the latest on the civil service - size, professions, pay, morale. You name it, we analyse it. This year's report is out today.
If you're interested in state capacity, you should be interested in what's happening in the civil service. 🧵

We are really pleased to announce that our Government 2026 annual conference at the IfG will kick start with a keynote speech by Wes Streeting at 8:30am. He will be in conversation with @drhannahwhite.bsky.social

Join us online:
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...

An image for an IfG event. Elections 2026: How could votes in England, Scotland and Wales reshape British politics? Tuesday 13 January, 13:45 - 14:45 Kezia Dugdale, former Leader of the Scottish Labour Party and Associate Director of the Centre for Public Policy Guto Harri, Broadcaster and former No.10 Director of Communications Akash Paun, Programme Director (Devolution) at the Institute for Government Luke Tryl, Director of More in Common This session will be chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Elections 2026: How could votes in England, Scotland and Wales reshape British politics?

Join us at Government 2026 on Tuesday 13 January when we will discuss with @kezdugdale.bsky.social, Guto Harri, @akashpaun.bsky.social @luketryl.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...

1/ Earlier this month, the government indicated that it would postpone the inaugural May 2026 mayoral elections in four areas on the Devolution Priority Programme (DPP).

But what is the DPP? Why are these places getting mayors? And why are they undergoing local government reorganisation? 🧵

Mayoral elections in priority areas should be held in May 2027 at the very latest | Institute for Government The government has not made a convincing case for postponement.

Great new piece from @akashpaun.bsky.social on the decision to delay next year’s mayoral elections.

“even on the government's own terms… then the case for shifting these polls to 2027 is far stronger than delaying them until 2028”

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/mayo...

Learning from the DevoLab #1: How devolution can address health inequalities | Institute for Government Three case studies of how devolved powers have been used to address health inequalities.

9/ Our briefing shows that while health isn’t formally devolved, mayors and combined authorities can play a powerful role in tackling inequalities.

Explore our 10 lessons and case studies in full here: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

8/ Building wider understanding of health inequalities in a region helps embed successful programmes. The GLA Public Health Unit promotes this through online resources, webinars and masterclasses.

7/ Integration across services is vital but hard. Mayors can help, but success depends local authorities, NHS, schools, the police and others working together. GMCA’s Working Well improves integration with single contact points and local integration plans

6/ Mayors’ convening powers aid cross-sector collaboration. In South Yorkshire, Mayor Oliver Coppard chairs the Integrated Care Partnership, using this role to secure buy-in for the Beds for Babies programme.

5/ The case studies provide 10 lessons as to how mayors and strategic authorities can address health inequalities. Some highlights include...

4/ Our policy briefing looks at three case studies where devolved powers have been used to address health inequalities

➡️‘Beds for Babies: Safe Space to Sleep’, in South Yorkshire
➡️‘Working Well’, in Greater Manchester
➡️‘Taking a “health in all policies” approach’, in Greater London

3/ Although health is not a devolved function within England, many regional mayors have identified addressing health inequalities as an important objective and the government now plans to confer a new statutory health improvement and health inequalities duty on all mayoral strategic authorities.

2/ There are stark health inequalities in England. In 2021–23, male healthy life expectancy was seven years longer in London than in the North East. Within London, male healthy life expectancy ranged from 57.8 years in Lewisham to 69.5 years in Richmond upon Thames.

1/ Today we publish the first policy briefing in our new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk DevoLab series. In partnership with @impurbanhealth.bsky.social, and following on from our event in July, we’ve explored how devolution can address health inequalities 🧵

The decision to delay mayoral elections reflects poorly on the government, and is a disappointing step back in a policy area in which they had previously been making real progress.

More from @akashpaun.bsky.social, @matthewfright.bsky.social, @meganisaac.bsky.social and me, below 👇

An image ad for the IfG's one-day conference. Government 2026 on Tuesday 13 January, 09:00-17:00 In the right corner is an image of 10 Downing Street.

Government 2026: IfG's annual conference 🚨

Join us on Tuesday 13 January as we bring together influential speakers to explore the key questions for government over the next 12 months.

Register to attend online 👇 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...

With @grantthorntonuk.bsky.social

New funding plans for mayors may not have made the headlines last week but they represent important steps on the government's journey to 'complete the map' of English devolution.

More from me, @akashpaun.bsky.social and @matthewfright.bsky.social below.

LIVE BLOG | Autumn budget 2025: Rachel Reeves prepares to announce tax measures | Institute for Government IfG experts analyse Reeves' budget and explore what the chancellor's plans for the economy, tax and spending mean.

LIVE BLOG | Autumn budget 2025 🚨

As Rachel Reeves prepares to announce tax measures, what formal announcements have we had so far and what can we expect in the next 24 hours?

Follow our live blog for our analysis of the chancellor's plans
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/au...

The opportunity gap facing boys from low-income families at age 5 and beyond | Institute for Government Early attainment gaps mean some boys don't just start behind, they stay behind.

NEW: Report from me and @nehaldavison.bsky.social on how and why boys from low-income families get left behind in their early years
🧵⬇️
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

RAG table showing ratings for 9 public services. It includes the following summaries for progress since the 2024 election: General practice - Progress on salaried GPs, but no steps taken to make partnership more attractive Hospitals - Government has set out high-level ambitions and reduced competing priorities, but no detail of implementation Adult social care - Largely ignored. Ending the care visa route without a workable solution for Fair Pay Agreements could cause workforce shortages Children's social care - Government has set out a clear and ambitious vision for reform and has backed it with relatively generous funding Homelessness - Early signs are encouraging, but government has yet to set out its homelessness strategy Schools - Government's plan to reduce inequalities in schools and tackle teacher shortages are unclear, and the crisis in SEND services casts a long shadow Police - Government has made limited progress in increasing neighbourhood officer numbers and has yet to announce details of planned reforms Criminal Courts - Increasing court sitting days was welcome, if done too late, but the government has yet to announce a longer-term plan Prisons - Rapid action addressed the immediate population crisis, but there has been limited progress towards a longer-term solution

NEW: Labour inherited public services in crisis. Performance had fallen, investment had been cut + spending plans were undeliverable.

It's made some progress, providing stability and positive long-term plans. But it has been undermined by poor prep in opposition and lack of co-ordination in govt 🧵

In conversation with John Swinney MSP, First Minister of Scotland | Institute for Government John Swinney joins us to discuss his priorities as First Minister, and the SNP’s vision ahead of the 2026 Scottish parliament election.

1/ Tomorrow, @instituteforgovernment.org.uk will be joined by First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, to reflect on his first 18 months in office and discuss Scotland's political and constitutional future.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/john-s...