Paddy McAlary

The government's digital ID plan: Why now and what for? | Institute for Government An expert panel discusses what problems digital ID would solve and the challenges of implementing the policy.

1/ At the IfG, we have been following the government’s announcements on digital ID closely. Last month, we were joined by an expert panel to discuss the potential opportunities and challenges of implementing the policy.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...

1/ Last month, the government released a new list of its parliamentary private secretaries and cabinet committees following September’s reshuffle.

Our explainers are updated with the new numbers!

Here are some key takeaways from the releases…

As bad as your day might be, it could be worse, you could be the person who accidentally published the OBR's budget document a couple of hours early: obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...

Ministers’ own words are instructive on what has to change in the Treasury HMT is a big beast in need of some housetraining but ministers outside the department also need to learn how to make the Treasury work for them

Pleased to have written an op-ed for @civilserviceworld.bsky.social outlining some of the lessons from our new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report, Ministers Reflect on the Treasury.
www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/...

Rachel Reeves told the FT how helpful she's found Jeremy Hunt's advice on being chancellor - I wonder if this is one of the things they've discussed?

From the great new IfG report from Shaina and Paddy - essential reading ahead of the Budget!

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Quote graphic with “#Ministers Reflect” and a statement about the chancellor’s power over money, attributed to Jeremy Hunt — Chancellor of the Exchequer (2022–24), whose portrait appears to the right of the quote. The quote reads: "I think most of your power does revolve around the decisions you can make over money [...as chancellor] that puts you in a very different position to every other cabinet minister, including the prime minister." The Institute for Government logo is in the corner of the image.

New paper, 'Ministers reflect on the Treasury' from @paddy-mcalary.bsky.social and me for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk. Pre-budget, we've compiled insights from 10 years of Ministers Reflect interviews, plus rex from the IfG catalogue on HMT. Favourite quotes to follow! 1/🧵 tinyurl.com/38anhkc7

"I think most of your power does revolve around the decisions you can make over money [as chancellor] that puts you in a very different position to every other cabinet minister, including the prime minister." Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the exchequer (2022-24)

NEW | Ministers Reflect on the Treasury

Drawing on over a decade of interviews with over 150 ministers, our new report explores the Treasury’s role and the tensions it creates across Whitehall www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Combined epidemiological and economic modelling | Institute for Government The pandemic showed the need for government to improve its use of modelling.

As the covid inquiry gears up for Module 9 on economic policy, @gemmatetlow.bsky.social and I have a new @ukri.org-funded @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report out on Epi-econ modelling for pandemics. We set out why govt needs to invest now 1/🧵
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

A column chart from the Institute for Government of 19 to 21 year-old care leavers by activity, 2025 showing that 40% were not in education, training or employment.

New data shows 40% of 19 to 21 year-old care leavers were not in employment, education or training in March this year (15,000 young people).

For all 19 to 21 year-olds, that figure is estimated at 15%.

This is really part of a longer story about the ONS, and the picture we have (or don't) of the state and society. The move from International Passenger Surveys to DWP data should improve our understanding of what Brits are doing at least.

Come join us next Monday for a conversation about all things fast stream!

Are you interested in the fast stream’s role in the wider civil service recruitment ecosystem, and what the future fast stream reform efforts focus on?

Join us next Monday for our event How can the fast stream deliver more for the civil service?

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/civil-...

Performance Tracker 2025: Schools | Institute for Government It will be extremely difficult for the government to meet its education priorities within the budget it has set for the coming parliament.

NEW REPORT Labour is struggling to meet its education priorities. It has big ambitions to improve schools, but a budget that falls short of matching them. And with no clear plans to reform the SEND system or tackle workforce shortages, children are being left without the support they need.

The government must explain and defend its grooming gang inquiry decisions | Institute for Government Some disagreement when setting up an inquiry isn’t necessarily bad – but how it is handled matters.

New @instituteforgovernment.org.uk comment from me

The chaos surrounding the grooming gangs inquiry last week highlights much deeper problems with the way the government sets up public inquiries

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/groo...

Public Services Performance Tracker 2025 | Institute for Government Labour’s public service plans are less than the sum of their parts.

4 patterns we're seeing in adult social care, children's social care and homelessness services (with graphs)

And what govt should do about it

A thread from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk's NEW jumbo report (read 1 get 3 free) on the state of local government services and finance 👇

Immigration and asylum: Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem, Reform and Green positions | Institute for Government What have the different political parties announced on immigration and asylum in the run up to – and during – the 2025 autumn conference season?

PSA: We have a new (and long) @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer out on the immigration and asylum policies of the major parties (of England...) following a flurry of announcements all year and around conference season, in particular.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/im...

Ethics and Integrity Commission | Institute for Government The government has established its new ethics regulator, the Ethics and Integrity Commission.

The government has established its new ethics regulator, the Ethics and Integrity Commission.

So what will the commission do? What are its responsibilities? And what other changes have the government made to the ethics and standards system? www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/et...

Ethics and Integrity Commission | Institute for Government The government has established its new ethics regulator, the Ethics and Integrity Commission.

As the new Ethics and Integrity Commission launches today, our explainer sets out what the commission looks like and what it will do www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/et...

Ministerial Code Ministerial Code setting out the standards of conduct expected of ministers and how they discharge their duties.

We have an updated ministerial code! The new code makes clear that ministers "are expected" to pay back any severance payment if they quickly get a new ministerial job or are found to have broken the rules on post-government jobs

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

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.

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...

On Friday evening we officially welcomed our newest members of the Fellowship of Queens'. Their admission took place in our beautiful chapel and they were welcomed in by our President, Dame Menna Rawlings. Many congratulations and welcome to Queens'.💚

So after promising to cut "wasteful spending" and council tax Reform has:
- Found no waste and instead plans to cut invest-to-save schemes
- Will now raise council tax by the full 5%
- Realised they don't control asylum spending

A staggering amount of failure in 5 months

Pride in Place Strategy The Pride in Place Strategy will help build stronger communities, create thriving places and empower local people.

The govt published its strategy to revitalise local communities last week

There is a heavy focus on directing funding to high streets and community spaces, which is part of the reason for declining "pride in place"

But it seems misguided for a few reasons

Short thread

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

Excellent coverage of the latest fast stream recruitment data from @tevyemarkson.bsky.social (also featuring analysis from our recent @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report). The CSFS is attracting rising numbers of applicants – so what happens once they're on the scheme is even more important.

This interview is so much worse than the headline lets on

September 2025 reshuffle: new-look government gets down to business | Institute for Government A week has passed since Keir Starmer launched biggest reshuffle of his premiership.

2025 reshuffle: That's a wrap! Who's who in Starmer's cabinet 2.0 and what are the seven things we've learned?

@timdurrant.bsky.social , @philipnye.bsky.social, @rebeccamckee.bsky.social , @jackpannell.bsky.social @paddy-mcalary.bsky.social

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...

Angela Rayner's resignation on Friday means that a contest to replace her as deputy leader of the Labour Party has started.

Read my first explainer at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk to find out how the process will work, who is running, and when will we find out who Rayner's successor will be!

Starmer government reshuffle: PM's new cabinet takes shape | Institute for Government What does the government look like after the weekend's changes?

Thanks to @jackpannell.bsky.social for putting these together. Follow the rest of the team @timdurrant.bsky.social @paddy-mcalary.bsky.social & others at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk for more post-shuffle analysis

And keep an eye on the live blog www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...

A table from the IfG showing the parliamentary private secretary roles that newly-appointed ministers held before being appointed - the original table is available at https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/starmer-reshuffle-september-2025

Fascinating analysis from @paddy-mcalary.bsky.social on the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk blog of the new ministers: 14 of the 19 new MPs in their first ministerial role were previously parliamentary private secretaries

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...

Chart from the Institute for Govt showing the degree of change in the reshuffle

What happened with ministerial changes over the weekend? @instituteforgovernment.org.uk has kept an eye on it - there are *62* ministers in new roles, meaning around half the government are in a new role today

Keep an eye on our analysis here:

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...