Adam Terry

Big moment here as for the first time since 2020 not one of my 5 most played songs of the year came from the soundtrack to Disney's Cars

Josh Simons MP speaking at the Britain Renewed 2025 conference

Great opening speech by @joshsimonsmp.bsky.social at the @futuregovforum.bsky.social & @uclpolicylab.bsky.social 'Britain Renewed 2025' conference today.

Spoke of the need for radical disruption and to root public services in place, to put relationships at their heart and build a responsive state.

The Budget didn’t ‘go big’, but it did deliver a raft of promising reforms to the state: the return of Total Place, new PPPs to finance infrastructure, measures to support scale-ups, and much more besides.

The task now is to get delivery right.

Read on for my take 🧵

Read @futuregovforum.bsky.social Chief Economist @danrcorry.bsky.social on the Budget:

The Chancellor opted not to go for The Big One when raising revenue. Will a combo of smaller tax rises - and, crucially, an articulation of what they are *for* - pay off?

www.publicfinance.co.uk/opinion/2025...

In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street is the culmination of an in-depth investigation by FGF into the centre of government.

Polly was on the advisory group for our recent report 'In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street', which she mentions in the blog as a source of ideas for building the team and operation the PM needs to hand.

You can read the full report here: www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/in-...

Friendship is magic. Lessons for No10 from the My Little Ponyverse

What can No 10 learn from My Little Pony?

A lot, it turns out - you need Applejacks, Raritys, Fluttershys, Rainbow Dashes & Twilight Sparkles as well as Pinkie Pies...

Great blog by @pollymackenzie.bsky.social on @futuregovforum.bsky.social substack:

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/friendship...

Written evidence: PAC inquiry on government’s use of private finance for infrastructure - Future Governance Forum Filling the UK’s over £300 billion infrastructure deficit will not be possible with public investment alone. If the government is to repair Britain’s crumbling public realm and ramp up investment and ...

June's 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy opened the door to using public-private partnerships. We've proposed a new, progressive model called Infrastructure Investment Partnerships. You can read more in our submission to the Public Accounts Committee

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/wri...

The Budget is a chance to show voters that this government is serious about fixing Britain’s broken infrastructure By introducing a new model of public-private partnerships, Rachel Reeves could send an unambiguous signal that change is coming.

New from me for @futuregovforum.bsky.social: while much of the conversation ahead of next week's Budget has focused on tax and day-to-day spend decisions, there's also an important call for the Chancellor to make on how to fund new infrastructure

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/the-budget...

The Budget is a chance to show voters that this government is serious about fixing Britain’s broken infrastructure By introducing a new model of public-private partnerships, Rachel Reeves could send an unambiguous signal that change is coming.

This govt's £120bn boost in infrastructure spend is significant - but it won’t fill the £300bn infrastructure gap.

The Budget shld launch a new public-private partnership model to fix our crumbling public realm & regenerate communities.

✍️ @adamterryfgf.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/futurego...

Step 3 is reinvesting some of the £3-5bn that would save via two funds: one to invest in communities that have hosted asylum hotels; another to build thousands of new homes to boost the supply of temporary accommodation.

Full set of proposals to be published later this week.

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Step 2 would be a 'Homes for Ukraine'-style scheme for security‑vetted asylum seekers awaiting their decisions, with people hosting newcomers in their homes

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Then, she proposes a three-step plan to end the contentious use of asylum hotels - three years earlier than the govt's plans.

Step 1 is to give limited leave to remain to those who whose claims are almost certain to be approved - enabling them to work, reducing the need for state support

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Asylum Management Centres: A new approach to tackle small boat crossings - Future Governance Forum A realistic path to reduce dangerous small boat crossings and restore control at the border - while upholding international law.

Beth argues we need different measures to genuinely 'stop the boats'. The first of these - set out in a @futuregovforum.bsky.social report earlier this year - is to expand the 1-in-1-out deal with France and establish new 'Asylum Management Centres'

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/asy...

'From signals to system change: we need practical reforms that could cut asylum backlogs and end hotel use' - LabourList The Home secretary sent a big signal on the future of asylum laws in the UK. But here are more practical steps she could take says Beth Gardiner-Smith.

After the Home Secretary's statement on asylum yesterday - largely focused on addressing 'pull factors' for those making the dangerous Channel crossing by small boat - my colleague @bethgardiner-smith.bsky.social has written a piece for @labourlist.bsky.social

labourlist.org/2025/11/asyl...

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As @helenmiller.bsky.social from said when accepting the award, the evening was a great reminder of the vitality of the UK's think tank sector - organisations of all sizes, specialisms and political leanings - at a time when we really need new and innovative thinking to tackle big policy challenges

Other big winners from the night included @jo3hill.bsky.social from @re-state.bsky.social as 'Think Tanker of the Year' and @theifs.bsky.social as 'Think Tank of the Year'.

Massive well done to all those who won, and to @smartthinking.bsky.social's Emily Redding for masterminding the whole thing!

Really proud of the whole team at @futuregovforum.bsky.social for being highly commended as 'One To Watch' at the inaugural @smartthinking.bsky.social awards last night. A real achievement less than two years after we launched.

And congrats to @britishprogress.org who took home the award!

'A Department for the Prime Minister could renew delivery – and trust – in politics' - LabourList A 'department for the Prime Minister' could help ensure delivery on the PM's agenda - rebuilding trust in politics argues Nathan Yeowell of Future Governance Forum.

Plummeting levels of public trust and a government operating model that is not fit for purpose are not unique problems of a Labour government. But it is a Labour government that needs to fix them. Me in today's @labourlist.bsky.social

labourlist.org/2025/11/depa...

In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street is the culmination of an in-depth investigation by FGF into the centre of government.

And if you want to dive into more detail on it all, you can read the full report - 'In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street' - here: www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/in-...

'A Department for the Prime Minister could renew delivery – and trust – in politics' - LabourList A 'department for the Prime Minister' could help ensure delivery on the PM's agenda - rebuilding trust in politics argues Nathan Yeowell of Future Governance Forum.

ICYMI, this week @futuregovforum.bsky.social published our latest report, the result of an in-depth investigation into how the centre of govt operates.

Today our director @yeowell.bsky.social writes for @labourlist.bsky.social on our key findings & recommendations: labourlist.org/2025/11/depa...

Keir Starmer has said 'the fight for trust is the battle that defines our age'.

That fight can only be won if govt is once again seen to deliver, as a force for good.

And that can only happen if the state is properly configured to achieve it.

'In Power 01' sets out how we think you can do that.

Special adviser appointments and the constitution | Institute for Government The constitutional rules around politically appointed advisers and impartial civil servants is now based on legislation and codes of conduct.

The new Downing St should have its own hiring practices, including being able to recruit people on a single contract so as to get the best hires, regardless of background.

This great @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer sets out what's possible: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/sp...

Alongside changes to structures and process, we also recommend a cultural reset at the centre of govt, so that it is much more outward-facing and has real clarity of purpose, clarity of roles and responsibilities, and is set up to attract and retain the very best talent from across the UK

Organisation of new Downing St dept around four groups - Politics and Strategy, Policy and Delivery, Diplomacy and Security, plus No.10/Private Office - with x-cutting Communications and Political teams

We propose a new, standalone department for the PM - 'Downing Street' - bringing the UK in line with other democracies like Australia, Canada and Sweden who all have this in place.

Our model would see this new dept organised around four groups

This is exactly the kind of sober, radical rethink we need, focused on redistributing power so the government can, y'know, Do Things.

I've been involved in a small way, and am finishing a companion paper, on which more soon.

From all our conversations and research, one conclusion was clear: the centre of govt is not set up to help the PM deliver, and hasn't been for a while.

If Keir Starmer and team are to deliver on their political programme and rebuild trust in govt from historic lows, they need to reform the centre

In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street is the culmination of an in-depth investigation by FGF into the centre of government.

Incredibly proud of our new @futuregovforum.bsky.social report on how to reform the centre of govt.

'Transforming Downing St' is the culmination of a huge amount of team work and 100+ interviews with a range of experts throughout 2025

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/in-...

In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street is the culmination of an in-depth investigation by FGF into the centre of government.

OUT NOW – In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street

New FGF report urges the Prime Minister to create a dedicated ‘Downing Street’ department equipped to drive his agenda.

Full report ⬇️
www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/in-...

Ahead of Budget, where do voters stand on tax and the dilemmas facing government?

Big new @persuasionuk.bsky.social report out today on this.

TL;DR as risky as breaching the manifesto is for Lab - failing on public services, cost of living and child poverty is *far riskier* for Lab.

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How Labour can attack deportation plans I suggested an app called “Will the Tories/Reform deport you?”. Then someone actually made it

How Labour can attack deportation plans, by Phil Tinline