Adam Terry

It’s the despair that’s going to kill us Time to cheer up

My hero is a farmer, not a duck. Which will only make sense if you read this new piece by me, the start of a new substack which I am bravely calling How To Run A Country.

howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/its-the-de...

Labour’s vision of industrial strategy | British Politics and Policy at LSE Labour' industrial strategy tackles some of the big questions on the relationship between government interference and the market, but leaves others unadressed.

'Every government has some kind of industrial policy'

@futuregovforum.bsky.social Chief Economist @danrcorry.bsky.social takes a look under the bonnet of this govt's Industrial Strategy to see what it tells us, and where there are Qs to be answered at the Budget

blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...

Mission Critical 04: Building a new relationship between people and the state - Future Governance Forum Mission Critical 04: Building a new relationship between people and the state, proposes a framework for delivering a new relationship between people and the state to enable the delivery of the nationa...

To build on that, today @futuregovforum.bsky.social publishes our latest 'Mission Critical' report.

It argues for a new relationship between people and the state: a virtuous cycle of participation, power and outcome-based policymaking.

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www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/mis...

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

Just ahead of Labour Conference, the govt announced a major new initiative: the £5bn 'Pride in Place' programme, billed as 'a new way for government to work in partnership with communities and neighbourhoods'.

It's a really significant new programme: www.gov.uk/government/p...

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Future Governance Forum | Impact Devolution 03 A toolkit for regional growthand industrial strategy

You can read the full report here, which we hope will be a big help to all parts of government - UK, devolved nations, regional and local - in turning the ambition of June's industrial strategy into action.

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/imp...

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We'll be discussing the report at Labour conference next week: Alex will be in conversation with @annabel-smith.bsky.social, Mayor Helen Godwin, Antonia Bance MP and James Tyler of Equinix.

Join us bright and early on Monday morning if you'll be there!

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Five tools to make regional growth a reality The Future Governance Forum

Keeping it practical, Alex proposes 'a toolkit, not a wishlist' for the government - from getting public investment into the places that need it most, to creating new regional banks that are 'close enough to get it, big enough to act'

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/five-tools...

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Alex, a former Chief of Staff to the Welsh First Minister, argues that if places across the country are to feel 'on the up again' then the state itself is going to need to change.

We need a more 'reliable, capable and purposeful' state to make sure every part of the country benefits

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OUT TODAY: @futuregovforum.bsky.social Research Fellow Alex Bevan has written his first report for us:

'Impactful Devolution 03: A toolkit for regional growth and industrial strategy' looks at how to make sure place is central to the government's mission to raise growth and living standards

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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.

This is part of @futuregovforum.bsky.social's Future of Asylum project, led by @bethgardiner-smith.bsky.social and @emilyagraham.bsky.social. Akiko's is the first of a series of essays to be published soon, and follows our first report on this in May

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

Rewrite the Story or Risk It All: Labour’s Test on Human Rights Akiko Hart is the Director of Liberty.

Really timely piece from Akiko Hart, Director of @libertyhq.bsky.social, on the ECHR: context about what it does (and does not) do, options for reform at both UK and European level, and - most importantly of all - how progressives should talk about it

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/rewrite-th...

Green Book tweaks are all well and good; it’s making them stick that counts - Future Governance Forum Green Book tweaks are all well and good; it’s making them stick that counts Dan Corry, FGF Chief Economist and former  Green Book tweaks are all well and good; it’s making them stick that counts Dan C...

The Green Book section includes comments from @futuregovforum.bsky.social Chief Economist @danrcorry.bsky.social - who's seen these debates from inside No.10, HMT and Whitehall depts over the years - and who has written more about this here: www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/2025/06/13/g...

Spending Review 2025 recap: Here's everything you need to know A deep dive into the Spending Review 2025 documents to fish out the details that matter to civil servants. Words by Tevye Markson, Jim Dunton, Suza...

This @civilserviceworld.bsky.social piece is a great primer on some of the major announcements in the recent Comprehensive Spending Review: on govt efficiency, the £3.25bn Transformation Fund and review of the HMT 'Green Book'

www.civilserviceworld.com/in-depth/art...

How government can make a splash reforming our water sector By Dan Corry, Chief Economist, The Future Governance Forum

Last month Jon Cunliffe's review of the water sector recommended a regulatory change-up, including scrapping Ofwat.

My colleague @danrcorry.bsky.social - who knows a thing or two about regulation - sets out some of the Qs this now poses for the govt: futuregovforum.substack.com/p/how-govern...

How government can make a splash reforming our water sector By Dan Corry, Chief Economist, The Future Governance Forum

Read a new article by FGF Chief Economist @danrcorry.bsky.social which analyses government plans to reform our water sector and big questions about what a new regulatory system should look like ⬇️⬇️⬇️

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/how-govern...

Mission Critical 03: Mission-driven partnerships with civil society organisations - Future Governance Forum To fulfill ambitious missions, Government must form a genuine two-way partnership between civil society and the state.

This relationship is really important for us at FGF - we launched our Social Insights Panel to coincide with the govt's new 'Civil Society Covenant' - and earlier this yr reported on how a mission-driven govt should work with civil society

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/mis...

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Emma draws out three lessons for govt when engaging with civil society:

1. Going to places is not the same as getting to know them
2. Collaboration begins with respect for each other's time
3. Duty and purpose can pull us apart - or bring us together

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One leader’s reflections on moving from the civil service to civil society - Future Governance Forum Six months ago, I left the civil service to take up a new role leading UK Community Foundations (UKCF). After many years spent in the centre of government – predominantly in No10 and the Cabinet Offic...

ICYMI, @futuregovforum.bsky.social had a fantastic blog last month from Emma de Closset at @ukcf.bsky.social‬ reflecting on her move from civil service to civil society [1/3]

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/2025/07/16/o...

On Times Radio @harrywallop.co.uk show - @philtinline.bsky.social explains FGF’s proposal to improve the asylum system by setting up Asylum Management Centres in France.

Listen from 1hr, 38mins 55 secs ⬇️

@emilyagraham.bsky.social @bethgardiner-smith.bsky.social

www.thetimes.com/radio/show/2...

Thanks - do get in touch if you'd be interested to talk further

If you'd be interested in finding out more about the panel - and we've got an exciting year ahead, with plenty to get stuck into - then drop me or convener John Lehal a line. Always happy to chat to people about our work

FGF’s new Business Panel brings business leaders and policymakers together to tackle the country’s big challenges By John Lehal, Convenor of The Future Governance Forum Business Panel.

Last month was the first meeting of our @futuregovforum.bsky.social Business Panel - alongside our civil society and local/regional govt networks, this is a chance for business leaders, policymakers & experts to talk tackling the UK's big challenges

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/fgfs-new-b...

FGF’s new Business Panel brings business leaders and policymakers together to tackle the country’s big challenges By John Lehal, Convenor of The Future Governance Forum Business Panel.

John Lehal is Convenor of FGF’s Business Panel and has written an excellent article about its work bringing business leaders & policymakers together to tackle the country’s big challenges.

Read John’s article here ⬇️⬇️⬇️
futuregovforum.substack.com/p/fgfs-new-b...

How design capabilities could help the government deliver their national missions By Nigel Ball, Jenny Haigh, Lucy Kimbell, Ramia Mazé, Esme Trevelyan, Niki Wallace and Grace Wyld

It shows government wanting to be more collaborative, experimental and outcome-focused in its policy design process.

@futuregovforum.bsky.social and UAL hosted a workshop earlier this year to build just these capabilities in government.

Read more here:

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/how-design...

Public Design Evidence Review: A Brief Guide (HTML)

Among the flurry of 'end of term' govt announcements, last week saw a particularly exciting one for those of us who want to see the state become more innovative and agile:

@georgiagould.bsky.social and the Cabinet Office published the new Public Design Evidence Review

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

Mission Critical 03: Mission-driven partnerships with civil society organisations - Future Governance Forum To fulfill ambitious missions, Government must form a genuine two-way partnership between civil society and the state.

The panel will support Test, Learn and Grow while creating a wider authorising environment for govt to go further and faster.

This builds on our 'Mission Critical 03' report out earlier this yr.

It's all v exciting and we can't wait to get started!

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/mis...

Announcing the Social Insights Panel: a new FGF project led by Polly Neate (Picture credit: Honor Elliot)

At @futuregovforum.bsky.social we were delighed to announce our own new initiative alongside the Covenant:

A new 'Social Insights Panel', led by @pollyneate.bsky.social, to bring civil society expertise to bear on x-cutting, 'wicked' challenges

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/announcing...

Taken together - and it's important that they should be seen as linked - this shows the govt making good on commitments to:

1. Be more innovative and experimental in how it delivers
2. 'Govern in partnership', seeing the national missions as a genuine whole-of-society effort

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PM set to reshape how Government works with communities to tackle Britain’s biggest challenges The Prime Minister will launch the Civil Society Covenant – a new way of working that puts people at the heart of government.

Last week saw two big steps in the Starmer govt's determination to govern differently:

On Weds we had the next stage of the Cabinet Office's 'Test, Learn, Grow' programme and then on Thu a No.10 summit to launch the new 'Civil Society Covenant'

www.gov.uk/government/n...

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The left can’t count on 16-year-olds’ votes – but here’s ... Young people want politicians who speak to them on platforms they actually use. One is doing this very well. His name is Nigel…

"Young people are not asking for perfection; they are asking for honesty, engagement and respect."

Fantastic piece by my colleague @shuab.bsky.social on the battle for 16-18 yr old votes and why progressives shouldn't assume they're in the bag

observer.co.uk/news/opinion...