Daniel Howes

Antonia Romeo needs to reinvigorate the civil service | Institute for Government The cabinet secretary’s long-term success depends on her ability to reform the state.

More great analysis over at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk website, including this important comment from my colleagues in the civil service team on the big job Romeo is facing: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/anto...

Antonia Romeo, as well as being the first female cabinet secretary, will also be the fourth person to hold the position in the last 8 years. As the chart shows, such short recent tenures are atypical - and not ideal for enabling a permanent, impartial civil service. 1/

YouTube video by Resolution Foundation Working in the think tank sector: Webinar for those interested in working in the sector

Really enjoyed discussing what it's like being an @instituteforgovernment.org.uk researcher at the "Working in the think tank sector" event at @resolutionfoundation.org yesterday. Recording available below, with the "Day in a life" panel starting from 1:43.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2S1...

Absurd - Schrödinger’s cabinet secretary

Keir Starmer’s next cabinet secretary must learn the lessons from Chris Wormald’s mistakes | Institute for Government The next cabinet secretary needs to be a far more visible civil service leader.

Our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk conclusion on Chris Wormald’s time as cabinet secretary - and what needs to come next

By me and @hannahkeenan.bsky.social

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/next...

I'll be speaking on a panel at this event hosted by @resolutionfoundation.org in a couple of weeks, talking about what the day-to-day of a researcher at a think tank is like. Improving representation personally important to me so please do share! Sign up: www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/worki...

1/8 It's good to see the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) receiving the attention it deserves. This explainer from @howesdaniel.bsky.social @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explains its role ⬇️. But John Fingleton's recent review of ONR raised regulatory issues that go beyond the sector. A thread...

Office for Nuclear Regulation | Institute for Government The Office for Nuclear Regulation's mission is to protect society by ensuring the safety of all nuclear operations. But how does it regulate?

Ever wondered who's keeping our nuclear power stations from melting down/blowing up? Or who decides where new reactors can and can't go? Or who stops nuclear material getting into the wrong hands?

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/of...

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

1/ Today, we publish Whitehall Monitor 2026, the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk's annual data-driven assessment of the size, shape and performance of the civil service. Key headlines about perm secs, size of CS and ALBs below 👇🧵

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

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

6/ Check out the rest of Whitehall Monitor for analysis of political leadership, CS pay, morale, professions, digital & AI, major projects and more by my wonderful colleagues!
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

5/ While the number of ALBs increased to 306 by end of FY 2024/25, total funding allotted to ALBs in 2023/24 (latest year of data) actually fell by 0.61% in real terms. This cut was felt across NDPBs whose funding decreased by 7.6%. Worth noting: 109 ALBs receive no govt funding at all

4/ The CS grew again in 2025 (520,440 FTE as of Q3), but growth was slower than 2024 (1% vs. 3.8%). This is due to fewer entrants as opposed to more leavers - probably b/c of short-term fixes like recruitment freezes. Govt will need to address structural issues for size to come down and stay down

3/ Perm secs remain incredibly experienced civil servants. Cab Sec Wormald became DG in 2006 and perm sec in 2012! However, new perm secs have some external experience (e.g. JRF, Goldman), showing value placed on bringing new ideas into the top positions.

(PS do not ask how long this chart took me)

2/ Over 1/2 of all depts have new perm secs at the helm since GE 2024. While this scale of change is not unusual (9/16 dept heads changed in 2010), it does pose challenges as leaders get to grips with briefs. Add in Sep reshuffle and 5 depts have both new a SoS and perm sec (i.e. big big change!)

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

1/ Today, we publish Whitehall Monitor 2026, the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk's annual data-driven assessment of the size, shape and performance of the civil service. Key headlines about perm secs, size of CS and ALBs below 👇🧵

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

3 months ago I'd never heard of a permanent secretary - now I can name them all. All thanks to Whitehall Monitor!

Huge props to @hannahkeenan.bsky.social for leading on this important project, and to the rest of the team for getting it over the line.

Tricky to disaggregate those two factors cleanly as they were both definite contributors, but the sharp increase in growth rate around 2020/21 is mostly due to Covid response - this added to an already-growing CS since Brexit in 2016. More here: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/defaul...

Tracker: The government’s proposed new public bodies | Institute for Government What were the public bodies promised in Labour’s election manifesto and what has been delivered since its entry into government?

Christmas has come early! You can now read all about the new public bodies set up by Labour since coming to power, as well as the proposed bodies still in the works, in our updated tracker. #festive

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/pu...

For those eager to know more, here's the updated explainer, which goes into a bit more detail (i.e. more charts!):
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/ci...

@instituteforgovernment.org.uk

The updated Governance Code for Public Appointments is a major step forward - good to see many previous IfG recommendations taken on board. There is more to do, however, as shown by recent antics at DCMS.

My and @drmatthewgill.bsky.social 's thoughts below👇

3/ Keep an eye out for Whitehall Monitor 2026 in the new year for deeper analysis on these trends (and much more) @instituteforgovernment.org.uk

A table from the Institute for Government showing how individual government departments have changed in size from Q2 2025 to Q3 2025. The Cabinet Office increased the most in proportional terms, growing by 4.4%. At the other end, Defra shrank by 1.4%.

2/ The bulk of this increase occurred at HMRC, which grew by 1185, but the Cabinet Office saw the largest proportional increase (4.4%).

This addition of 695 FTE staff comes as up to 1200 staff are being paid to leave the CO by May 2027 through voluntary exit schemes…

A line chart from the Institute for Government showing the size of the civil service in full-time equivalent terms, from 2009 to 2025. The size decreases from 2009 to 2016, before increasing more or less continuously from then to now.

1/ The latest ONS data on public sector employment shows that the civil service has grown (again).

After 2 consecutive quarters of plateauing growth, the CS grew in Q3 by 3490 (0.6%) to 520440 FTE. This is the highest quarterly increase since Labour came to power.

@instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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

Performance Tracker 2025: Criminal justice system | Institute for Government The government must act to avoid the justice system returning to the crisis point seen when Labour entered office, or worse.

Really pleased to have contributed to the new criminal justice section of Performance Tracker 2025, now live on the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk’s website. It brings together new analysis on police, criminal courts and prisons. Some thoughts below. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Civil service grades | Institute for Government There are five broad groupings of grades in the civil service. But what are they, and how have number of civil servants at each grade changed?

More civil service data for you to get stuck into: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/ci...

This time, it's all about grades and how they've changed. Grade inflation is not just an issue for A-level students, it seems...

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

NEW: @instituteforgovernment.org.uk have published pt1 of Public Services Performance Tracker 2025 covering local government finances and overall performance, adult social care, children's social care and homelessness

Incredible work by @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social & @amberdellar.bsky.social

Our reaction to Mel Stride’s big day at the Tory conference

There are savings to be made in the civil service. But an arbitrary headcount target & ignoring new demands on the state won’t deliver them

The hard work of doing that falls to the govt

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/mel-...

Comment | How Keir Starmer’s government can be built for delivery

With delivery now a central priority, government must get the metrics, routines and feedback loops right, say @emma-conway.bsky.social and @howesdaniel.bsky.social

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/star...

How Keir Starmer’s government can be built for delivery | Institute for Government The prime minister can learn from the past to make a success of “phase two” of his government.

Special Delivery! @emma-conway.bsky.social and I have been thinking about how Keir Starmer and co (especially Darren Jones) can make a success of 'phase two' - which is all about delivering on the government's priorities. Read more here: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/star...