Ryan Shorthouse

Cutting Britain's giant welfare bill would be an act of kindness The rate of poverty across the population has been pretty static over the past few decades, but child poverty has risen in recent years.

My article in @thespectator1828.bsky.social today

spectator.co.uk/article/to-s...

This is an extract from a new book by @brightblueuk.bsky.social out today.

📘 Read the book here: brightblue.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Read the full book here: www.brightblue.org.uk/portfolio/me...

Tory Reform defector Danny Kruger calls for two-child benefit cap to be scrapped Better parental leave and 'universal credit lottery' among other suggestions in centre-right book of essays

📢 OUT TODAY @brightblueuk.bsky.social and @jrf-uk.bsky.social release a book on a new centre-right approach to social security

Includes contributions from @conservatives.bsky.social and @reformuk.bsky.social politicians and thought leaders

🗞️ Covered in @theipaper.com: inews.co.uk/news/politic...

TODAY Join us at the @libdems.org.uk Party Conference 2025 at 11:30am

🗣️
@ryanshorthouse.bsky.social
@willforster.bsky.social
@carlcashman.bsky.social

📍Blandford Syndicate 3, Highcliff Marriott Hotel

🤝
@propertymark.bsky.social

IfG at the Conservative Party Conference | What is the Conservative route to fiscal sustainability?

Join us in Manchester! With: Richard Fuller MP,
@tompope.bsky.social
@ryanshorthouse.bsky.social @trinhtu.bsky.social
@gemmatetlow.bsky.social

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/ifg-co...

Join @brightblueuk.bsky.social in Bournemouth at the upcoming 2025 @libdems.org.uk Party Conference

We're hosting 2 public fringe events outside the secure zone

Full details: www.brightblue.org.uk/upcoming-eve...

Great to be in No.10 again. We talked about @brightblueuk.bsky.social's ideas on justice & home affairs, specifically that will create:

🔴 A more selective, contributory-based skilled migration system
🔴 A drugs policy - for both legal & illegal drugs - that will reduce harms to individuals & society

📣 Government adopts @brightblueuk.bsky.social and @thefabians.bsky.social recommendation for a new Pensions Commission

Read more here: www.brightblue.org.uk/pensions-com...

📘 Read our original report here: brightblue.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Delighted to speak today with Head of Policy at 10 Downing Street about radical @brightblueuk.bsky.social ideas to help a moderate Labour Government:

📈 Increase prosperity
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Support families
💷 Make tax system simpler & fairer
🏠 Democraticise asset ownership
🛂 Manage immigration
🌳 Green our economy

📢 TODAY @brightblueuk.bsky.social launch a mega-report on future of European centre-right - to beat the statist left & populist right

🔵 5 countries studies
🔵 3 key principles identified
🔵 10 new priorities proposed

📚 Read: www.brightblue.org.uk/portfolio/ri...

📣 THIS WEEK @brightblueuk.bsky.social & the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung publish a mega-report on the future of European centre-right

Proposes 10 new distinctive priorities - w/ supporting policies - for the centre-right to beat populist right & statist left

Sign up: brightblue.org.uk/future-of-th...

We were delighted to host the Minister for Social Security and Disability, Stephen Timms MP, for a speech on ‘Expanding economic activity.’

📖 Read the speech here: www.brightblue.org.uk/stephen-timm...

📺 Watch the speech here: www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...

📢Join Bright Blue and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung for a public panel event launching our brand new report: 'The future of the European centre-right: evolving past the challenges'

⏰Tuesday 17th June 2025 11:30 am -14:00 pm⏰

🙋‍♀️Full event details and RSVP here: brightblue.org.uk/future-of-th...

My recent article for the Yorkshire Post. Ideas to build on what was announced in the Government's latest Immigration White Paper.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion...

This is an extract from a recent @brightblueuk.bsky.social book on immigration: www.brightblue.org.uk/wp-content/u...

We were delighted to partner with @financialfairness.bsky.social last week on a major conference to discuss one of the most urgent challenges of the 2020s: how to raise living standards

Shadow Chief Secretary to Treasury delivered a thoughtful speech. Read here www.brightblue.org.uk/richard-full...

OUT NOW @brightblueuk.bsky.social's report on immigration

"Mainstream parties need honest and deliverable policy prospectus to reduce immigration"

🔵 10 essays
🔵 Over 40 policy ideas

Covered in Sunday Express, The Telegraph, Times Higher Education & Politico

www.brightblue.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Raising the bar? How centre-right policies can improve living standards - Bright Blue Raising the bar? How centre-right policies can improve living standards

📢 Join @brightblueuk.bsky.social & @financialfairness.bsky.social for our conference next week on raising living standards

We’re exploring supply-side reforms, taxation & employers in boosting incomes

🎤 Speech: Shadow Chief Secretary to HM Treasury

Sign up: www.brightblue.org.uk/raising-the-...

Delighted to host the @brightblueuk.bsky.social Spring Reception last week.

I said:

"The liberal centre-right - as opposed to the authoritarian right and statist left - will have our time again soon, to fix the big problems and build a more prosperous, green and abundant country."

Reciprocal tariffs: you won’t believe how they came up with the numbers There is some method to the madness — it’s just a nonsensical method

The tariff methodology is brain-scramblingly bad - on.ft.com/42lgic3 via @financialtimes.com

📢 This month's @brightblueuk.bsky.social bulletin: #Adolescence, social media & the chronically online

+ Our Spring Reception
+ Our work on living standards
+ We're hiring
+ Our policy wins

Read more here: mailchi.mp/brightblue/b...

Kemi Badenoch accused of breaking pledge to Tory MPs of net zero by 2050 MPs claim during her 2022 party leadership campaign she promised them she was committed to green targets

🌍 Our Exec-Chair @ryanshorthouse.bsky.social quoted in @theguardian.com on Kemi Badenoch’s energy plans:

“There will be unsustainable costs to both our environment and economy if we do not achieve net zero emissions by the middle of this century...”

🔗 Read more: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

🚨Join us for a keynote speech by The Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, on ‘Expanding economic activity'
⏰Thursday 1st May 2025
📍H/Advisors Maitland, 3 Pancras Square, London
📩Please RSVP directly to stephen@brightblue.org.uk

🍺Join us for our next drink tank with @kimleadbeater
🗓️Tuesday 29th April 2025, 7pm-8pm
📍The Spying Room, The Morpeth Arms
📲https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/drink-tank-with-kim-leadbeater-mp-tickets-1249292570709?aff=oddtdtcreator

📣 Bright Blue's response to the new Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) green paper launched today:

"Labour Government makes a strong start in reforming welfare"

+ 3 @brightblueuk.bsky.social policy wins

📘 Read our full response here: www.brightblue.org.uk/welfare-poli...

My letter today to The Telegraph

Advice to the DWP from @brightblueuk.bsky.social on bringing down the benefits bill

www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2025...

📣 @brightblueuk.bsky.social is hiring!

We're looking for a new Communications Manager

Deadline: 30 March 2025

Full details: www.brightblue.org.uk/who-are-brig...

Yes, @teamlabouruk.bsky.social should press ahead with a Youth Mobility Scheme with the EU, as I wrote about in The Times last year. Especially if it’s critical to getting more frictionless trade with our biggest market.

www.thetimes.com/comment/lett...

In the @brightblueuk.bsky.social bulletin this month, I discuss fighting for Britain's global reputation as a prestigious and prosperous country.

Bulletin also includes:

🔵 New articles from team
🔵 New Events & Ops officer
🔵 Upcoming events

Read it here: mailchi.mp/brightblue.o...

🗞️ Out now: the February edition of The Circus, Bright Blue's monthly bulletin, including:

🔵 Introduction from @ryanshorthouse.bsky.social
🔵 Updates about our ongoing work
🔵 Information on all our upcoming events

Read it here 👇
mailchi.mp/brightblue.o...

📣 Today's our national day of action on #SafeSickPay! 📣

We're united with workers, health groups, charities and businesses across the UK urgently calling on the Government to raise Statutory #SickPay.

❗ We've only a few weeks until MPs debate Sick Pay. Write to them here: https://buff.ly/4hJQMTS