David Lawrence

🚨 NEW REPORT 🚨

The Alan Turing Institute has visibly struggled, and is now at a critical juncture. The Secretary of State has intervened. What happens next?

A new report for @britishprogress.bsky.social by me and @jujulemons.bsky.social sets out a plan: 🧵

Getting Britain off the ground Britain needs a new runway at Heathrow, the world's most capacity-constrained airport. Building in Britain can be slow: this paper sets out the options for the Government to speed up infrastructure de...

We can build a runway in 4 years. The barriers are all within Parliament’s control. Where there is political will, there is a new runway.

Read the full report from @morganwild.bsky.social, @pedroserodio.com, @dantomlinson.bsky.social & me

britishprogress.org/briefings/ge...

3️⃣ Start with short-haul

Instead of relocating the M25 - a requirement for a long runway - a short-haul runway could be built within the current footprint. This would boost domestic and European flights while freeing up space for more long-haul travel on the main runways.

2️⃣ Tighten the timetable

The Public Bill could be passed by early 2026. If ministers are prepared to override Standing Orders as the government did with Scunthorpe steelworks, the Bill could be enacted even faster.

1️⃣ Speed up planning

We struggle to build because our planning system is too slow and restrictive. A Public Bill on Heathrow expansion would empower Parliament to give the new runway the go-ahead, eliminating the risk of Judicial Review & reducing the number of veto players.

We believe that a new runway in 4 years is possible. But it will require bold decisions. Here’s how you do it:

But can we actually build a runway before the next election?

Doing so would not only deliver much-needed growth, it would send a clear message to ordinary people who have lost faith in politicians’ ability to deliver: a Britain that can build things again.

Heathrow Expansion: Britain’s Runway to Growth Heathrow is arguably the most capacity-constrained transport hub in the world. Allowing expansion could generate nationwide economic growth, but needs to be done in such a way to meet the Government’s...

While previous govts dithered and prevaricated, this government has a chance to succeed where they failed.

Heathrow expansion is good for growth, benefits the whole country, and consistent with our climate goals (see our previous piece!)

britishprogress.org/uk-day-one/h...

It is a source of national shame that governments have spent decades failing to expand Heathrow.

It is the world’s most congested airport and operates with fewer runways than its competitors (excl Dubai, which runs through the night, and is building a whole new airport)

🚧 A challenge for this Government, and for Britain: can we build a new runway in under four years?

Our answer? YES, but only if ministers use their powers decisively.

In a new paper, @labourtogether.bsky.social & @britishprogress.bsky.social set out a plan to let Britain fly 🛫

Here's how:

ISA & pension reform: Why forced investment is not real investment Compelling British households to invest in British assets risks undermining their pensions without improving the economy. Creating real investment opportunities requires addressing the barriers curren...

Full analysis by me and @davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social here:
britishprogress.org/reports/isa-...

Will throwing more money at British companies actually help our economy?

Politicians keep threatening to direct British savings & pensions to UK equities. But this won’t fix the underlying reasons for Britain’s low investment & productivity – and could deliver worse returns. 🧵

🚨 NEW PAPER KLAXON 🚨

@britishprogress.bsky.social's first research report is out! It is all about the Government's announcement of a new defence innovation unit – UK Defence Innovation.

Here’s how to build this unit for maximum impact on security and prosperity: 🧵

Why we love Luton Airport, and a terrible plan for changing the London Mayoralty Plus the exciting launch of the Centre for British Progress

New episode of THE ABUNDANCE AGENDA!

Why we love Luton Airport, and a terrible plan for changing the London Mayoralty.

Plus we speak to @davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social and @jujulemons.bsky.social about the launch of @britishprogress.bsky.social !

Listen:

www.abundancepod.com/p/why-we-lov...

@britishprogress.bsky.social
A new project focussing on policies for British growth for the material and social well being of the British people.
Very much worth following, and featuring the excellent @ersatzben.bsky.social

Very excited to be working with @davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social @jujulemons.bsky.social and team to make the progressive case for growth as a fellow at the new Centre for British Progress @britishprogress.bsky.social

This is an intriguing addition to the centre-left think tank space, with an impressively dynamic leadership - I will be interested to see the ideas they produce!

The @ukdayone.bsky.social election year project has now concluded and is now part of @britishprogress.bsky.social - you can check out our founding essay here... 👀

Also very interesting to note that threaded throughout this excellent essay is the importance of the state in unlocking postal innovation. 👀

I am incredibly proud to be founding @britishprogress.bsky.social
with @davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social.

For the past year, we've been publishing ideas on economic growth and British progress with @ukdayone.bsky.social.

This will be a continuation and expansion of that work.

Great to see the team launch the Centre for British Progress today!

And fantastic to see people across the political spectrum making the case against Everythingism. Well done @jujulemons.bsky.social, @davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social and the rest of the team!

So excited to be joining this team!

Can't wait to work with @jujulemons.bsky.social and @davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social!

Here is what I've been working on for the last few months: we are launching the Centre for British Progress to make the progressive case for growth.

Our founding essay describes how Britain once drove our collective progress, and how we must rediscover this dynamism.

Cover of the essay Rediscovering British Progress available at https://britishprogress.org/articles/rediscovering-british-progress

💫 We’re launching the Centre for British Progress

Our founding essay: Rediscovering British Progress is a case for growth that drives shared progress, rooted in Britain's values and industrial heritage.

It all starts with a postcard from 1870 👇

britishprogress.org/articles/red...

Birth rate challenge: ideas from the left - Social Market Foundation. This essay collection from centre and left voices, aims to show that tackling the barriers to family life aligns with progressive values.

This is why the birth rate & childcare challenges cannot be left to the right. Allowing people to have the children they want will require active intervention and spending from the state.

Read the full collection from @smfthinktank.bsky.social & Boom here: www.smf.co.uk/publications...

The sobering conclusion is that if we want childcare to be cheaper for parents, we need the state to pick up the bill. Sweden, for instance, has a law requiring that childcare cannot cost more than 3% of parents’ gross income. The rest is publicly funded.

Childcare is just expensive: it is labour intensive and takes up many hours of the week. But unlike other developed countries, we pass on more of the cost directly to parents.

It would be tempting to apply the same logic to high childcare costs. But the evidence shows that nursery providers operate on extremely narrow margins and childcarers are not paid much.

The UK's economic malaise is often supply side: housing, energy & transport cost too much because there isn’t enough of them. Demand-side solutions can often backfire, as found with the previous government’s ‘Help to Buy’ scheme, which effectively subsidised housing inflation.

As @aveek18.bsky.social says, the birth rate challenge is too important to be left to the right.

My small contribution to this essay collection is on the economics of childcare. Unlike many other parts of the economy, expensive childcare is not primarily a 'supply side' issue... 🧵