Keeping test fees artificially low might sound like it helps with the cost of living. In reality, it leaves learners paying far more in extra lessons, lost opportunities, and even scalpers. Our polling suggests the public is more pragmatic than politicians assume.
Who is Labour for? With a new PM stepping into number 10 on Monday, that question has never been more important. At ThinkLabour, we’re keeping it front and centre. Yesterday we sat down with the Deputy Leader of the Labour party, Lucy Powell, to tackle it head on.
As @jamesdaustin.bsky.social says we found young people in towns like Burnley, the ones doing the working(!), were much less likely to want the return of manufacturing Instead people understood the success of Manchester and wanted a part of it with better transport links
James Austin@jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 2mo agoPlus those advocates are younger and more likely to vote left. Once again a smaller, but louder, group of voters driving things
One of the really interesting bits in @thinklabour.bsky.social poll of Burnley was that while many voters would like a manufacturing renaissance... ...most dont think its realistic (including advocates) and the 'connected town' services model is both more popular and see as more realistic
David Henig@davidheniguk.bsky.social · 2mo agoQuite how did we end up with European and North American politics dominated by unrealistic promises to bring back manufacturing jobs? Just a huge failure to adjust to reality on so many levels.
It looks like Labour both consolidated the progressive bloc and increased turnout to win in Makerfield Great rapid work by my research colleagues @christabelcoops.bsky.social @cwp-weir.bsky.social @dylancridland.bsky.social
Calum Weir@cwp-weir.bsky.social · 2mo agoI’m biased, but if you read any electoral strategy takes today, make it this one:
Given were all praising @thinklabour.bsky.social polling - just want to highlight this one from their Burnley report. e Explains a huge amount about the disconnect between crime falling nationally and rising public concern. Its all salience
I'm very glad to see the government has raised objections to the current Thames Water deal proposed by its creditors. I've previously written to Ofwat to ask them to reject this deal. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Great to see action from the government on Thames Water. The creditors deal did not offer enough for consumers or the environment. At ThinkLabour we called for the government to not accept any deal that involved watering down pollution standards. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Thames Water moves step closer to nationalisation after government objects to rescue deal
The environment secretary says the deal does not do enough for consumers or the environment.
bbc.co.uk
What a fantastic evening at the ThinkLabour launch party!
This work by @christabelcoops.bsky.social and @fintan-smith.bsky.social gives us novel and rigorous insights into a group of voters that is normally very hard to reach in traditional surveys. They're both too modest to blow their own horn but I'll do it for them
Christabel Cooper@christabelcoops.bsky.social · 2mo agoToday @thinklabour.bsky.social publishes our report on Muslim voters, dispelling some misconceptions. Muslims - like most other Brits - prioritise the cost of living above any other issue including the conflict in Gaza. thinklabour.co.uk/thinking/gon...
To fix the social care crisis, Labour needs a “big bang” for the state, writes @danmead.bsky.social. www.arguably.uk/p/how-to-fix...
How to fix the social care crisis
Labour needs a “big bang” for the state
arguably.uk
The battle of ideas has started in Labour and social care is back on the news agenda. This is another area where "incremental change won't cut it". In @arguablymag.bsky.social I argue to unlock social care reform, only a "big bang" approach will work
As David says, crime is a really important issue for voters, particularly in post industrial towns. In Burnley, shoplifting has increased way more than the average in England.
David Henig@davidheniguk.bsky.social · 3mo agoI seem to recall reading (but there are far bigger political nerds on here) that Gordon Brown suggested the "tough on crime touch on the causes of crime" line to Tony Blair who then popularised it all the way to the Labour leadership. Anyway, important issue.
🚨Exciting policy news 🚨 The Chancellor has announced that the government will consult on devolving 'Transport and Works Act Order' decisions to mayors. This would give them the power to get on with building transport networks, speeding up delivery like other countries. 1/2
Really excellent report here from @christabelcoops.bsky.social and @danmead.bsky.social on the politics of post-industrial towns - covering both how Labour can win them, and what a politically and economically credible future for them could look like (spoiler: it's becoming like Reading)
ThinkLabour@thinklabour.bsky.social · 3mo agoHow does Labour win again in the post industrial towns of northern England? Check out our new report focussing on Burnley and the things on the minds of its people thinklabour.co.uk/thinking/bur...
Imagine you live in Burnley, all your family and friends are there. You get offered a new job in Manchester. Trainline tells you the train takes 45 minutes to go 25 miles. And it would take you 20 minutes to drive to the station. It also tells you there is only one train an hour to work. 🧵:
Andrew is right - austerity meant severe cuts to non social care spending by councils and at the same time council tax went up in real terms. Councils had no other choice. And so no wonder people are so fed up
Andrew Sissons@acjsissons.bsky.social · 3mo agoI’m amazed anyone needs reminding of this, but local government spending power per person fell by 18% from 2010 to 2024 (would have been 26% but for increases in council tax). At the same time, social care pressures on local govt have grown a lot. The decay of the public realm is NOT a mystery
New YIMBY Pod! - Why does the BBC seem to hate the Universal theme park?! - And why Thames Water SHOULDN’T be nationalised, with @danmead.bsky.social ! www.abundancepod.com/p/the-bbcs-a...
The BBC's anti-Universal theme park bias
Plus why we SHOULDN'T nationalise Thames Water
abundancepod.com
After the bruising local election losses last week. Labour needs an answer on how it holds together its broad electoral coalition. My colleague @christabelcoops.bsky.social has a paper out today giving our response
ThinkLabour@thinklabour.bsky.social · 3mo agoAfter tough local election results, many are saying Labour can no longer hold together a broad electoral coalition. They argue Labour’s voters are now too divided by class, culture and values. Our first report from ThinkLabour disagrees. thinklabour.co.uk/thinking/who...
Today marks the launch of ThinkLabour! 🌹We are a unique political organisation dedicated to helping Labour govern confidently, win elections, and deliver lasting change.Here is what we are building 👇
Pleased to once again get the chance to make the case for compulsory voting, this time in a report for Labour Together. I set out why compulsory voting would rebalance British democracy towards a more long-termist progressive politics.
ThinkLabour@thinklabour.bsky.social · 3mo agoIs it time to make the case for compulsory voting? Our new report sets out how the move could help in an increasingly insecure world static1.squarespace.com/static/64f70... @dmk1793.bsky.social
Reclaiming the Future – the founding essay of @arguablymag.bsky.social To defy the twin foes of populism and fatalism, progressives must put ideas back at the centre of their politics and draw on the greatest thinkers from their past: Keynes, Crosland and Rawls. www.arguably.uk/p/reclaiming...
Reclaiming the Future
How progressives can defy populism and fatalism – the founding essay of Arguably
arguably.uk
Could street votes be the key to unlocking the UK’s housing crisis? Our new paper with @britishprogress.org explores how ministers could turn to residents to help create thousands of new homes.
Centre for British Progress@britishprogress.org · 4mo agoWhat if the residents of a street could collectively decide to build more homes on it - and share directly in the benefits? That's street votes. In our new paper with @labourtogether.bsky.social we set out how community-led street votes could help Steve Reed build 1.5 million new homes.
I know nationalising Thames Water sounds appealing, especially if you're on the left. But in a blog post today I argue it's actually the least progressive option available. If we care about clean rivers and lower bills, we need to make privatisation work. Here's my argument: 1/6
There is nothing leftwing about nationalising Thames Water — Labour Together
Those of us on the left should ignore the tempting siren calls from Zack Polanski to nationalise Thames Water. If we actually care about fixing our rivers and keeping bills low, it’s much more progressive to make privatisation work.
labourtogether.uk
Speedrunning Tesco – plus mixed feelings about Artemis, Mormon gambling, and a council finance nightmare. (Odds and Ends #93) takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/speedrunni...
Speedrunning Tesco (Odds and Ends #93)
Plus mixed feelings about Artemis, Mormon gambling, and a council finance nightmare.
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
We've got a new game that puts you in the shoes of a council leader. Try to win re-election and avoid bankruptcy - it's difficult...
ThinkLabour@thinklabour.bsky.social · 4mo agoWe’ve built an interactive game to show what the pressure of adult social care looks like in practice. In Run the Council, you take charge of a fictional council for four years. Can you run ‘Northfield Council’ amongst mounting financial pressures? Play here: www.labourtogether.uk/council-sim
It is exactly this kind of remark that causes residents to lose trust in their council and in political parties. Kemi says "Lower taxes" but in reality West Sussex increased council tax by the maximum amount possible of 4.99% This is the absurdity of local government at the moment writ large.
Adam Bienkov@adambienkov.bsky.social · 5mo agoWhen we promised voters "lower taxes" we didn't mean that we would make their taxes lower, says Kemi Badenoch
I wrote this paper because too many people feel like they’re paying more and getting less from local government. Council tax keeps going up, but the services people actually see: bins, potholes, parks, libraries, street cleaning. Too often feel like they’re getting worse.
Fixing the shop front of the state — Labour Together
The contract between councils and residents has broken down. People pay more council tax every year and get less out. This paper argues for a big bang reform: nationalise the funding of adult social c...
labourtogether.uk