David Lawrence
@davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social
Shooting for UK growth & progress with @britishprogress.org Previously: Chatham House research fellow and Labour parliamentary candidate. Britain could have the highest living standards in the world!
Must we kill the newts? This is an excellent reflection from @davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social on the three mistakes the Yimby movement made and why it needs to replace the language of warfare with “win-win” solutions. www.arguably.uk/p/must-we-ki...
Must we kill the newts?
Where ‘Build, Baby, Build’ went wrong
arguably.uk
YIMBYism promised to be the next big thing in progressive politics. But a couple of years after the PM declared himself a YIMBY, housebuilding has stalled, and YIMBYs have found themselves on the side of killing newts. Where did 'build baby build' go wrong? 🧵
Is there a progressive case for new North Sea exploration? In my first column for @arguablymag.bsky.social, I look at the case for and against. This could be Ed Miliband's "Nixon goes to China" moment: only he can credibly make the case that further extraction would not increase emissions.
The progressive case for North Sea licences
For Ed Miliband, this could be a “Nixon goes to China” moment
arguably.uk
What 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.
Keir Starmer wants to make your food cheaper. He says "every minute we focus on anything other than cost of living is a wasted minute”. Food is the most visible part of inflation, & prices have gone up 40% since 2020. But there's a problem: the Government has little control over food prices...
“Those of us who care about growth should stop framing it as being in conflict with environmental objectives.” The truism that economic growth threatens the climate may not be so true after all, writes @davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social. fabians.org.uk/growing-pains/
Growing pains? | Fabian Society
Fabian Society
fabians.org.uk
I'm in the @newstatesman1913.bsky.social & @renewaljournal.bsky.social today arguing why rejoining the EU Customs Union won't fix Labour's growth woes. The basic reason: UK and European stagnation predate Brexit, and the real challenge is competing with US and Chinese dynamism.
The map below shows how far behind France and Germany we are in mass transit. In France, every place with over 150,000 people has some form of tram or metro. But if mayoral areas can 'become builders' as @tracybrabinmayorwy.bsky.social puts it in the foreword, we can turn this around. 🧵 1/9
🚨 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: 🧵
🚧 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:
@morganwild.bsky.social · last yr.✈️ Britain’s talked about a third runway at Heathrow for two decades. Our new report with @BritishProgress shows how a flight could take off before 2029 - if Parliament chooses to speed up the process through a Public Bill.
Full analysis by me and @davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social here: britishprogress.org/reports/isa-...
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...
britishprogress.org
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: 🧵
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...
Why we love Luton Airport, and a terrible plan for changing the London Mayoralty
Plus the exciting launch of the Centre for British Progress
abundancepod.com
@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
Centre for British Progress@britishprogress.org · last yr.💫 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...
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
Centre for British Progress@britishprogress.org · last yr.💫 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...
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!
Centre for British Progress@britishprogress.org · last yr.💫 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...
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... 👀
Centre for British Progress@britishprogress.org · last yr.💫 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...
Also very interesting to note that threaded throughout this excellent essay is the importance of the state in unlocking postal innovation. 👀
Centre for British Progress@britishprogress.org · last yr.💫 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...
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.
Centre for British Progress@britishprogress.org · last yr.💫 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...
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!
Centre for British Progress@britishprogress.org · last yr.💫 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...
So excited to be joining this team! Can't wait to work with @jujulemons.bsky.social and @davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social!
Centre for British Progress@britishprogress.org · last yr.💫 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...
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.
Centre for British Progress@britishprogress.org · last yr.💫 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...
💫 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...
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... 🧵
Aveek Bhattacharya@aveek18.bsky.social · last yr.Many countries worry about declining birth rates, but in English-speaking nations, it seems to be more of a preoccupation of the right, with the left reluctant to discuss the issue. We think that's unfortunate, so we gathered thinkers from the centre/left to reflect on the issue
Brilliant thread this, even if I would say so. We have quietly built an economic superpower, and people rarely talk about it, mostly driven by snobbery.
David Lawrence@davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social · last yr.What’s so exciting about the Oxford-Cambridge ‘growth corridor’? It’s not just Oxford and Cambridge, which make up less than 15% of the corridor’s GDP. It’s also places like Milton Keynes, one of the most innovative and productive parts of the UK. 🧵
What’s so exciting about the Oxford-Cambridge ‘growth corridor’? It’s not just Oxford and Cambridge, which make up less than 15% of the corridor’s GDP. It’s also places like Milton Keynes, one of the most innovative and productive parts of the UK. 🧵
The Sunday Times is right—Milton Keynes is one of the most exciting and innovative places in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc. A city built for growth, with the infrastructure, ambition, and economic strength to lead the UK’s next phase of development. www.thetimes.com/business-mon...
New rail link, big tech sector — time to move to Milton Keynes?
The city straddling the Oxford-Cambridge corridor believes its forward-looking ethos will draw skilled people from both university cities
thetimes.com
Reforming Judicial Review is one of the best things we can do to get 🇬🇧 building. JRs have held up critical infrastructure and cost the taxpayer millions. Delighted to see Starmer making reforms that Gabriel Moberg & I proposed for @ukdayone.bsky.social last year! ukdayone.org/briefings/re...
Reforming Judicial Review to get Britain Building - UK Day One
ukdayone.org
Torsten Bell@torstenbell.bsky.social · 2y agoIt’s time for this country to get building again. There’s an important role for Judicial Review, but that isn’t to give opponents carte blanche to force up project costs & delays. It’s mad that nearly 60% of projects are now seeing JRs vs just 10% recently www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
