Prof Dave Richards
@profdaverichards.bsky.social
Professor of Public Policy, University of Manchester
www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/blog/burnham...
Burnham government must break with decades of centralised control to fix public services – say top economists - Bennett School of Public Policy
A major new study reveals that the notorious “iron grip” of the UK Treasury on public spending is a myth. The existing arrangements contribute to inefficiencies. Cash control from the centre does not ...
bennettschool.cam.ac.uk
Article in FT by co-author @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/4987... discussing new book and report - www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/publications... providing evidential base for current reforms being propsed by Burnham Government. @nuffieldfoundation.org @manchester.ac.uk
New research by top economists reveals the UK's spending system is no longer fit for the way public services are delivered today. Fundamental reform is needed to create a spending system that supports long-term investment, better public services and stronger outcomes. Report: bit.ly/4pMQ7WM
This guest blog from David Richards, @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social & Martin Smith sets out recommendations from the report. With thanks to @bennettschool.cam.ac.uk Read the blog: www.nuffieldfoundation.org/news/opinion...
The myth of Treasury control: What’s wrong with the UK’s public spending system and how to fix it - Nuffield Foundation
The long-standing model of centralised Treasury control over public spending has inadequately adapted to the realities of public service delivery.
nuffieldfoundation.org
www.nuffieldfoundation.org/news/opinion...
The myth of Treasury control: What’s wrong with the UK’s public spending system and how to fix it - Nuffield Foundation
The long-standing model of centralised Treasury control over public spending has inadequately adapted to the realities of public service delivery.
nuffieldfoundation.org
www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/publications...
The myth of Treasury control: Understanding the UK's Public Spending System (and How to Fix it) - Bennett School of Public Policy
New research shows that the Treasury's tight control of public spending has come at the cost of a fragmented, short-term system that undermines long-term investment, cross-government collaboration and...
bennettschool.cam.ac.uk
www.linkedin.com/posts/bennet...
📢Just launched: new report on the future of UK public spending governance New research from the University of Cambridge, The University of Manchester, University of Bristol and University of York… | ...
📢Just launched: new report on the future of UK public spending governance New research from the University of Cambridge, The University of Manchester, University of Bristol and University of York, re...
linkedin.com
Our new book The Myth of Treasury Control @oxfordunipress.bsky.social with @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social @samwarner.bsky.social & martin smith discussed in latest @therestpolitics.bsky.social [11 minutes in] @officialuom.bsky.social 🔗 Watch: lnkd.in/ePiAWXBf 🔗 Learn about the book: lnkd.in/dMwy8jc8
Can anyone wrestle control from the Treasury? AB will be the latest to try. Good analysis of the scale of the task by @profdaverichards.bsky.social theconversation.com/why-andy-bur...
Why Andy Burnham’s radical plan relies on the Treasury being a friend of devolution
The Treasury has tended to keep a tight rein on spending.
theconversation.com
𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱: 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 — 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮 🔗 lnkd.in/dMwy8jc8http...
global.oup.com
Why Andy Burnham’s radical plan relies on the Treasury being a friend of devolution theconversation.com/why-andy-bur...
Why Andy Burnham’s radical plan relies on the Treasury being a friend of devolution
The Treasury has tended to keep a tight rein on spending.
theconversation.com
Explore the latest Quarterly Highlights Collection and read about the research on our blog @samwarner.bsky.social @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social @profdaverichards.bsky.social @clemmiehilloconnor.bsky.social @haylesben.bsky.social @catherineneedham.bsky.social policyandpoliticsblog.com/2026/02/02/q...
@haylesben.bsky.social @clemmiehilloconnor.bsky.social @katharinatpaul.bsky.social @nataschavanderzwan.bsky.social @jacinta.bsky.social @draccoops.bsky.social @samwarner.bsky.social @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social @profdaverichards.bsky.social
Policy & Politics@policy-politics.bsky.social · 9mo agoHappy holidays!🎁🌟 As the year comes to close, we're reflecting on all the articles and blog posts that have shaped Policy & Politics in 2025! ⬇️ policyandpoliticsblog.com/2025/12/03/r...
Following yesterday’s Budget, TPI’s @andywestwood.bsky.social @profdaverichards.bsky.social @drdarcyluke.bsky.social @samwarner.bsky.social and Patrick Diamond share insights on the government’s approach to growth and productivity. Read more: bit.ly/3JVRkLi
Budget 2025: Hyperactive Incrementalism and the Missing Long View - The Productivity Institute
The 2025 UK Budget had a glaring absence of any long-term economic strategy for growth and investment.
bit.ly
Nice effort to explain for the Prison Service how new public management (NPM) combined with political short-termism, wreaks havoc, every time, with productivity in any public agency bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal... See also
The broader dimensions to the current prison's crisis are set out in this recent article we published for @policy-politics.bsky.social with @samwarner.bsky.social @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social and Martin Smith bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...
bristoluniversitypressdigital.com
www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/...
Shame in itself is not an effective tool – the government’s standards regime shakeup should have gone further
When it comes to standards oversight, it’s not the acronym that matters – it’s the powers that go with it and the independence to make politically ...
civilserviceworld.com
@uofgvc.bsky.social, Raquel Ortega-Argilés, Adrian Pabst, @joepeck.co.uk, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @graemeroy.bsky.social, Martin Smith, @bartvanark.bsky.social, @annavignoles.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social, @andywestwood.bsky.social and Xiaocan Yuan. 4/4
www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/... - to add to the others that are already knocking round over last two decades! Problems well know - its willingness to reform that is the road block!
Ex-No.10 Policy Unit head Munira Mirza to play key role in think tank targeting 'Whitehall bureaucracy'
Fix Britain says 'HR culture and bureaucracy of Whitehall' and rise in judicial reviews are among 'factors that prevent functionality' in governmen...
civilserviceworld.com
The government should not ban public servants from speaking in public www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...
The government should not ban public servants from speaking in public | Institute for Government
New guidance will damage the quality of government and public discourse.
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Pleased to see evidence submitted with @nathancritch.bsky.social, Patrick Diamond, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social & @andywestwood.bsky.social was referenced in the 7th Report on Industrial Strategy by the Business & Trade Committee. publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...
Industrial StrategyUK ParliamentDownload iconShare icon
publications.parliament.uk
A short piece on the Spending Review written for the @productivity.bsky.social with my colleagues @nathancritch.bsky.social, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social, @andywestwood.bsky.social & Patrick Diamond. www.productivity.ac.uk/news/from-a-...
From a fragile to an agile state: is the Spending Review enough to enable the Starmer government to deliver on its growth mission? - The Productivity Institute
The 2025 Spending Review set out major capital spending, but will it be enough to boost productivity growth?
productivity.ac.uk
Want to know about the effect of political short-termism on the Prison Service in England and Wales? New to the blog!⚡️ @samwarner.bsky.social @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social @profdaverichards.bsky.social policyandpoliticsblog.com/2025/06/12/t...
The inefficiency of centralised control and political short-termism: the case of the Prison Service in England and Wales
by Sam Warner, David Richards, Diane Coyle and Martin J. Smith In our recent article published in Policy & Politics, we examine how centralised financial control and short-term political pressu…
policyandpoliticsblog.com
Written evidence from @nathancritch.bsky.social, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social, @andywestwood.bsky.social, Patrick Diamond and myself to Business & Trade Committee inquiry on Industrial Strategy has been published You can read here: committees.parliament.uk/work/8882/in...
Industrial Strategy - Written evidence - Committees - UK Parliament
Written evidence submission publications for Industrial Strategy.
committees.parliament.uk
Is Labour doing enough to address the deep-seated problems with the British state? @nathancritch.bsky.social, Patrick Diamond, Darcy Luke, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social, and @andywestwood.bsky.social discuss the government's approach to institutional reform
Will Labour's Governance Approach Lead to Mission Success or Mission Failure?
Abstract Since coming to power in July 2024, the Starmer government’s approach to reform has rhetorically focussed on the centralised, short-term, and fragmented nature of British policymaking and th...
renewal.org.uk
