Last chance to apply! 🚨 Applications to join our team as an Events Officer will close on Friday 7 August at 11:00. You will help support the design and co-ordination of our programme of public and private events. Find out more www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/about-us/car...

Great to see work on MPs staff continuing. They're a huge part of the system that is largely ignored. Shocking stats from the wellbeing group survey. See also @aliceolilly.bsky.social who has done some work on MP burnout.

Tim Bale@timbale.bsky.social · yesterday

Great short by @mbarnfield.bsky.social on the distress suffered by MPs's staff!

Really great it looks like government is going further on devolving employment support. It's a big opportunity to join-up services, tailor support locally, improve engagement and innovate. Flexible funding will be key to this (and should help areas streamline the current patchwork of programmes)

Stuart Hoddinott@stuarthoddinott.bsky.social · 5d ago

Details on some of the first services they intend to devolve power for, including employment support. A big win for @drbenpaxton.bsky.social and @martha-ford.bsky.social who recommended exactly that in their recent paper on the topic www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

First, don't miss the significance of this being a cabinet statement. Getting early buy-in from the start from the whole of govt is key to devo. Resistance from depts and their ministers has hindered in the past, and that resistance tends to grow with time in office 2/

Some thoughts on the government's devo announcement today: Overall, this is a great start on the govt's flagship agenda 1/

Rewiring the State – Cabinet Statement (HTML)

gov.uk

And here is my piece for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk elaborating a bit on these initial reflections www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/andy...

Andy Burnham’s devolution announcement is a strong start on his priority agenda | Institute for Government

Changes on tax, new powers and institutions show Burnham means business.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Thomas Pope@tompope.bsky.social · 5d ago

Some thoughts on the government's devo announcement today: Overall, this is a great start on the govt's flagship agenda 1/

Really importantly, the government also wants to align NHS integrated care board, police force and mayoral boundaries This is nearly exactly what I argued in my blog last week Though am slightly worried about ICBs maybe aligning to multiple MSAs www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/burn...

Burnham’s devolution agenda can lay strong foundations for public service reform | Institute for Government

The new PM needs to align the boundaries of services in local areas.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Details on some of the first services they intend to devolve power for, including employment support. A big win for @drbenpaxton.bsky.social and @martha-ford.bsky.social who recommended exactly that in their recent paper on the topic www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

More IfG colleagues who are excited by today's announcements! Maybe we need more sunny Friday policy announcements?! Fab thread from @shawharriet.bsky.social on what this means for MSAs and particularly on capacity challenges that have been a barrier so far 👇

Harriet Shaw@shawharriet.bsky.social · 5d ago

The government's cabinet statement on devolution is out and it goes further than what was trailed overnight. Some initial thoughts 👇🧵 www.gov.uk/government/p...

Quick (and excellent) reaction from my colleague @matthewfright.bsky.social on today's 'rewiring the state' announcements Lots to unpack, lots to be positive about 👇

Matthew Fright@matthewfright.bsky.social · 5d ago

More @instituteforgovernment.org.uk initial reactions to the rewiring the state cabinet statement. TLDR - the scale of ambition is bold so a lot to unpack 🧵

A big devolution day with press reports suggesting fiscal devolution, greater powers and a new 'local first' principle trailed in the papers. But for Andy Burnham to truly spread 'good growth in every postcode' requires a complete English devolution map 🧵

Also really welcome to see the commitment to public engagement in policymaking and building career paths between civil service and strategic authorities. Lots of good stuff in here from the government 👇

Stuart Hoddinott@stuarthoddinott.bsky.social · 5d ago

This is a genuinely exciting announcement about Burnham's intention for public service reform There are some potentially massive changes to the way that services are funded and operate A few things that jumped out at me 👇 www.gov.uk/government/p...

This is a genuinely exciting announcement about Burnham's intention for public service reform There are some potentially massive changes to the way that services are funded and operate A few things that jumped out at me 👇 www.gov.uk/government/p...

Rewiring the State – Cabinet Statement (HTML)

gov.uk

A bit on something that’s worrying me as.ft.com/r/9fe0cfe2-f...

Mayoral scrutiny is a pressing issue

As Burnham devolves power, remember much of the country lacks Manchester’s media ecosystem

as.ft.com

Andy Burnham became the UK's 59th prime minister last Monday, and his first week in office saw a flurry of appointments. So, who are the new faces around the cabinet table, and what do these choices tell us about how he wants to run his government? www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/six-...

Six things we learned from Andy Burnham’s government formation | Institute for Government

What do Andy Burnham’s cabinet choices reveal about the priorities and direction of his new government?

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

EVENT | Andy Burnham: How is the new prime minister changing the direction of government? 📅Today, 13:00-13:50 Join us online this afternoon as an expert panel assesses Andy Burnham's early decisions, his key appointments, and the way he is approaching the job of prime minister.

This is an absolutely extraordinary stat: more people were recalled to prison than released Jan-March 2026. 3/4 were for breaches of licence conditions, not for committing further offences. Probation has just become incapable of managing offenders in the community & supporting rehabilitation.

Danny Shaw@dannyshaw.bsky.social · 6d ago

And - another key MoJ stat: 13,193 released prisoners were sent back to jail, Jan-March 2026 - near record number of 'recalls'. Number going back to jail *outstripped* prisoners released: 12,977 - thought to be first time this has happened. As fast as prisoners are let out, they return.

Here’s our piece wrapping up Andy Burnham’s government formation - six things we learned about BurnhamWorld by @rebeccamckee.bsky.social @philipnye.bsky.social @meganbryer.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/six-...

Six things we learned from Andy Burnham’s government formation | Institute for Government

What do Andy Burnham’s cabinet choices reveal about the priorities and direction of his new government?

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

The civil service team at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk has been busy today crunching the numbers of the Cabinet Office's annual civil service statistics release... As ever, plenty of interest! Couple of bits below ⬇️

Following on from @jackworlidge.bsky.social's analysis, here are a few other interesting things to pull out from this year's civil service stats (1/3)

Jack Worlidge@jackworlidge.bsky.social · last wk.

The civil service team at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk has been busy today crunching the numbers of the Cabinet Office's annual civil service statistics release... As ever, plenty of interest! Couple of bits below ⬇️

Great thread from my colleague @meganbryer.bsky.social with the detail on our analysis of Burnham's government formation.

Megan Bryer@meganbryer.bsky.social · last wk.

One week in and Andy Burnham's government is up and running. So who are the new ministers and what do Burnham's appointments tell us about how he wants to run his govt? Here's our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk top 6 takeaways - with @rebeccamckee.bsky.social and @philipnye.bsky.social 🧵...

BREAKING: Andy Burnham says the assisted dying debate should wait until after palliative care and social care have been fixed. “It’s very challenging to introduce that wider debate” when the systems are in crisis, he says. ‘Not now’, in other words.

We've crunched the numbers on Burnham's new government to bring you up to speed with the new faces around the cabinet table, and what Burnham's choices tell us about how he wants to run his government. New from @meganbryer.bsky.social, @philipnye.bsky.social and I 👇👇

Six things we learned from Andy Burnham’s government formation | Institute for Government

What do Andy Burnham’s cabinet choices reveal about the priorities and direction of his new government?

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

As the new government continues to make big announcements daily, we @instituteforgovernment.org.uk will be taking stock on Thursday lunchtime in a webinar. Do join! You can sign up at the link below

Institute for Government@instituteforgovernment.org.uk · last wk.

EVENT | Andy Burnham: How is the new prime minister changing the direction of government? 📅Thursday 30 July 2026, 13:00-13:50 Join us online as an expert panel assesses Andy Burnham's early decisions, his key appointments, and the way he is approaching the job of prime minister.

Great to see! Appointing lots of PPSs can be seen-often rightly-as just boosting the payroll vote. But used well they're a source of strategic strength for ministers As @aliceolilly.bsky.social and I said last week proper reform is needed to make commitments to fix parly relationships a reality

Fixing relations with MPs will require more than warm words from Andy Burnham | Institute for Government

Andy Burnham should be prepared to redistribute power in Parliament.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Sunder Katwala (sundersays)@sundersays.bsky.social · last wk.

Chief Whip sets out that the PPS role is being reshaped, to have a higher profile, with more emphasis on parliamentary engagement on policy, and some media/public engagement too. x.com/labourwhips/...

Welcome and interesting in so many ways But… www.thetimes.com/article/5f0e...

Andy Burnham will give mayors income tax cash for cities

The PM’s devolution agenda accompanies plans for defence, social care and jobs for the young

thetimes.com

I discussed it this week with a few people who know a lot more about how government works than me: @hannahkeenan.bsky.social, @akashpaun.bsky.social and @alexgathomas.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/rebe... @instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Rebecca McKee@rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 2w ago

New @instituteforgovernment.org.uk Inside Briefing podcast episode out now! With @manchestermill.bsky.social @joshih.bsky.social on Andy Burnham's first week as prime minister. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/collection/p...

anyone who read @hcdunlop.bsky.social and my blog on Monday did not need @darrenpjones.bsky.social to tell them on Tuesday the scheme was not funded - get info first @instituteforgovernment.org.uk (memo to No.10 - read our blogs!)

Rebecca McKee@rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 2w ago

Along with @jillongovt.bsky.social @hcdunlop.bsky.social also looked into the unsurprising surprise that kicked off the week - Burnham's decision to scrap Digital ID They looked what this next government can learn from this less than ideal policy making process

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/indu... I've written a long blog introducing the Burnham lot to the Modern Industrial Strategy (MIS2025) that it's their honour to wrestle with. Lots to say....0/

The industrial strategy – and what Andy Burnham should do about it | Institute for Government

How does the industrial strategy fit with the prime minister’s re-industrialisation and devolution aims?

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

After spending a bit of time digesting the news of DSIT's split, I've written a few thoughts about the risks that this might create 👇 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/demo...

Demolishing DSIT risks losing focus, expertise and coordination | Institute for Government

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology made sense.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk