Pennycook will stay in post and now attend cabinet. Seems a sensible way of getting around the previous problem of promoting housing ministers out of their job - a reward for expertise and reputation built in >5 yrs in this role (in govt and opp), and signals importance of the brief to Burnham.

Sophie Metcalfe@sophiemetcalfe.bsky.social · 3w ago

Those in the sector will also be waiting to hear if Pennycook stays on as housing minister - he is broadly respected as someone who knows the brief well, so a replacement would have big shoes to fill.

As we all wait to hear who the new SoS at MHCLG will be, a 🧵on the housing supply record and decisions they'll inherit...

In his resignation speech, outgoing MHCLG secretary of state Steve Reed quoted remarks made by Andy Burnham at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk conference 2026

As Ed Miliband looks set to leave DESNZ a short 🧵on the department's achievements with him as minister and where there's still work to do:

The day’s first casualty: James Timpson resigns as prisons minister. This is a big surprise! Timpson had a long history as a prisons reformer before entering government and seen as one of Starmer’s more innovative & exciting appointments. He’s also delivered a big change programme in gov. So: why?

Prisons minister Lord Timpson quits government

The businessman said it was an "honour" to serve in the post, but the BBC understands he feels he has achieved all he can in the role.

bbc.co.uk

NEW REPORT: how to make a success of SEND reform Government needs to get off the sidelines and build a SEND system that makes it easier for schools, councils and health services to work together. Our new report sets out how 🧵

Joining up SEND | Institute for Government

How to begin fixing SEND by making the system more joined-up.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Thanks @alistrathern.bsky.social - brilliant to have you with us. If you missed it, you can find the recording in Ali's thread below. Check out our reports on why policy making has served this group poorly and what government can do about it here: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/our-work/top...

First project: The Labour government’s ‘school readiness’ target and opportunity mission | Institute for Government

How policy-making processes engage with people whose needs have, to date, been least effectively addressed by government.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Alistair Strathern MP@alistrathern.bsky.social · last mo.

Boys from families living on low-incomes have been ‘left behind’ in early years policy making for decades. Great to join @instituteforgovernment.org.uk last month to talk about how we can put this right.

Brilliant to share thoughts on this in @tesmagazine.bsky.social The government faces steep delivery challenges on the horizon to make progress here. My favourite bit is the quote from a parent - it was a privilege to speak about the challenges, but also what a difference good services can make.

Tes magazine@tesmagazine.bsky.social · 2mo ago

With most boys from low-income households not being school-ready by age 5, @nehaldavison.bsky.social and @sophiemetcalfe.bsky.social of @instituteforgovernment.org.uk say policymaking failures are to blame – and recommend ways to tackle the gender-based attainment gap

Check out our two new reports on how government can improve early years policy making to avoid leaving boys from low-income families further behind. Huge thanks to our partners @impurbanhealth.bsky.social for supporting this work. Some delivery challenges I found particularly interesting... 🧵⬇️

Shaina Sangha@shaina-sangha.bsky.social · 2mo ago

TWO new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk reports out today from me, @nehaldavison.bsky.social, @sophiemetcalfe.bsky.social and @emma-conway.bsky.social on early years policy and what's needed to ensure boys from low-income families are not left behind. 🧵 tinyurl.com/99pcyskh tinyurl.com/4bcbyyfz

NEW: Brilliant to have @matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social keynote speech at IfG this week on leasehold reform Housing regulation has rarely gone... well? Here I set out why I found the approach encouraging, and how govt can keep things on track. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/leas...

Leasehold reform is an opportunity to set a better record on housing regulation | Institute for Government

The government has a chance to show housing regulations can be made to work.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Delighted to welcome the housing minister to IfG on Wednesday to discuss leasehold reform. Do come along. It'll be an interesting conversation* *A complex regulatory landscape, a major overhaul of property law with a 40-year timeline... Need I say more to an IfG audience?

Institute for Government@instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 4mo ago

EVENT | A keynote speech by Matthew Pennycook MP, Minister for Housing and Planning 📆Wednesday 29 April 2026, 14:30 — 15:30 Join us as Matthew Pennycook MP gives a speech on leasehold reform and the move to commonhold. The speech will be followed by an audience Q&A.

In a first for the IfG, @meganbryer.bsky.social and I have translated two pieces about the upcoming Welsh and Scottish elections into Cymraeg! 1/🧵

a red dragon on a green and white flag

ALT: a red dragon on a green and white flag

media.tenor.com

Three weeks into my time @instituteforgovernment.org.uk I've been learning lots and it turns out increasing numbers of politicans have been too. My new colleagues have written about their work on professional development for politicians - well worth a read.⬇️

Institute for Government@instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 5mo ago

Professional development for politicians has become the new normal. Ministers, MPs and spads all benefit from taking time to work out how they will make the most of their time in office, say @timdurrant.bsky.social and @drhannahwhite.bsky.social. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/mini...

and follow up on same sex marriage from @sophiemetcalfe.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Proposing change: How same-sex marriage became a government success story | Institute for Government

Passing legislation to introduce same-sex marriage marked an important step in addressing the UK’s past legal discrimination against same-sex couples.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

we found that internal party divisiveness seems to be a feature of many of the most successful policies. Lots of case studies from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk - smoking ban, climate change act and devo and the minimum wage in this from 2012 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

The 'S' Factors | Institute for Government

This report looks at what we can learn from policy successes.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Iain Mansfield@igmansfield.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Same sex marriage. Banning smoking in indoor public spaces. Passed to great controversy and divided parties, would their proponents have guessed that in just 1-2 decades they'd become amongst the most popular of Britain's laws? Full results here: www.edrith.co.uk/p/gay-marria...

A genuinely big announcement on English devolution from Rachel Reeves today! As we at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk alongside others have argued fiscal devolution was a missing piece of the puzzle in the government's devolution white paper.

Have written about how the below is one symptom of a really bad set-up at the centre of government. It makes sense that in the moment prime ministers keep trying to find a different person to do various jobs, but the problem is also a structural one, and the dysfunctional structure keeps on winning

Chris Wormald’s exit as cabinet secretary should lead to more radical change at the centre | Institute for Government

The appointment of a new cabinet secretary is the right time to split the role from head of the civil service.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Hannah Keenan@hannahkeenan.bsky.social · 6mo ago

this is bad for the post of cabinet secretary and so bad for the civil service / good government / everyone.

I spoke at the House of Lords Justice & Home Affairs Committee yesterday, on behalf of @instituteforgovernment.org.uk, on immigration, citizenship and integration. Thanks to @jlowen.bsky.social, @cassiarowland.bsky.social and @hcdunlop.bsky.social for help on prep! Session here: tinyurl.com/372h6jdk

📢NEW REPORT📢 Every year @instituteforgovernment.org.uk sets out the latest on the civil service - size, professions, pay, morale. You name it, we analyse it. This year's report is out today. If you're interested in state capacity, you should be interested in what's happening in the civil service. 🧵

Whitehall Monitor 2026 | Institute for Government

Labour’s efforts to ‘rewire the state’ aren’t addressing longstanding workforce problems.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Delighted that Wes Streeting will be kicking off our Government 2026 conference - bright and early tomorrow ⬇️ Other speakers through the day include Mel Stride, Darren Jones, Louise Casey, Andy Burnham, Michael Gove, Ed Balls, Ayesha Hazarika and many more

Institute for Government@instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 7mo ago

We are really pleased to announce that our Government 2026 annual conference at the IfG will kick start with a keynote speech by Wes Streeting at 8:30am. He will be in conversation with @drhannahwhite.bsky.social Join us online: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...

Useful report and thread. These problems with policy making are widespread and go well beyond early years.

Sophie Metcalfe@sophiemetcalfe.bsky.social · 8mo ago

NEW report from @nehaldavison.bsky.social and I. Why have successive governments failed to tackle persistent inequalities in early years outcomes? We set out 5 systemic policy making failures that lead to some children being 'left behind'. 🧵⬇️ www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

A case study well worth noting, with a recurrent theme that policy targeting is crude - due to: political incentives; easy levers not aligning with need; markets requiring careful stewardship; central decision-making being in tension with local sensitivity. Reads across to many other policy fields!

Sophie Metcalfe@sophiemetcalfe.bsky.social · 8mo ago

NEW report from @nehaldavison.bsky.social and I. Why have successive governments failed to tackle persistent inequalities in early years outcomes? We set out 5 systemic policy making failures that lead to some children being 'left behind'. 🧵⬇️ www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

NEW report from @nehaldavison.bsky.social and I. Why have successive governments failed to tackle persistent inequalities in early years outcomes? We set out 5 systemic policy making failures that lead to some children being 'left behind'. 🧵⬇️ www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Policy making blind spots | Institute for Government

The systemic policy-making failures that have contributed to a sharp ‘cliff-edge’ in attainment levels.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

New comment | Three things the government needs to do to make the child poverty strategy work The child poverty strategy is a concrete shift towards prevention but ministers must take action to implement it effectively. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/chil...

Three things the government needs to do to make the child poverty strategy work | Institute for Government

The child poverty strategy is a concrete shift towards prevention but ministers must take action to implement it effectively.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

The child poverty strategy represents a concrete shift to prevention, but as always, the devil is in the detail. @sophiemetcalfe.bsky.social and I go into that detail in our new comment: - On coordinating multiple departments - Ensuring local partners have the right support - Monitoring progress

Three things the government needs to do to make the child poverty strategy work | Institute for Government

The child poverty strategy is a concrete shift towards prevention but ministers must take action to implement it effectively.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

NEW IfG verdict on the child poverty strategy from me and @amberdellar.bsky.social A critical package for the govt, but it needs: - stronger powers/accountability in DWP to lead it - much more robust support for LAs - earlier monitoring/evaluation www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/chil...

Three things the government needs to do to make the child poverty strategy work | Institute for Government

The child poverty strategy is a concrete shift towards prevention but ministers must take action to implement it effectively.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

I wrote for @theobserveruk.bsky.social on the special needs problem highlighted by the budget and the big political battle over it coming next year. share.google/kTTENR1gX4Y4...

Labour’s holiday homework: solve the problem of special needs education | The Observer

share.google

In a new departure, we @instituteforgovernment.org.uk are going to be live blogging the Budget all through tomorrow. The live blog is now live and we will be sharing our pre-Budget thoughts there, followed by responses once we hear the CX's speech www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/au...

LIVE BLOG | Autumn budget 2025: Rachel Reeves prepares to announce tax measures | Institute for Government

IfG experts analyse Reeves' budget and explore what the chancellor's plans for the economy, tax and spending mean.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Very excited to see my PhD research referenced in this @newstatesman1913.bsky.social piece www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

Rachel Reeves is trapped by history

Like every chancellor since the Thatcher era, Reeves is refusing to look the public in the eye

newstatesman.com

NEW REPORT | The opportunity gap facing boys from low-income families at age 5 and beyond Early attainment gaps mean some boys don't just start behind, they stay behind. @sophiemetcalfe.bsky.social @nehaldavison.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

The opportunity gap facing boys from low-income families at age 5 and beyond | Institute for Government

Early attainment gaps mean some boys don't just start behind, they stay behind.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk