There's more to Andy Burnham's premiership than vibes - my @newstatesman1913.bsky.social column this week on the intellectual project behind him:
Are we living under “woke Blue Labour”?
To understand Burnhamism, look back to 2010
newstatesman.com
UCL Policy Lab
@uclpolicylab.bsky.social
Bringing extraordinary ideas and everyday experience together to tackle the challenges facing us all.
The government has announced one of the largest shifts of fiscal power to local places in decades. With this, we reflect on why handing power down to regions and communities is central to the government’s plan to turn around the UK economy and politics. www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
Historic devolution plans provide an opportunity for lasting change
The government has announced one of the largest shifts of fiscal power to local places in decades. With this, the Lab reflects on why handing power down to regions and communities is central to the go...
ucl.ac.uk
What kind of fairness actually wins people over? Will Snell of @fairness.bsky.social, in the latest for HopeWorks: thisishopeworks.substack.com/p/how-to-get...
How to get Britain behind Burnham’s new vision?
Britons want change, but they need a story that makes sense of it. Will Snell, Fairness Foundation, sets out the conception of fairness that can hold the country together.
thisishopeworks.substack.com
How do you set up a government to actually deliver? Sharp guest piece for HopeWorks from @brunodent.bsky.social @futuregovforum.bsky.social thisishopeworks.substack.com/p/how-whiteh...
How Whitehall can learn to love Manchesterism
Bruno Dent, Future Governance Forum, lays out how Burnham can reform the British state in his first hundred days, from No.10 to the Treasury.
open.substack.com
Join our colleagues at @conunitucl.bsky.social on 9 July for a webinar exploring the future of constitutional reform in the UK. More details below ⤵️
UCL Constitution Unit@conunitucl.bsky.social · 2mo agoNow that Andy Burnham is returning to Westminster, and possibly heading to Downing Street, what next for constitutional reform? On 9 July, join Frances Foley, @cathhaddon.bsky.social and @lisajames.bsky.social to discuss just this at our free, online event. Sign up 👉️ ucl.zoom.us/webinar/regi....
This Friday at @ucl.ac.uk: the Stone Centre & @uclpolicylab.bsky.social convene PwC, CFA Institute, ACCA & Jisc on AI and graduate careers. Two panels + a hackathon. A few spaces left. 📍UCL Main Campus 🗓️Fri 3 July 10am-5pm 🎟️https://luma.com/nrjukkx7 #HigherEducation #AI
Last night, we welcomed guests from politics, civil society, philanthropy and the arts to the new V&A East Museum for an evening exploring how storytelling can connect rather than divide us, and build a stronger sense of shared belonging.
Place before party: why modern politics needs a somewhere @jimbaggaley.bsky.social reflects on his recent visit to Manchester, and how place-based politics can transform the country, as part of the UCL Policy Lab and @demos-uk.bsky.social Nation of Neighbours project. www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
Place before party: why modern politics needs a somewhere
James Baggaley reflects on his recent visit to Manchester, and how place-based politics can transform the country, as part of the Lab's Nation of Neighbours project, in partnership with Demos.
ucl.ac.uk
"The big question now is not just how to win power, but how to wield it in a way that restores trust, dignity, and agency to communities long left behind." First published in 2025, @andyburnham.bsky.social reflects on place-based governing. www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
Reclaiming power together: a politics of community to renew Labour’s purpose by Andy Burnham
First published in our 2025 collection, Britain Renewed: Labour and the Communitarian Tradition, Andy Burnham reflects on place-based governing.
ucl.ac.uk
On Manchesterism, the real defence trade-off, and the Makerfield by-election. Read the latest in HopeWorks: A Progressive Reader. open.substack.com/pub/thisisho...
What's at stake in Makerfield?
Makerfield, Manchesterism, and the fight over defence spending
open.substack.com
New polling delivered by UCL Policy Lab and More in Common shows a close race between Labour and Reform UK in this week's by-election. Find out more ⤵️ www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
New polling from the UCL Policy Lab shows that Labour lead Reform by 5 points in Makerfield
New polling delivered by UCL Policy Lab and More in Common shows a close race between Labour and Reform UK in this week's by-election.
ucl.ac.uk
Join us and @stoneeconucl.bsky.social this July as we explore the impact of AI on graduate employment, and how the sector can respond. Find out more and sign up ⤵️
The Stone Centre at UCL@stoneeconucl.bsky.social · 2mo agoHow is AI reshaping graduate labour markets? How should disciplines, universities, and sector bodies respond? The Stone Centre & @uclpolicylab.bsky.social will bring together two expert panels to discuss. 📍 UCL Main Campus 🗓️ Fri 3 July 10am-5pm 🎟️ luma.com/nrjukkx7 #HigherEducation #AI
How do we secure change? You helped us find out. The latest from HopeWorks thisishopeworks.substack.com/p/securing-c...
Securing change
The politics of hope, immigration, and much more
thisishopeworks.substack.com
Ahead of tomorrow's Ecosystem event, read the latest from HopeWorks. Featuring writing and work from @amandatattersall.bsky.social @hahrie.bsky.social @glgerstle.bsky.social and many more thisishopeworks.substack.com/p/how-do-we-...
How do we unite the left?
How local, national and global action builds a progressive future.
thisishopeworks.substack.com
This year's Constitution Unit Conference @conunitucl.bsky.social takes place on 24 June, where @mds49.bsky.social will be discussing how to restore public confidence in democracy. Find out more and sign up ⤵️
UCL Constitution Unit@conunitucl.bsky.social · 3mo agoHow can public confidence in UK democracy be restored? Join @pollycurtis.bsky.social, @mds49.bsky.social and Sue Tibballs to discuss restoring confidence in democracy, from tangible improvements in people's lives, to institutional and cultural changes. Sign up 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/social-histo....
What do the local elections mean for the future of Labour? HopeWorks: A Progressive Reader #2 gathers the best post-election analyses. thisishopeworks.substack.com/p/why-did-la...
Why did Labour lose? What should it do next?
The best of local election analysis
thisishopeworks.substack.com
Disrespected Britain punishing Starmer in local and devolved elections. New analysis from UCL Policy Lab and @moreincommonuk.bsky.social shows that a failure to respect ordinary people has led voters to desert the established parties. www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
Disrespected Britain punishing Starmer in local and devolved elections
New analysis from UCL Policy Lab and More in Common shows that a failure to respect ordinary people has led voters to desert the established parties in favour of populist challengers.
ucl.ac.uk
The university sector must take the lead to rebuild trust and renew public purpose. A new report from the UCL Policy Lab looks at how universities can deliver for their communities and the country as a whole. www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ma...
University sector must take the lead to rebuild trust and renew public purpose
A new report by the UCL Policy Lab outlines that UK universities must take the lead in renewing their civic and national role if they are to thrive in the years ahead.
ucl.ac.uk
On progressive Christianity, the virtue of fiscal prudence, and how to fight inequality. Read the latest in HopeWorks: A Progressive Reader open.substack.com/pub/thisisho...
#1 HopeWorks: A Progressive Reader
On progressive Christianity, the virtue of fiscal prudence, and how to fight inequality
open.substack.com
We were pleased to welcome @torstenbell.bsky.social to UCL this month to launch the UCL Policy Lab Annual Lecture in Economic Policy, with a lecture entitled Economic Lessons of a Conflict, co-hosted by @ucleconomics.bsky.social. You can read the full lecture here ⤵️
Torsten Bell MP delivers first UCL Policy Lab Annual Lecture in Economic Policy
UCL Policy Lab and UCL Economics welcomed Torsten Bell MP to UCL this April to launch the Annual Lecture in Economic Policy.
ucl.ac.uk
New on HopeWorks - The Right Way to Argue About Wealth. Progressives are in danger of losing the argument about wealth. Jack Jeffrey from the @fairness.bsky.social and @renewaljournal.bsky.social explores how republican political theory might help them win it. substack.com/home/post/p-...
The Right Way to Argue About Wealth
Progressives are in danger of losing the argument about wealth. Jack Jeffrey, Fairness Foundation, shows how republican political theory might help them win it.
substack.com
Who are Labour’s workers? Brilliant piece to kick back off HopeWorks from @joshwesterling.bsky.social @jrf-uk.bsky.social. open.substack.com/pub/thisisho...
Labour needs to modernise its politics of work
Josh Westerling, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, lays out the features and the limitations of the Labour Government's new employment legislation.
open.substack.com
For 15 years, communities across England have been leading change where they live. The Big Local programme has now come to a close, having successfully supported 150 areas with long-term, resident-led funding. Find out more about Big Local and @localtrust.org.uk's work ⤵️
Local Trust@localtrust.org.uk · 4mo agoCelebrating Big Local – the movement communities made 🎉 For 15 years, 150 communities across England led change in their areas. As the programme closes, we’re celebrating the people, stories, and legacy of what’s possible with time, trust, and resources. Explore it all here: https://bit.ly/4m4GqS2
It was a great honour to host Diego Martínez Belío, Spanish State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs. We were joined by those from across politics, philanthropy, journalism and campaigning to hear the distinctive Spanish approach to our current global disorder.
The government’s social cohesion plan marks a major step forward for communities. As UCL Policy Lab research shows, the government's new Social Cohesion Action Plan is right to focus on how local communities are the bedrock of cohesion. www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
Government’s social cohesion plan marks a major step forward for communities
As UCL Policy Lab research shows, the government's new Social Cohesion Action Plan is right to focus on how local communities are the bedrock of cohesion. Yet other elements of the government's curren...
ucl.ac.uk
Join our colleagues at @uclpublicpolicy.bsky.social for their next Up Close and Policy event on 9 March, exploring how community‑powered approaches can help create fairer, more vibrant and more resilient places. Find out more ⤵️
UCL Public Policy@uclpublicpolicy.bsky.social · 5mo agoJoin us at our next Up Close and Policy event on 9 March 2026 exploring how UCL's Co-design Lab's creative methods are helping Newham residents imagine the future of their borough. Find out more about the event and book your places on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/4qLZVzt
Government tackling important reforms on SEND support in schools today. UCL research has long shown that inclusion in mainstream schools can bring huge advantages when done in the right way. journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
You may notice that the UCL Policy Lab's brand is looking a little different. That's because we're getting a fresh new look as we celebrate UCL's 200th anniversary. www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/fe...
UCL celebrates 200 years: A landmark year begins
Today, UCL marks 200 years since its foundation. Based in the heart of London, UCL is rooted in curiosity, tolerance and academic excellence. Throughout the year we will celebrate two centuries of lea...
ucl.ac.uk
Today marks 200 years since UCL first opened its doors 🎉 This year will see an exciting and varied programme of activities, events and storytelling across our community as we celebrate this milestone, and look to the future.
UCL@ucl.ac.uk · 6mo agoToday, UCL turns 200. 🎉 For two centuries, our community has opened doors, challenged convention and pushed the boundaries of knowledge across every discipline. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of the UCL story, here’s to the next century. ✨ #UCL200 #LoveUCL
Neither rain nor fire, Sir Keir Starmer's fading search for a story. New on HopeWorks: @mds49.bsky.social reflects on what the artists Turner and Constable can tell us about Keir Starmer's leadership. thisishopeworks.substack.com/p/rain-nor-f...
Neither rain nor fire, Sir Keir Starmer's fading search for a story
Guest writer, Marc Stears, Director, UCL Policy Lab & former chief speechwriter to the Labour Party, reflects on what the artists, Turner and Constable, can tell us about Keir Starmer's leadership.
thisishopeworks.substack.com