Gavin Kelly | Lightnews

Ada Lovelace Institute @adalovelaceinst.bsky.social · 22h

📣Closing this week: We're hiring an Associate Director to lead our Emerging Technology & Industry Practice research domain.

It's an exciting time to join Ada as we begin our new strategy period.

Deadline: 23:59 GMT, 16 November 2025.
www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/job/associat...

Ada Lovelace Institute Associate Director, Emerging Technology & Industry Practice

www.adalovelaceinstitute.org

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · 5d

So many issues Today programme could have asked Charlie Mayfield about on his new report. Very odd to pursue a line of enquiry about whether the UK statutory sick pay is too generous (we have one of the least generous systems in the OECD).

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · 14d

Don’t think a 0.3% downgrade is especially surprising (regardless of analysts’ expectations). As brutal as the Budget will be for HMT, I expect they’d prefer this to 3 years of consecutive small downgrades.

on.ft.com/3WWvlq6 Reeves faces £20bn hit to UK public finances from productivity downgrade

Reeves faces £20bn hit to UK public finances from productivity downgrade

Bigger than expected reduction in OBR forecast deals blow to chancellor ahead of Budget

on.ft.com

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · 17d

So sorry Sunder - shocking - please take care of yourself.

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · 17d

Utterly brutal but completely necessary. Should never have been allowed to go on this long. Hope the fans now go in numbers to support & spend.

Sheffield Wednesday @swfc.co.uk · 17d

Julian Pitts, Kris Wigfield and Paul Stanley of Begbies Traynor have been appointed joint administrators of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club Limited and of Sheffield 3 Limited, the company that owns the club’s stadium, on 24 October 2025.

👉 www.swfc.co.uk/news/2025/oc...

Sheffield Wednesday @swfc.co.uk · 17d

Julian Pitts, Kris Wigfield and Paul Stanley of Begbies Traynor have been appointed joint administrators of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club Limited and of Sheffield 3 Limited, the company that owns the club’s stadium, on 24 October 2025.

👉 www.swfc.co.uk/news/2025/oc...

Nuffield Foundation @nuffieldfoundation.org · 19d

Delighted to see NELI, the Nuffield Early Language Intervention programme, described as an ‘education silver bullet’ by @beckyfrancis.bsky.social in @schoolsweek.bsky.social. NELI is a programme for reception pupils in England who need extra support with speech & language development. bit.ly/47CEtq3

‘I dream the curriculum every night’: Becky Francis profile

Becky Francis reflects on control, compromise, and finding the balance between ‘firebrand’ and 'technocrat'

bit.ly

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · 24d

Yikes.

The Quarterly Journal of Economics @qjeharvard.bsky.social · 24d

Recently accepted by #QJE, “Digital Distractions with Peer Influence: The Impact of Mobile App Usage on Academic and Labor Market Outcomes,” by Barwick, Chen, Fu, and Li: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

Digital Distractions with Peer Influence: The Impact of Mobile App Usage on Academic and Labor Market Outcomes*

Abstract. Concerns about excessive mobile phone use among youth are mounting. We present estimates of both behavioral and contextual peer effects, along wi

doi.org

The Quarterly Journal of Economics @qjeharvard.bsky.social · 24d

Recently accepted by #QJE, “Digital Distractions with Peer Influence: The Impact of Mobile App Usage on Academic and Labor Market Outcomes,” by Barwick, Chen, Fu, and Li: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

Digital Distractions with Peer Influence: The Impact of Mobile App Usage on Academic and Labor Market Outcomes*

Abstract. Concerns about excessive mobile phone use among youth are mounting. We present estimates of both behavioral and contextual peer effects, along wi

doi.org

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · 26d

Crucial scene-setting by @theifs.bsky.social in its Green Budget which @nuffieldfoundation.org is pleased to support.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies @theifs.bsky.social · 26d

NEW: The Chancellor almost certainly has a fiscal repair job on her hands at next month’s Budget.

But doing the bare minimum risks another fiscal groundhog day next year.

🧵 THREAD on our new IFS Green Budget's findings on the UK's economic outlook and fiscal situation:

The Institute for Fiscal Studies @theifs.bsky.social · 26d

NEW: The Chancellor almost certainly has a fiscal repair job on her hands at next month’s Budget.

But doing the bare minimum risks another fiscal groundhog day next year.

🧵 THREAD on our new IFS Green Budget's findings on the UK's economic outlook and fiscal situation:

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · 28d

Hard to argue with the central conclusion: serious tax reform is long overdue. Whether its property, capital gains, carbon, motoring or self-employment - the tax system is not fit for purpose. Change will take time & needs to be carefully crafted. This Budget needs to be reforming + revenue-raising

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · 28d

Here is the cut out & keep scorecard of revenue raised in 2029/30 from different tax options:

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · 28d

All Budgets are billed as important but this one is set to be especially challenging.

Pleased @nuffieldfoundation.org supports @theifs.bsky.social Green Budget which illuminates the key choices & trade-offs.

Here's the chapter on options for tax increases.

ifs.org.uk/publications...

Options for tax increases | Institute for Fiscal Studies

If the Chancellor hopes to raise large sums from tax increases at the Budget, she should consider reforms that would make any increases less damaging.

ifs.org.uk

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · Oct 10

Being clear about what is happening to graduates in the jobs market is important in its own right - but also because simplistic analysis just feeds the beast of suspect narrative (it's all AI etc)

More clear thinking from @jburnmurdoch.ft.com

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · Oct 7

Well worth reading this thoughtful interview on race, identity and much else with the optimistic realist @sundersays.bsky.social

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · Oct 7

"We haven’t come all this way, Katwala says, “just for Elon Musk, a man born into an apartheid state, who’s polarised America, to come and start a civil war here by breaking the law"
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Sunder Katwala on race, patriotism and flag-waving: ‘The far right is vocal and angry because it is shrinking’

The director of British Future has spent his career trying to find common ground when it comes to race and immigration. He describes his own experience of racism – and why he’s still hopeful for the U...

www.theguardian.com

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · Oct 7

"We haven’t come all this way, Katwala says, “just for Elon Musk, a man born into an apartheid state, who’s polarised America, to come and start a civil war here by breaking the law"
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Sunder Katwala on race, patriotism and flag-waving: ‘The far right is vocal and angry because it is shrinking’

The director of British Future has spent his career trying to find common ground when it comes to race and immigration. He describes his own experience of racism – and why he’s still hopeful for the U...

www.theguardian.com

Omar Khan @omaromalleykhan.bsky.social · Oct 7

I know statistics are poorly understood and are misused. But facts matter

Between the 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 Census *every* ethnic group in the UK has become *less* geographically segregated and *all* groups, majority and minorities, are more likely to interact with people not like them

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · Oct 6

I expect we'll be seeing a lot more of this.

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · Oct 6

Loved that book when I read as a post-grad. Curious to know what you make of it today....

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · Oct 5

Some of the most thoughtful social commentary atm is coming via @manchestermill.bsky.social

manchestermill.co.uk/jews-and-mus...

Jews and Muslims in North Manchester: A personal story

‘We thought we were the luckiest people in the world to be born in Manchester’

manchestermill.co.uk

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · Oct 4

When should (& shouldn’t) political differences be bridged?

A rich and timely conversation between Ta-Nehisi Coates & @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social

open.spotify.com/episode/4jQE...

Ta-Nehisi Coates on Bridging Gaps vs. Drawing Lines

open.spotify.com

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · Oct 4

Thoughtful provocation from the always interesting Geoff Mulgan on the urgent need for future-facing exploratory social science.

geoffmulgan.substack.com/p/an-aria-fo...

An ARIA for social issues?

The case for exploratory social science

geoffmulgan.substack.com

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · Oct 3

Pleased that @nuffieldfoundation.org support @fullfact.org & their important work.

Gavin Freeguard @gavinfreeguard.bsky.social · Oct 3

Absolutely astonished @hignfy.bsky.social just stated that Multiverse will be running the government's digital ID scheme

An incredibly basic failure of fact-checking

fullfact.org/technology/d...

Has Euan Blair’s company Multiverse been chosen to run the government’s new digital ID scheme? – Full Fact

Multiverse is an “upskilling company”, not a software developer, and both it and the government say there’s no truth to viral claims linking it to the scheme.

fullfact.org

Gavin Freeguard @gavinfreeguard.bsky.social · Oct 3

Absolutely astonished @hignfy.bsky.social just stated that Multiverse will be running the government's digital ID scheme

An incredibly basic failure of fact-checking

fullfact.org/technology/d...

Has Euan Blair’s company Multiverse been chosen to run the government’s new digital ID scheme? – Full Fact

Multiverse is an “upskilling company”, not a software developer, and both it and the government say there’s no truth to viral claims linking it to the scheme.

fullfact.org

Bishopsgate Institute @bishopsgateinst.bsky.social · Oct 3

Somewhere free, quiet, and right next to Liverpool Street? 👀

Whether you’ve got a deadline looming, are polishing off a chapter on your lunch break, or hunting for a calm spot to do some work, our new Reading Room is open to you.

👋 https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/whats-on/activity/reading-room/

Reading Room | Bishopsgate Institute

The Reading Room is separate to the Researchers’ Service, so if you’d like to look at our special collections and archives, you’ll need this instead https:

www.bishopsgate.org.uk

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · Sep 29

For instance, c. 1 in 3 young people who are NEET are not on UC and are largely invisible to the state. Vital that an ambitious ‘guarantee’ finds a way of tracking them & providing them with new opportunities.

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · Sep 29

Good to see the commitment to a job guarantee for young people long-term excluded from work or learning. Vital step. Lots of other elements needed to get this right. My recent thoughts.

on.ft.com/3ILpb8T Let’s not forget the young people without GCSEs

Let’s not forget the young people without GCSEs

We should realise that training alongside decent work is a better next step for some 16-year-olds

on.ft.com

Nuffield Foundation @nuffieldfoundation.org · Sep 26

It’s time to think about the connection between the social & economic, not as unilateral, but as a two-way relationship.

This was the theme of our recent event, where we asked a room of experts, ’How can the strength of our social foundations make, or break, our economic fortunes?’

Link below👇

Jo Bibby @jobibby.bsky.social · Sep 24

Listening to @gavin-kelly.bsky.social talking about @nuffieldfoundation.org new strategy - using the power of evidence to change lives.

Pleased to hear the two challenges of:
- young people not earning or learning and
- working age ill health

are both squarely in his sights. ☺️

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