Andy Westwood
@andywestwood.bsky.social
Public Policy Prof at University of Manchester. On a mission.
Great piece - understands policy context and asks the right questions about what that means for the university and the city.
NEW on Wonkhe: Plymouth is once again entering an era of defence-driven growth. Richard Davies asks how the university fits in buff.ly/dDLRkUZ
November 11, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Great piece - understands policy context and asks the right questions about what that means for the university and the city.
Reposted by Andy Westwood
NEW on Wonkhe: Plymouth is once again entering an era of defence-driven growth. Richard Davies asks how the university fits in buff.ly/dDLRkUZ
November 11, 2025 at 6:00 AM
NEW on Wonkhe: Plymouth is once again entering an era of defence-driven growth. Richard Davies asks how the university fits in buff.ly/dDLRkUZ
Reposted by Andy Westwood
For this week's @theobserveruk.bsky.social I've written about one of my favourite topics: the productivity of the public sector, how it's measured, why it tends to grow less quickly than productivity in the private sector, and what it means for policy.
observer.co.uk/news/busines...
observer.co.uk/news/busines...
November 9, 2025 at 10:11 AM
For this week's @theobserveruk.bsky.social I've written about one of my favourite topics: the productivity of the public sector, how it's measured, why it tends to grow less quickly than productivity in the private sector, and what it means for policy.
observer.co.uk/news/busines...
observer.co.uk/news/busines...
Reposted by Andy Westwood
BBC really burying the lede there
November 7, 2025 at 12:07 PM
BBC really burying the lede there
Given that it’s Bonfire Night, has anyone bought/saved this place yet? Someone should…
assets.savills.com/properties/F...
assets.savills.com/properties/F...
assets.savills.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Given that it’s Bonfire Night, has anyone bought/saved this place yet? Someone should…
assets.savills.com/properties/F...
assets.savills.com/properties/F...
Not sure we get this level of coverage/analysis for mayoral elections in England?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Mamdani seals remarkable victory - but real challenges await
He entered the race largely unnoticed but the new mayor can expect to face serious scrutiny in office.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Not sure we get this level of coverage/analysis for mayoral elections in England?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Andy Westwood
Professor Becky Francis has published her final curriculum and assessment review report.
She spoke to Schools Week about some of its key recommendations and the thinking behind them
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/interview-becky-francis-on-the-big-ideas-in-her-curriculum-review/
She spoke to Schools Week about some of its key recommendations and the thinking behind them
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/interview-becky-francis-on-the-big-ideas-in-her-curriculum-review/
Q&A: Becky Francis on the big ideas in her curriculum review
Chair explains thinking behind year 8 tests, scrapping EBacc and triple science guarantee
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 6:40 AM
Professor Becky Francis has published her final curriculum and assessment review report.
She spoke to Schools Week about some of its key recommendations and the thinking behind them
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/interview-becky-francis-on-the-big-ideas-in-her-curriculum-review/
She spoke to Schools Week about some of its key recommendations and the thinking behind them
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/interview-becky-francis-on-the-big-ideas-in-her-curriculum-review/
Unsurprising on one level - but in week of Farage’s speech on the economy (and release of new IMD data) it’s not obvious that there is much they can offer them?
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
UK’s Poorest Areas Turn En Masse Toward Nigel Farage’s Reform
Economic insecurity is hastening the death of the two-party system that’s dominated UK politics for a century, detailed polling and deprivation data suggest.
www.bloomberg.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Unsurprising on one level - but in week of Farage’s speech on the economy (and release of new IMD data) it’s not obvious that there is much they can offer them?
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Andy Westwood
Tuesday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/morten-morla...
November 3, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Tuesday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/morten-morla...
DfE surely right to think more deeply/widely 1) on vfm grounds (not ‘free’ for DfE & scarce resource can be spent elsewhere - including in these towns) and 2) need much more detailed assessment of impact on existing 6th forms and FE (who could really do with the money)?
apple.news/AL322Q5lwRbq...
apple.news/AL322Q5lwRbq...
Labour should approve new free schools without further delay — The Times and The Sunday Times
Free schools work. That reality is plainly uncomfortable for the Labour Party, both because it demonstrates the success of Conservative education reforms, and because free schools are sometimes irrati...
apple.news
November 3, 2025 at 8:30 AM
DfE surely right to think more deeply/widely 1) on vfm grounds (not ‘free’ for DfE & scarce resource can be spent elsewhere - including in these towns) and 2) need much more detailed assessment of impact on existing 6th forms and FE (who could really do with the money)?
apple.news/AL322Q5lwRbq...
apple.news/AL322Q5lwRbq...
David Willetts is spot on here (while demonstrating how incentives currently shape English higher education).
on.ft.com/47Cwbxl It is time for business schools to think locally
on.ft.com/47Cwbxl It is time for business schools to think locally
It is time for business schools to think locally
Even in a globalised world, business educators must focus on the UK and their regions to improve management and productivity
on.ft.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:07 AM
David Willetts is spot on here (while demonstrating how incentives currently shape English higher education).
on.ft.com/47Cwbxl It is time for business schools to think locally
on.ft.com/47Cwbxl It is time for business schools to think locally
Reposted by Andy Westwood
Lewis is absolutely right here
November 2, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Lewis is absolutely right here
Reposted by Andy Westwood
Wherever we looked for the prominent flaggers and leaders of this movement, we found people smugglers and sex doll salesmen, people with dubious criminal pasts and people willing to put in a good word for Adolf Hitler.
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
The men who raised the flags
Nigel Farage says this summer’s movement was led by ‘ordinary people’ expressing their patriotism. That’s not what we found
manchestermill.co.uk
November 1, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Wherever we looked for the prominent flaggers and leaders of this movement, we found people smugglers and sex doll salesmen, people with dubious criminal pasts and people willing to put in a good word for Adolf Hitler.
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
Reposted by Andy Westwood
I keep being told spending cuts are easy. Honest proposals such as those recently outlined by Policy Exchange show they are not
My column www.ft.com/content/f086...
My column www.ft.com/content/f086...
October 30, 2025 at 8:05 AM
I keep being told spending cuts are easy. Honest proposals such as those recently outlined by Policy Exchange show they are not
My column www.ft.com/content/f086...
My column www.ft.com/content/f086...
If you’ve not checked these out and you’re interested in anything to do with skills at a local/regional level, then you should! #SkillsEngland
department-for-education.shinyapps.io/local-skills...
department-for-education.shinyapps.io/local-skills...
Local Skills Dashboard
Data dashboard presenting local skills data from Skills England.
department-for-education.shinyapps.io
October 30, 2025 at 7:57 AM
If you’ve not checked these out and you’re interested in anything to do with skills at a local/regional level, then you should! #SkillsEngland
department-for-education.shinyapps.io/local-skills...
department-for-education.shinyapps.io/local-skills...
Reposted by Andy Westwood
Thursday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/morten-morla...
October 29, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Thursday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/morten-morla...
Reposted by Andy Westwood
Just need to keep repeating this point. Stagnant zero sum economies create political ungovernability. Productivity growth has collapsed in many rich countries since the financial crash on.ft.com/4hwRuoB
October 29, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Just need to keep repeating this point. Stagnant zero sum economies create political ungovernability. Productivity growth has collapsed in many rich countries since the financial crash on.ft.com/4hwRuoB
Reposted by Andy Westwood
🚨Breaking Dsit funding news🚨
UKRI allocated £39bn budget over next four years.
National funder will receive around £9.2 billion next year, as Dsit plans “more agile” R&D funding.
More details: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
UKRI allocated £39bn budget over next four years.
National funder will receive around £9.2 billion next year, as Dsit plans “more agile” R&D funding.
More details: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
UKRI allocated £39bn budget over next four years - Research Professional News
National funder will receive around £9.2 billion next year, as Dsit plans “more agile” R&D funding
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
October 30, 2025 at 12:08 AM
🚨Breaking Dsit funding news🚨
UKRI allocated £39bn budget over next four years.
National funder will receive around £9.2 billion next year, as Dsit plans “more agile” R&D funding.
More details: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
UKRI allocated £39bn budget over next four years.
National funder will receive around £9.2 billion next year, as Dsit plans “more agile” R&D funding.
More details: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Reposted by Andy Westwood
I’ve written for @financialtimes.com about the need for belief in the future to get things built on.ft.com/47cO3Qs Why optimists build better infrastructure
Why optimists build better infrastructure
History credits the Victorians for their grand — and enduring — schemes but we need our eyes on the future to emulate them
on.ft.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:25 PM
I’ve written for @financialtimes.com about the need for belief in the future to get things built on.ft.com/47cO3Qs Why optimists build better infrastructure
Reposted by Andy Westwood
We don’t need a revolution to address our biggest global economic challenges, only a reconfiguration of our priorities and policies, @drodrik.bsky.social argues. bit.ly/4oomh9J
Neglected Solutions to Our Biggest Problems
Dani Rodrik argues that we already have the tools we need to address the world's biggest economic challenges.
bit.ly
October 29, 2025 at 4:55 PM
We don’t need a revolution to address our biggest global economic challenges, only a reconfiguration of our priorities and policies, @drodrik.bsky.social argues. bit.ly/4oomh9J
Reposted by Andy Westwood
Govt's post-16 education white paper plans spell "more efforts and powers behind the drive for both specialisation between institutions and for economic growth", including in research, writes @andywestwood.bsky.social.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
White paper yokes UK research to government’s wider goals - Research Professional News
University reforms go hand-in-hand with industrial strategy and drive for growth, says Andy Westwood
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
October 21, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Govt's post-16 education white paper plans spell "more efforts and powers behind the drive for both specialisation between institutions and for economic growth", including in research, writes @andywestwood.bsky.social.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
Reposted by Andy Westwood
Just up on @resprofnews.bsky.social: analysis of the post-16 white paper from @andywestwood.bsky.social
"Overall, the document says much more about R&D than many would have expected from a DfE-led white paper"
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
"Overall, the document says much more about R&D than many would have expected from a DfE-led white paper"
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
White paper yokes UK research to government’s wider goals - Research Professional News
University reforms go hand-in-hand with industrial strategy and drive for growth, says Andy Westwood
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
October 21, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Just up on @resprofnews.bsky.social: analysis of the post-16 white paper from @andywestwood.bsky.social
"Overall, the document says much more about R&D than many would have expected from a DfE-led white paper"
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
"Overall, the document says much more about R&D than many would have expected from a DfE-led white paper"
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
It’s becoming quite annoying hearing Robert Jenrick moaning about the West Midlands. But if you want a more honest picture of Wolverhampton today, then watch and enjoy this (featuring one of my favourite matchday pubs)…
Source: YouTube share.google/vR5w9oinieym...
Source: YouTube share.google/vR5w9oinieym...
Wolverhampton's food BLEW ME AWAY 🤯
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
share.google
October 18, 2025 at 11:14 AM
It’s becoming quite annoying hearing Robert Jenrick moaning about the West Midlands. But if you want a more honest picture of Wolverhampton today, then watch and enjoy this (featuring one of my favourite matchday pubs)…
Source: YouTube share.google/vR5w9oinieym...
Source: YouTube share.google/vR5w9oinieym...
