Rebecca Montacute
@beckymontacute.bsky.social
Research Director at cross-party think tank @smfthinktank.bsky.social, prev @suttontrust.bsky.social. Expert on educational inequality/social mobility.
Trustee @inquest-org.bsky.social. MH campaigner in memory of mum. Views own. linktr.ee/beckymontacute
Trustee @inquest-org.bsky.social. MH campaigner in memory of mum. Views own. linktr.ee/beckymontacute
Pinned
Dr Rebecca Montacute
Portfolio of Dr Rebecca Montacute
rebeccamontacute.com
I have a website! All my research work together in one place, with a snazzy filter/search function to find work I've done on different topics -
rebeccamontacute.com
rebeccamontacute.com
A reminder for anyone new to Bluesky (or who just wants to follow more policy wonks here) that I've made a starter pack of all the think tanks I've spotted on the platform and the researchers working at them (if you're missing and want adding in let me know!) - go.bsky.app/Geu9Jd8
UK think tanks - research edition
Join the conversation
go.bsky.app
January 6, 2026 at 1:03 PM
A reminder for anyone new to Bluesky (or who just wants to follow more policy wonks here) that I've made a starter pack of all the think tanks I've spotted on the platform and the researchers working at them (if you're missing and want adding in let me know!) - go.bsky.app/Geu9Jd8
X is not safe for women - this is absolutely disgusting and will push women out of public life, so much of which is now online. That's not free speech, it's harassment (note - example below is thankfully age restricted, so only the prompts are visible and not the generated images).
One example of how Grok is being used to target women. Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch being sexualised, degraded, and humiliated step-by-step by Grok. All the images accurately reflect the prompts provided.
January 5, 2026 at 7:19 PM
X is not safe for women - this is absolutely disgusting and will push women out of public life, so much of which is now online. That's not free speech, it's harassment (note - example below is thankfully age restricted, so only the prompts are visible and not the generated images).
A new year reminder we're (@smfthinktank.bsky.social and @suttontrust.bsky.social) looking for case studies of successful relationships between schools and early years provision - that can be a nursery inside of a school, or local providers with strong links ⬇️
January 5, 2026 at 11:31 AM
A new year reminder we're (@smfthinktank.bsky.social and @suttontrust.bsky.social) looking for case studies of successful relationships between schools and early years provision - that can be a nursery inside of a school, or local providers with strong links ⬇️
There's been a huge focus on how young men's voting preferences are changing, but much less (and as the piece points out - not surprisingly - given how women's preferences tend to get far less attention generally) on women's, even though they're changing more drastically. Really interesting piece -
Young women are radicalising
🖊️ Scarlett Maguire
🖊️ Scarlett Maguire
Young women are radicalising
Britain's young women are sad, alienated and increasingly left-wing
www.newstatesman.com
January 5, 2026 at 10:31 AM
There's been a huge focus on how young men's voting preferences are changing, but much less (and as the piece points out - not surprisingly - given how women's preferences tend to get far less attention generally) on women's, even though they're changing more drastically. Really interesting piece -
A pay-per-mile tax for EVs is a sensible step - but it needs to be done well.
New Zealand's approach did huge damage to EV sales, but there have been better approaches ⬇️
New Zealand's approach did huge damage to EV sales, but there have been better approaches ⬇️
New Zealand is a warning for government's pay-per-mile plans for EVs...
...but Iceland shows the way.
Speaking to @telegraph.co.uk, SMF's @gideonsalutin.bsky.social explains what factors made Iceland's approach a success in keeping EVs sales momentum, while adding to government revenue.
...but Iceland shows the way.
Speaking to @telegraph.co.uk, SMF's @gideonsalutin.bsky.social explains what factors made Iceland's approach a success in keeping EVs sales momentum, while adding to government revenue.
January 5, 2026 at 9:52 AM
A pay-per-mile tax for EVs is a sensible step - but it needs to be done well.
New Zealand's approach did huge damage to EV sales, but there have been better approaches ⬇️
New Zealand's approach did huge damage to EV sales, but there have been better approaches ⬇️
Walking in a winter wonderland ❄️
(Also, love a good public transport accessible country walk)
(Also, love a good public transport accessible country walk)
January 3, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Walking in a winter wonderland ❄️
(Also, love a good public transport accessible country walk)
(Also, love a good public transport accessible country walk)
Reposted by Rebecca Montacute
Remember when the right-wing press and the private schools lobby said VAT would mean an exodus to state schools causing a crisis? Not so much.
(From this FT analysis: www.ft.com/content/c979...)
(From this FT analysis: www.ft.com/content/c979...)
January 2, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Remember when the right-wing press and the private schools lobby said VAT would mean an exodus to state schools causing a crisis? Not so much.
(From this FT analysis: www.ft.com/content/c979...)
(From this FT analysis: www.ft.com/content/c979...)
"Responsible use of AI" in the BBC's Titanic documentary includes boats with disappearing oars, and some lifeboats with tiny vs others with gigantic passengers.... 🤣
January 1, 2026 at 4:31 PM
"Responsible use of AI" in the BBC's Titanic documentary includes boats with disappearing oars, and some lifeboats with tiny vs others with gigantic passengers.... 🤣
Woooo 2026! 🎉
January 1, 2026 at 12:14 AM
Woooo 2026! 🎉
Looking back at 2025, I'm deeply concerned this year has brought the increasing normalisation of views which should be no where near mainstream political discourse - particularly the suggestion that people who aren't white can never be "truly" British, that non-white Brits "shouldn't be MPs"...
December 31, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Looking back at 2025, I'm deeply concerned this year has brought the increasing normalisation of views which should be no where near mainstream political discourse - particularly the suggestion that people who aren't white can never be "truly" British, that non-white Brits "shouldn't be MPs"...
Reposted by Rebecca Montacute
What better way to end 2025 than getting our paper published in Global Environmental Change 🥳💚
We studied perceptions of the feasibility of climate-relevant behavior change and how these perceptions connect to income differences and climate policy support.
Let me tell you all about it🧵👇
We studied perceptions of the feasibility of climate-relevant behavior change and how these perceptions connect to income differences and climate policy support.
Let me tell you all about it🧵👇
December 28, 2025 at 3:55 PM
What better way to end 2025 than getting our paper published in Global Environmental Change 🥳💚
We studied perceptions of the feasibility of climate-relevant behavior change and how these perceptions connect to income differences and climate policy support.
Let me tell you all about it🧵👇
We studied perceptions of the feasibility of climate-relevant behavior change and how these perceptions connect to income differences and climate policy support.
Let me tell you all about it🧵👇
Reposted by Rebecca Montacute
A paper published in Nature in September suggests a quarter of heatwave events from 2000-23 would have been near impossible without anthropogenic climate change. The paper also indicates that major carbon emitters are responsible for around 50% of the increase in intensity of these events. ⚒️ 🧪
Systematic attribution of heatwaves to the emissions of carbon majors - Nature
Climate change made 213 historical heatwaves reported over 2000–2023 more likely and more intense, to which each of the 180 carbon majors (fossil fuel and cement producers) substantially contributed.
go.nature.com
December 28, 2025 at 11:28 PM
A paper published in Nature in September suggests a quarter of heatwave events from 2000-23 would have been near impossible without anthropogenic climate change. The paper also indicates that major carbon emitters are responsible for around 50% of the increase in intensity of these events. ⚒️ 🧪
A very grey Bristol day
December 28, 2025 at 5:39 PM
A very grey Bristol day
"Oh, you want to travel back over Christmas after seeing family? That'll be a 6+ hour trip rather than the usual 2 and a half, and you can go on the most horrible train we have available - Merry Christmas!"
December 27, 2025 at 1:02 PM
"Oh, you want to travel back over Christmas after seeing family? That'll be a 6+ hour trip rather than the usual 2 and a half, and you can go on the most horrible train we have available - Merry Christmas!"
Also as I can't do one this Saturday, that's a total of 35 parkruns this year (most ever in a year) at 22 different locations 🎉 #parkrun
December 25, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Also as I can't do one this Saturday, that's a total of 35 parkruns this year (most ever in a year) at 22 different locations 🎉 #parkrun
Merry Christmas parkrun! 🎄
December 25, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Merry Christmas parkrun! 🎄
Interesting/worrying finding re awareness of the government funded early years expansion by deprivation level (area based) -
www.independent.co.uk/news/educati...
www.independent.co.uk/news/educati...
December 24, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Interesting/worrying finding re awareness of the government funded early years expansion by deprivation level (area based) -
www.independent.co.uk/news/educati...
www.independent.co.uk/news/educati...
Liverpool Christmas markets are 10/10 would visit again
December 23, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Liverpool Christmas markets are 10/10 would visit again
Final bit of work pre logging off for the Christmas break - just on @lbc.co.uk radio to talk about the best ways to measure class background for access schemes ⬇️
Should the kids of train drivers (some of whom will soon be on upto £80k a year) be given access to schemes designed to help young people from working class homes?
📻👇ICYMI, SMF Research Director @beckymontacute.bsky.social speaks to LBC’s @tomswarbrick.bsky.social
📻👇ICYMI, SMF Research Director @beckymontacute.bsky.social speaks to LBC’s @tomswarbrick.bsky.social
December 23, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Final bit of work pre logging off for the Christmas break - just on @lbc.co.uk radio to talk about the best ways to measure class background for access schemes ⬇️
Reposted by Rebecca Montacute
Alun Francis is right to say there needs to be an 'overarching narrative' to achieve social mobility.
That's why we called on Gov't to set out a Social Mobility Strategy fit for the next decade
Read our work: buff.ly/dOZ1tpx
That's why we called on Gov't to set out a Social Mobility Strategy fit for the next decade
Read our work: buff.ly/dOZ1tpx
Starmer lacks coherent social mobility plan, top government adviser says - BBC News
The chair of the Social Mobility Commission has called on the prime minister to set out a clearer strategy.
buff.ly
December 22, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Alun Francis is right to say there needs to be an 'overarching narrative' to achieve social mobility.
That's why we called on Gov't to set out a Social Mobility Strategy fit for the next decade
Read our work: buff.ly/dOZ1tpx
That's why we called on Gov't to set out a Social Mobility Strategy fit for the next decade
Read our work: buff.ly/dOZ1tpx
Reposted by Rebecca Montacute
Police leadership on brink as investigation times triple
Read Aaron Newbury's write-up of our latest report in the @express.co.uk
Read Aaron Newbury's write-up of our latest report in the @express.co.uk
Police leadership on brink as investigation times triple
Investigation times have surged 193% as charge rates plummet, sparking warnings of a "failing model" and leadership crisis in the police.
buff.ly
December 19, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Police leadership on brink as investigation times triple
Read Aaron Newbury's write-up of our latest report in the @express.co.uk
Read Aaron Newbury's write-up of our latest report in the @express.co.uk
Great thread of data on the performance of police forces 🚓 , and how the rate of charges/summons has changed over time 📉
In the last two decades, ‘clear up’ rates have also declined, with a 40% decline in recorded crimes leading to a charge or summons.
December 18, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Great thread of data on the performance of police forces 🚓 , and how the rate of charges/summons has changed over time 📉
Reposted by Rebecca Montacute
Important article about the current mess with funding for energy saving measures - Government announced ending the current scheme last month, but details of the replacement scheme, via the Warm Homes Plan (promised by October) still aren't out. The supply chain can't plan or invest in this situation
As the government cuts energy-efficiency schemes, it must ensure retrofit supply chains and jobs are protected.
Read Niamh O Regan's reflections on the latest updates in energy policy in @insidehousing.bsky.social
Read Niamh O Regan's reflections on the latest updates in energy policy in @insidehousing.bsky.social
As the government cuts energy-efficiency schemes, it must ensure retrofit supply chains and jobs are protected
The policy change leaves the energy-efficiency industry in limbo, uncertain of what its future looks like, writes Niamh O Regan of the Social Market Foundation
buff.ly
December 18, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Important article about the current mess with funding for energy saving measures - Government announced ending the current scheme last month, but details of the replacement scheme, via the Warm Homes Plan (promised by October) still aren't out. The supply chain can't plan or invest in this situation
⚡ Important piece from Niamh O Regan on the risks of cutting funding for energy efficiency schemes (particularly the current gap in funding between schemes) - making it much harder for the businesses doing this work (often small businesses or sole traders) to survive
As the government cuts energy-efficiency schemes, it must ensure retrofit supply chains and jobs are protected.
Read Niamh O Regan's reflections on the latest updates in energy policy in @insidehousing.bsky.social
Read Niamh O Regan's reflections on the latest updates in energy policy in @insidehousing.bsky.social
As the government cuts energy-efficiency schemes, it must ensure retrofit supply chains and jobs are protected
The policy change leaves the energy-efficiency industry in limbo, uncertain of what its future looks like, writes Niamh O Regan of the Social Market Foundation
buff.ly
December 18, 2025 at 10:57 AM
⚡ Important piece from Niamh O Regan on the risks of cutting funding for energy efficiency schemes (particularly the current gap in funding between schemes) - making it much harder for the businesses doing this work (often small businesses or sole traders) to survive