Matthew Fright
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matthewfright.bsky.social
Matthew Fright
@matthewfright.bsky.social
1K followers 190 following 220 posts
Senior Researcher @instituteforgovernment.org.uk Public Services & Devolution, formerly @nao.org.uk analyst. PhD on history of national income accounts. Views are my own.
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Reposted by Matthew Fright
alexgathomas.bsky.social
What did we learn from our conference this week?

@timdurrant.bsky.social @hannahkeenan.bsky.social @danhaile.bsky.social @benpaxton.bsky.social @jackworlidge.bsky.social and me give our verdict

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...
Five things we learned at the IfG's Government 2026 conference | Institute for Government
What lies in store for government in 2026?
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
January 15, 2026 at 5:41 PM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
hcdunlop.bsky.social
Darren Jones at the IfG: "digital ID is about logging in and proving who you are to access public services online. That will be not just the route to digital transformation of customer-facing public services but a very clear focus in the future on the customer" (1/5)
January 13, 2026 at 3:32 PM
matthewfright.bsky.social
Starting now, your key briefing on the upcoming Senedd, Holyrood and English local elections in May
instituteforgovernment.org.uk Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 6d
Elections 2026: How could votes in England, Scotland and Wales reshape British politics? - is starting in 15 minutes!

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...
January 13, 2026 at 1:36 PM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
hannahkeenan.bsky.social
📢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.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
January 13, 2026 at 8:19 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
gavinfreeguard.bsky.social
Wes Streeting at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk Government 2026 conference: 'the British state is like a shopping trolley with a wonky wheel' and needs direction
January 13, 2026 at 8:34 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
stuarthoddinott.bsky.social
This is getting going now, will live tweet some of the highlights of what Streeting says

Thread below...
stuarthoddinott.bsky.social Stuart Hoddinott @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social · 6d
As Playbook says, Wes Streeting is speaking @instituteforgovernment.org.uk this morning

Playbook rightly points out that we gave him a mixed review in last year's Public Services Performance Tracker. If you want to read that review, link is below

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
January 13, 2026 at 8:30 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
njdavies.bsky.social
Streeting says that centralisation has ‘infantilised’ the NHS and he’s scrapping NHSE because you can’t run the NHS from ‘two offices’ in London. Yet scrapping NHSE gives him more power, with the NHS now arguably run from one office in London
January 13, 2026 at 8:46 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
cathhaddon.bsky.social
🎄 🎶Four mayors delayed, three ministers reflect and a House of Lords battle renewed 🎶 🎄

@drhannahwhite.bsky.social @akashpaun.bsky.social @jackpannell.bsky.social and @rebeccamckee.bsky.social on this week’s Inside Briefing

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i...
Four mayors delayed, three ministers reflect, and a House of Lords battle renewed
Podcast Episode · Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government · 12/12/2025 · 39m
podcasts.apple.com
December 12, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Report | Learning from the DevoLab #1: How devolution can address health inequalities

This policy briefing presents three short case studies of how devolved powers have been used to address health inequalities.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
Learning from the DevoLab #1: How devolution can address health inequalities | Institute for Government
Three case studies of how devolved powers have been used to address health inequalities.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
December 11, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
cathhaddon.bsky.social
Great new piece from @akashpaun.bsky.social on the decision to delay next year’s mayoral elections.

“even on the government's own terms… then the case for shifting these polls to 2027 is far stronger than delaying them until 2028”

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/mayo...
Mayoral elections in priority areas should be held in May 2027 at the very latest | Institute for Government
The government has not made a convincing case for postponement.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
December 10, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
rebeccamckee.bsky.social
The government's decision to delay the 2026 mayoral elections in DPP areas is truly baffling and v disappointing

Excellent analysis in this from @matthewfright.bsky.social @akashpaun.bsky.social @shawharriet.bsky.social @meganisaac.bsky.social

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...
The government’s decision to delay mayoral elections cannot be justified on democratic or fairness grounds | Institute for Government
The government has postponed the May 2026 mayoral elections in Greater Essex, Sussex and Brighton, Hampshire and the Solent, and Norfolk and Suffolk.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
December 5, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Last few days to apply! Are you an accomplished communicator with a strong track record in sales, business development, or fundraising?

We are looking for a Partnerships Manager to join our team.

Applications close on Monday 8 December, 11:00 ⏰ www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/about-us/car...
A job advert. Partnerships Manager Join our team and help us make government more effective! Permanent position starting as soon as notice period allows. Salary: £48,000 to £52,000, depending on skills and experience Deadline: Monday 8 December, 11:00am www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/current-vacancies/partnerships-manager
December 3, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
TODAY | Devolving growth: What are the challenges and opportunities for new strategic authorities?

Join us at 11:00 when our expert panel feat. @rebeccamckee.bsky.social @akashpaun.bsky.social explore how new strategic authorities can deliver growth www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/devolv...
An image for an IfG event: Devolving growth: What are the challenges and opportunities for new strategic authorities? How can new strategic authorities develop effective local economic strategies? Wednesday 03 December 2025, 11:00 — 12:00 (GMT) Professor Lisa Collins, Pro Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation at the University of Surrey Dr Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Tom Walker, Interim CEO at Greater Essex Combined County Authority Mayor Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands The event will be chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.
December 3, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
rebeccamckee.bsky.social
This isn't unique to the covid inquiry but it does highlight some key issues - this lunchtime I'll be joined by an excellent panel to discuss the covid inquiry & whether inquiries are a good way for the government to learn lessons www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...
December 2, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
rebeccamckee.bsky.social
New from @alexgathomas.bsky.social and I on the missed opportunity of the covid inquiry's module 2 report to dig deeper into how decisions were made in government during the pandemic

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/covi...
The Covid Inquiry has missed vital lessons on how to make better decisions | Institute for Government
We have not learnt much that is new from the inquiry’s Module Two report.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
December 2, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
shawharriet.bsky.social
New funding plans for mayors may not have made the headlines last week but they represent important steps on the government's journey to 'complete the map' of English devolution.

More from me, @akashpaun.bsky.social and @matthewfright.bsky.social below.
December 1, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
gilesyb.bsky.social
Apparently tourist taxes are on the menu today. Don't know what to think? @jillongovt.bsky.social and @tompope.bsky.social do. They like....

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/rach...
Rachel Reeves should allow local tourist taxes | Institute for Government
If mayors use the ‘right to request’ to call for tourist taxes, then the government should say yes.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
November 26, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
timdurrant.bsky.social
I would say this, but the IfG's budget live blog is already great, even before we get to the main event - where else do you get this kind of content?
An IfG live blog post from Jill Rutter, titled "Keep the chancellor away from the Treasury" What will Rachel Reeves and her officials be doing in the last few hours before the budget? In earlier eras, chancellors could change their minds down to the wire (though the Red Book would be printed over the weekend) and rewrite their speech. That could mean laborious retypes and recollations. That led to an instruction in the Treasury’s own budget day manual to “Keep the chancellor away from the Treasury” after the budget had been presented to the cabinet in the morning. Chancellors would be dispatched to St James’s Park to be photographed feeding the ducks, while Treasury officials frantically compiled printed copies of the budget speech. No indication yet that this is the plan for this morning! But if you see Rachel Reeves heading into the park, you know that another bit of Treasury orthodoxy still rules.
November 26, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
meganisaac.bsky.social
1/ Tomorrow, @instituteforgovernment.org.uk will be joined by First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, to reflect on his first 18 months in office and discuss Scotland's political and constitutional future.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/john-s...
In conversation with John Swinney MSP, First Minister of Scotland | Institute for Government
John Swinney joins us to discuss his priorities as First Minister, and the SNP’s vision ahead of the 2026 Scottish parliament election.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
November 18, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
🚨EVENT POSTPONED | In Conversation with Eluned Morgan MS, First Minister of Wales

We’re pleased to confirm that this event has been rescheduled and now has a new date:

📆 Thursday 22 January

We’re looking forward to welcoming you then.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/conver...
November 11, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
IfG DevoLab #3: How devolution can improve transport connectivity

📍This time our DevoLab will take place in Leeds, and will explore how mayors and local leaders can use devolved powers to improve regional transport connectivity.

🎟️
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/devola...
October 28, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Our first instalment of our Public Services Performance Tracker 2025 looks at the state of local government finances and overall performance in adult social care, children's social care and homelessness.

Read the report to find out more 📖👇 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
October 16, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
stuarthoddinott.bsky.social
NEW REPORT: Local authorities have been struggling with pressures from austeirty for years, but there are signs that pressure is now particularly acute

As a result, they are having to make tough decisions about finances and services

🧵👇 on findings

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
Performance Tracker 2025: Local government overview | Institute for Government
The government is making good progress towards rebalancing local government funding. But the sector shows signs of mounting financial distress.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 16, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
njdavies.bsky.social
NEW: @instituteforgovernment.org.uk have published pt1 of Public Services Performance Tracker 2025 covering local government finances and overall performance, adult social care, children's social care and homelessness

Incredible work by @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social & @amberdellar.bsky.social
Public Services Performance Tracker 2025 | Institute for Government
Labour’s public service plans are less than the sum of their parts.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 15, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Reposted by Matthew Fright
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
The IfG DevoLab is going on the road - join us in Birmingham on Monday 20 Oct to hear how mayors and strategic authorities secure investment into regional economies.

With @greatermcr.bsky.social @jpgibson.bsky.social, North East Combined Authority www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/devola...
An image for the IfG event: IfG DevoLab #2: How can mayors and strategic authorities secure investment into regional economies? Monday 20 October 2025, 13:30 — 15:00 (BST)
October 15, 2025 at 1:43 PM