Nathan Critch
@nathancritch.bsky.social
Research associate @manchester.ac.uk working in political economy, governance, and British politics.
Currently doing research on post-crisis public inquiries, British economic governance in wake of GFC, and the political economy of AI.
Currently doing research on post-crisis public inquiries, British economic governance in wake of GFC, and the political economy of AI.
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Is AI driving productivity in aggregate?
New figures from McKinsey suggest not:
1. Deployment is still fairly early stages - and in limited parts of companies - most commonly marketing, IT, knowledge management.
New figures from McKinsey suggest not:
1. Deployment is still fairly early stages - and in limited parts of companies - most commonly marketing, IT, knowledge management.
November 14, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Is AI driving productivity in aggregate?
New figures from McKinsey suggest not:
1. Deployment is still fairly early stages - and in limited parts of companies - most commonly marketing, IT, knowledge management.
New figures from McKinsey suggest not:
1. Deployment is still fairly early stages - and in limited parts of companies - most commonly marketing, IT, knowledge management.
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Pleased to have this piece out in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social. @nathancritch.bsky.social & I place Labour's ambitions for AI in the context of nearly a decade of AI policies to critically engage with the increasingly 'techno-solutionist' hype around AI.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
A Critical Appraisal of Labour's AI Agenda
This article critically evaluates Labour's ambitious AI agenda, situating it within the historical trajectory of UK AI policy and the techno-solutionist assumptions underpinning current strategies. W....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 3, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Pleased to have this piece out in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social. @nathancritch.bsky.social & I place Labour's ambitions for AI in the context of nearly a decade of AI policies to critically engage with the increasingly 'techno-solutionist' hype around AI.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Really great review of literature on public inquiries across disciplines! Goes far beyond the more Pol Sci one I did a few years back, and good to see acknowledgement that the big issue is fragmentation of scholarship, not necessarily that nothing is out there.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
What we do and do not know about public inquiries: a narrative review
Public inquiries have become a common governmental response to high-profile organisational failures, disasters or flagrant abuses of professional standards. Inquiries are detailed investigations ch...
www.tandfonline.com
October 30, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Really great review of literature on public inquiries across disciplines! Goes far beyond the more Pol Sci one I did a few years back, and good to see acknowledgement that the big issue is fragmentation of scholarship, not necessarily that nothing is out there.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Education is a public good which should be funded out of general taxation. Anyone who wants to defend our universities needs to firmly and repeatedly insist on this point, and not concede an inch to the facile Thatcherite logic that got us into this mess.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Tuition fees are rising again and nobody is happy – it’s time to actually fix our broken university sector | Zoe Williams
The figures simply don’t add up for higher education in England and Wales. Yet delusional politicians from all parties seem intent on avoiding the issue, says Guardian columnist Zoe Williams
www.theguardian.com
August 8, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Education is a public good which should be funded out of general taxation. Anyone who wants to defend our universities needs to firmly and repeatedly insist on this point, and not concede an inch to the facile Thatcherite logic that got us into this mess.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Pleased to see evidence submitted with @nathancritch.bsky.social, Patrick Diamond, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social & @andywestwood.bsky.social was referenced in the 7th Report on Industrial Strategy by the Business & Trade Committee.
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...
Industrial StrategyUK ParliamentDownload iconShare icon
publications.parliament.uk
June 24, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Pleased to see evidence submitted with @nathancritch.bsky.social, Patrick Diamond, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social & @andywestwood.bsky.social was referenced in the 7th Report on Industrial Strategy by the Business & Trade Committee.
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Read the latest policy commentary on our website, which looks at whether the #SpendingReview2025 is far-reaching enough for the government's growth mission.
#productivity #growth #governance #policy
#productivity #growth #governance #policy
A short piece on the Spending Review written for the @productivity.bsky.social with my colleagues @nathancritch.bsky.social, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social, @andywestwood.bsky.social & Patrick Diamond.
www.productivity.ac.uk/news/from-a-...
www.productivity.ac.uk/news/from-a-...
From a fragile to an agile state: is the Spending Review enough to enable the Starmer government to deliver on its growth mission? - The Productivity Institute
The 2025 Spending Review set out major capital spending, but will it be enough to boost productivity growth?
www.productivity.ac.uk
June 16, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Read the latest policy commentary on our website, which looks at whether the #SpendingReview2025 is far-reaching enough for the government's growth mission.
#productivity #growth #governance #policy
#productivity #growth #governance #policy
Really useful and interesting!
New! Latest opinion piece from @carlbfrey.bsky.social @oii.ox.ac.uk @oxmartinschool.bsky.social sharing his perspective on why AI alone cannot solve the productivity puzzle. Read the full article published in the @financialtimes.com today. #AI #economicproductivity
www.ft.com/content/55bc...
www.ft.com/content/55bc...
AI alone cannot solve the productivity puzzle
Economic miracles stem from discovery, not repeating tasks at greater speed
www.ft.com
June 16, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Really useful and interesting!
Reposted by Nathan Critch
A short piece on the Spending Review written for the @productivity.bsky.social with my colleagues @nathancritch.bsky.social, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social, @andywestwood.bsky.social & Patrick Diamond.
www.productivity.ac.uk/news/from-a-...
www.productivity.ac.uk/news/from-a-...
From a fragile to an agile state: is the Spending Review enough to enable the Starmer government to deliver on its growth mission? - The Productivity Institute
The 2025 Spending Review set out major capital spending, but will it be enough to boost productivity growth?
www.productivity.ac.uk
June 14, 2025 at 5:16 AM
A short piece on the Spending Review written for the @productivity.bsky.social with my colleagues @nathancritch.bsky.social, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social, @andywestwood.bsky.social & Patrick Diamond.
www.productivity.ac.uk/news/from-a-...
www.productivity.ac.uk/news/from-a-...
Quite a good analysis of the SR here. Key points for me are governance reform is focussed on efficiency rather than transformation, and that missions remain goals rather than new joined-up approach: re-state.co.uk/react/react-...
Re:Act: Spending Review 2025 - Re:State
re-state.co.uk
June 12, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Quite a good analysis of the SR here. Key points for me are governance reform is focussed on efficiency rather than transformation, and that missions remain goals rather than new joined-up approach: re-state.co.uk/react/react-...
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Ah this is interesting devo news. London will get an integrated settlement after all from next year.
It'll be interesting to see how the model differs in London compared to the combined authorities, and whether it'll require constitutional change in the GLA-Council relationship to make it work
It'll be interesting to see how the model differs in London compared to the combined authorities, and whether it'll require constitutional change in the GLA-Council relationship to make it work
June 11, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Ah this is interesting devo news. London will get an integrated settlement after all from next year.
It'll be interesting to see how the model differs in London compared to the combined authorities, and whether it'll require constitutional change in the GLA-Council relationship to make it work
It'll be interesting to see how the model differs in London compared to the combined authorities, and whether it'll require constitutional change in the GLA-Council relationship to make it work
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Where we should be building new towns if we want to prioritise growth - by Jack Shaw and me for @productivity.bsky.social
Can new towns drive balanced growth? A generational chance - if backed by strategy, infrastructure & coordination. Read the latest from @andywestwood.bsky.social & @jacktshaw.bsky.social for @productivity.bsky.social: www.productivity.ac.uk/news/new-tow... #NewTowns #SpendingReview #EconomicGrowth
New Towns and Old Cities - The Productivity Institute
The development of new towns in England presents an opportunity to advance the Government’s broader goal of balanced economic growth.
www.productivity.ac.uk
June 10, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Where we should be building new towns if we want to prioritise growth - by Jack Shaw and me for @productivity.bsky.social
Reposted by Nathan Critch
The Government said it’d cost £99bn to publicly own our water.
But this drew on calculations by — drumroll — water company lobbyists. The true cost is closer to zero.
Here’s why. 🧵
But this drew on calculations by — drumroll — water company lobbyists. The true cost is closer to zero.
Here’s why. 🧵
June 9, 2025 at 7:28 AM
The Government said it’d cost £99bn to publicly own our water.
But this drew on calculations by — drumroll — water company lobbyists. The true cost is closer to zero.
Here’s why. 🧵
But this drew on calculations by — drumroll — water company lobbyists. The true cost is closer to zero.
Here’s why. 🧵
Really happy that my paper on Jim Bulpitt's statecraft interpretation is now properly out in the latest issue of the BJPIR. This is especially exciting given the issue marks the 25th anniversary of the journal and is chock-full of great stuff! Check it out here: journals.sagepub.com/toc/bpia/27/2
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
June 9, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Really happy that my paper on Jim Bulpitt's statecraft interpretation is now properly out in the latest issue of the BJPIR. This is especially exciting given the issue marks the 25th anniversary of the journal and is chock-full of great stuff! Check it out here: journals.sagepub.com/toc/bpia/27/2
Reposted by Nathan Critch
📢📢📢 CfP: What is a Parliament?
Interdisciplinary workshop on 19th September 2025 in London.
Full details below.
Kindly sponsored by Birkbeck, the University of Birmingham and
@psa-parliaments.bsky.social
Please apply and/or spread the word!
Interdisciplinary workshop on 19th September 2025 in London.
Full details below.
Kindly sponsored by Birkbeck, the University of Birmingham and
@psa-parliaments.bsky.social
Please apply and/or spread the word!
May 27, 2025 at 11:03 AM
📢📢📢 CfP: What is a Parliament?
Interdisciplinary workshop on 19th September 2025 in London.
Full details below.
Kindly sponsored by Birkbeck, the University of Birmingham and
@psa-parliaments.bsky.social
Please apply and/or spread the word!
Interdisciplinary workshop on 19th September 2025 in London.
Full details below.
Kindly sponsored by Birkbeck, the University of Birmingham and
@psa-parliaments.bsky.social
Please apply and/or spread the word!
Will be really interested to see where DSIT ends up in the spending review, will be key to seeing how serious government is on driving AI proliferation across the economy and growing Britain's AI sector.
Labour MPs will start to troop into the Treasury from today where Reeves and Jones will lay out their capital spending plans - big investments in infrastructure all over the country. Some departments still fighting for their settlement in spending review - Home, DfE, Desnz and MHCLG
June 3, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Will be really interested to see where DSIT ends up in the spending review, will be key to seeing how serious government is on driving AI proliferation across the economy and growing Britain's AI sector.
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Written evidence from @nathancritch.bsky.social, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social, @andywestwood.bsky.social, Patrick Diamond and myself to Business & Trade Committee inquiry on Industrial Strategy has been published
You can read here: committees.parliament.uk/work/8882/in...
You can read here: committees.parliament.uk/work/8882/in...
Industrial Strategy - Written evidence - Committees - UK Parliament
Written evidence submission publications for Industrial Strategy.
committees.parliament.uk
May 29, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Written evidence from @nathancritch.bsky.social, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social, @andywestwood.bsky.social, Patrick Diamond and myself to Business & Trade Committee inquiry on Industrial Strategy has been published
You can read here: committees.parliament.uk/work/8882/in...
You can read here: committees.parliament.uk/work/8882/in...
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Very pleased to have this piece, co-authored with @nathancritch.bsky.social, Patrick Diamond, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, Sam Warner & @andywestwood.bsky.social, in @renewaljournal.bsky.social.
renewal.org.uk/blog/will-la...
renewal.org.uk/blog/will-la...
Will Labour's Governance Approach Lead to Mission Success or Mission Failure?
Abstract
Since coming to power in July 2024, the Starmer government’s approach to reform has rhetorically focussed on the centralised, short-term, and fragmented nature of British policymaking and th...
renewal.org.uk
May 27, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Very pleased to have this piece, co-authored with @nathancritch.bsky.social, Patrick Diamond, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, Sam Warner & @andywestwood.bsky.social, in @renewaljournal.bsky.social.
renewal.org.uk/blog/will-la...
renewal.org.uk/blog/will-la...
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Glad to see this out - A critical examination of Labour's economic strategy, which we see as oriented around a devo agenda and industrial strategy, but one still shot through with the pathologies of the British state.
Is Labour doing enough to address the deep-seated problems with the British state?
@nathancritch.bsky.social, Patrick Diamond, Darcy Luke, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social, and @andywestwood.bsky.social discuss the government's approach to institutional reform
@nathancritch.bsky.social, Patrick Diamond, Darcy Luke, @profdaverichards.bsky.social, @samwarner.bsky.social, and @andywestwood.bsky.social discuss the government's approach to institutional reform
Will Labour's Governance Approach Lead to Mission Success or Mission Failure?
Abstract
Since coming to power in July 2024, the Starmer government’s approach to reform has rhetorically focussed on the centralised, short-term, and fragmented nature of British policymaking and th...
renewal.org.uk
May 27, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Glad to see this out - A critical examination of Labour's economic strategy, which we see as oriented around a devo agenda and industrial strategy, but one still shot through with the pathologies of the British state.
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Roles currently needing filling:
- National Statistician
- DSIT perm sec
- Govt Chief Data Officer
- Govt Chief AI Officer
- Govt Chief Digital Officer
Reshuffle rumours around DSIT ministers too (though aren't there always etc)
Any others?
- National Statistician
- DSIT perm sec
- Govt Chief Data Officer
- Govt Chief AI Officer
- Govt Chief Digital Officer
Reshuffle rumours around DSIT ministers too (though aren't there always etc)
Any others?
May 9, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Roles currently needing filling:
- National Statistician
- DSIT perm sec
- Govt Chief Data Officer
- Govt Chief AI Officer
- Govt Chief Digital Officer
Reshuffle rumours around DSIT ministers too (though aren't there always etc)
Any others?
- National Statistician
- DSIT perm sec
- Govt Chief Data Officer
- Govt Chief AI Officer
- Govt Chief Digital Officer
Reshuffle rumours around DSIT ministers too (though aren't there always etc)
Any others?
Agree wholeheartedly with this. Inquiries should make recommendations that would actually solve the problems they are tasked with investigating. When systems are in crisis, that will likely necessitate radical action, overhauling existing institutional arrangements, not "fine-tuning" them.
Lord Bichard's comments came in a House of Lords debate into the effectiveness of statutory inquiries
www.civilserviceworld.com/in-depth/art...
www.civilserviceworld.com/in-depth/art...
Lord Bichard: Inquiry chairs should not feel pressured to make recommendations that are ‘convenient’ to officials
Highlights from a House of Lords debate into the effectiveness of statutory inquiries
www.civilserviceworld.com
May 1, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Agree wholeheartedly with this. Inquiries should make recommendations that would actually solve the problems they are tasked with investigating. When systems are in crisis, that will likely necessitate radical action, overhauling existing institutional arrangements, not "fine-tuning" them.
Reposted by Nathan Critch
💭NEW BLOG💭
Chris Saltmarsh and Dillon Wamsley develop Seven Theses on Crisis in capitalism, illuminated by their discussions with experts in their recent 12-part podcast series
📝Read the blog: shorturl.at/sfKqO
🎧Listen to the series: shorturl.at/wxXZJ
Chris Saltmarsh and Dillon Wamsley develop Seven Theses on Crisis in capitalism, illuminated by their discussions with experts in their recent 12-part podcast series
📝Read the blog: shorturl.at/sfKqO
🎧Listen to the series: shorturl.at/wxXZJ
April 29, 2025 at 8:57 AM
💭NEW BLOG💭
Chris Saltmarsh and Dillon Wamsley develop Seven Theses on Crisis in capitalism, illuminated by their discussions with experts in their recent 12-part podcast series
📝Read the blog: shorturl.at/sfKqO
🎧Listen to the series: shorturl.at/wxXZJ
Chris Saltmarsh and Dillon Wamsley develop Seven Theses on Crisis in capitalism, illuminated by their discussions with experts in their recent 12-part podcast series
📝Read the blog: shorturl.at/sfKqO
🎧Listen to the series: shorturl.at/wxXZJ
Really enjoyed this panel. Great presentations and interesting questions and comments all round!
Second presentation in our panel on ”Crisis, Conflict, and Containment in Parliamentary Settings“ by @dillonwamsley.bsky.social @nathancritch.bsky.social @jward232.bsky.social
They discuss different layers of containment focusing on Brexit, Corbynism, parliamentary wrangling and the state system
They discuss different layers of containment focusing on Brexit, Corbynism, parliamentary wrangling and the state system
April 16, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Really enjoyed this panel. Great presentations and interesting questions and comments all round!
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Research by @drjennings.bsky.social @jwfurlong.bsky.social Gerry Stoker and @lawrencemckay.bsky.social finds the electorate now more volatile, discontented, dealigned and fragmented.
Read the blog now: politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/fragmen...
#UKpol #politics
Read the blog now: politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/fragmen...
#UKpol #politics
Fragmented and Dealigned: The 2024 British General Election and the Rise of Place-Based Politics
The 2024 election exposed a fragmented and marginal map, bequeathing a fragile electoral future, despite the Starmer government's large parliamentary majority.
politicalquarterly.org.uk
April 11, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Research by @drjennings.bsky.social @jwfurlong.bsky.social Gerry Stoker and @lawrencemckay.bsky.social finds the electorate now more volatile, discontented, dealigned and fragmented.
Read the blog now: politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/fragmen...
#UKpol #politics
Read the blog now: politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/fragmen...
#UKpol #politics
Reposted by Nathan Critch
Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement seems to be a continuity of Treasury fiscal conservatism, guided by short-term economic projections rather than a long-term vision, argue @nathancritch.bsky.social, @drdarcyluke.bsky.social, David Richards and @samwarner.bsky.social.
blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...
blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...
March 28, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement seems to be a continuity of Treasury fiscal conservatism, guided by short-term economic projections rather than a long-term vision, argue @nathancritch.bsky.social, @drdarcyluke.bsky.social, David Richards and @samwarner.bsky.social.
blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...
blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...