Philip Nye
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philipnye.bsky.social
Philip Nye
@philipnye.bsky.social
2.2K followers 310 following 230 posts
Senior data scientist @instituteforgovernment.org.uk • Words and numbers on what the govt is up to, edu policy, doing data at a thinktank • Bilingual: 🐍/SQL • Sign up to the IfG newsletter: http://bit.ly/3xDINTz
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Reposted by Philip Nye
amberdellar.bsky.social
Empty classrooms present government with a challenge and an opportunity

Some strategic direction would help to ease two mounting pressures - the shortage of places in special schools and the surplus in mainstream schools
Empty classrooms present government with a challenge and an opportunity | Institute for Government
The government needs to show strategic direction on school places
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
November 13, 2025 at 11:32 AM
philipnye.bsky.social
Great new report from Amber, digging into spare primary school places, school finances, SEND and much more ⬇️
amberdellar.bsky.social Amber Dellar @amberdellar.bsky.social · 8d
NEW REPORT Labour is struggling to meet its education priorities. It has big ambitions to improve schools, but a budget that falls short of matching them. And with no clear plans to reform the SEND system or tackle workforce shortages, children are being left without the support they need.
Performance Tracker 2025: Schools | Institute for Government
It will be extremely difficult for the government to meet its education priorities within the budget it has set for the coming parliament.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
November 6, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by Philip Nye
cassiarowland.bsky.social
NEW REPORT Criminal justice is coming apart at the seams. Police, criminal courts & prisons can’t cope with the level of demand and performance keeps spiralling downwards. Early positive steps from the government won't be enough to turn things around
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
Performance Tracker 2025: Criminal justice system | Institute for Government
The government must act to avoid the justice system returning to the crisis point seen when Labour entered office, or worse.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 23, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Reposted by Philip Nye
amberdellar.bsky.social
4 patterns we're seeing in adult social care, children's social care and homelessness services (with graphs)

And what govt should do about it

A thread from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk's NEW jumbo report (read 1 get 3 free) on the state of local government services and finance 👇
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 16, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Reposted by Philip Nye
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 Philip Nye
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 Philip Nye
njdavies.bsky.social
On Tuesday @instituteforgovernment.org.uk will publish the first part of Performance Tracker 2025, our flagship annual stocktake of the state of public services

We’re doing things slightly differently this year, so I thought I’d do a quick thread explaining some of the changes

🧵
October 12, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Reposted by Philip Nye
tompope.bsky.social
New @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report by me, @gemmatetlow.bsky.social and @jillongovt.bsky.social on how Reeves should approach tax this Autumn

With tax rises inevitable, Reeves should reject path of least resistance and embrace tax reform 1/3

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
The 2025 budget and beyond: How Rachel Reeves can approach tax reform to help drive growth | Institute for Government
A big autumn approaches for the chancellor.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
September 24, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Reposted by Philip Nye
howesdaniel.bsky.social
1/ If you've been itching to know how the size of the civil service has changed... we at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk have you covered.

I've crunched the numbers from the latest ONS data release, which you can read about here: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/ci...
Civil service staff numbers | Institute for Government
Who exactly are civil servants and how many are there?
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
September 18, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Reposted by Philip Nye
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
PODCAST 🎙️ The Mandelson misjudgement

@catneilan.bsky.social joins @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social to discuss the dramatic end of Peter Mandelson’s time in Washington.

PLUS: @philipnye.bsky.social on Keir Starmer's first reshuffle
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...
September 12, 2025 at 3:19 PM
philipnye.bsky.social
I'm on the pod this week talking all things _government_ reshuffle

(Also features others talking _ambassadorial_ reshuffle)
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...
The Mandelson misjudgement | Institute for Government
The Observer’s Cat Neilan joins the podcast team to weigh up the dramatic end of Mandelson’s time in Washington.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
September 12, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Reposted by Philip Nye
rebeccamckee.bsky.social
Following a couple of changes yesterday afternoon among the junior ranks here is the latest state of play for Starmer's government after the reshuffle from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk 👇
September 12, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Reposted by Philip Nye
rebeccamckee.bsky.social
Here's the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk 'seven things we learned from Keir Starmer's reshuffle' from @jackpannell.bsky.social @timdurrant.bsky.social and I with data from @philipnye.bsky.social & our now updated Ministers Database

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/seve...
Seven things we learned from Keir Starmer’s first reshuffle | Institute for Government
What does the prime minster’s first major reshuffle tell us about his new-look government?
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
September 11, 2025 at 12:45 PM
philipnye.bsky.social
We've started the IfG's reshuffle live blog up again this morning

@rebeccamckee.bsky.social, @jackpannell.bsky.social and I will be leading the analysis, with expert commentary of the weekend's action from the IfG's whole team

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...
Starmer government reshuffle: PM changes top team after Rayner's exit | Institute for Government
The IfG team analyse the moves as Keir Starmer reshapes his Cabinet.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
September 8, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Reposted by Philip Nye
cassiarowland.bsky.social
We've had a few surprising moves in this reshuffle so far - one of the big ones is Shabana Mahmood becoming home secretary. On our liveblog I've given a bit of an overview of what she'll face coming in:
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...
Starmer government reshuffle: PM changes top team after Rayner's exit | Institute for Government
The IfG team analyse the moves as Keir Starmer reshapes his Cabinet.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
September 5, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Reposted by Philip Nye
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
LIVEBLOG!

We've fired up the IfG reshuffle liveblog.

Essential for all the latest information as Keir Starmer reshapes his team.

Packed with data, charts, details and analysis about all the ministerial moves.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/st...
Starmer government reshuffle: PM changes top team after Rayner's exit | Institute for Government
The IfG team analyse the moves as Keir Starmer reshapes his Cabinet.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
September 5, 2025 at 2:52 PM
philipnye.bsky.social
Great lineup for this event
marking 25 years since the passing of the #FOI Act and 20 years since it came into force - being streamed online here:
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/foi-ac...
The panel at the IfG's event on the FOI act
September 3, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Reposted by Philip Nye
hannahkeenan.bsky.social
Civil service in a real bind atm. Incentives to move job rapidly + recruitment freezes blocking space to move = unhappy workforce.

My radical Friday thought: if you don't want people (civil servants) to do stuff (move jobs at a v high rate), then don't give them incentives to do that?
Fundamental changes are needed to address civil service frustration | Institute for Government
Voluntary exit schemes will not be enough to deal with structural problems in the civil service
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
August 8, 2025 at 11:38 AM
philipnye.bsky.social
Bike on trains review: London to Leeds with LNER

Busy, start of holidays train and the bike area is in the middle of the train = fun and games as two of us try and load bikes while everyone else tries to get their luggage on. Train staff helpful but hangers are tight for two bikes

3/5 #bikesky
A photo of two bikes hanging in a bike compartment on an LNER train with luggage that has been fitted into the doorway
July 24, 2025 at 11:48 AM
philipnye.bsky.social
'The decision to split the role of the UK’s top statistician...comes after years of warnings by economists that the job is too unwieldy'

www.ft.com/content/5bd0...
UK told to split leadership of statistics office after bungles
Review warns of ‘deep-seated’ issues within the Office for National Statistics
www.ft.com
June 26, 2025 at 3:42 PM
philipnye.bsky.social
The body that oversees official stats has recommended that a full census be carried out in 2031

Given questions about how an admin data-based census would work and the well-documented challenges the ONS is experiencing, this seems the right call

uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/news/uk-stat...
UK Statistics Authority recommends a census in 2031
This page is available in Welsh (Cymraeg). Today the UK Statistics Authority has recommended that the Government commission a census of England and Wales in 2031, to be delivered by the Office for Na...
uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk
June 17, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Reposted by Philip Nye
annaclarke.bsky.social
Looks like we'll be having another full census in 2031.

uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/publication/...
June 17, 2025 at 9:08 AM
philipnye.bsky.social
There's extra funding for the UK Statistics Authority/ONS in the spending review – mostly to prepare for the next Census

The line about missions seems significant though – after UKSA in Apr said "data required to inform further mission-based policy development" might only be possible with extra ££
A screenshot from spending review documents which reads: "Other small departments and independent bodies’ settlements include: Funding for Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) to support the government’s mission to Break Down Barriers to Opportunity, including developing and implementing Multi Academy Trust (MAT) inspections to increase accountability of MAT leaders; and Funding for the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) for ongoing production and improvement of national statistics, with priority given to national accounts, prices, employment, and population data. This includes work to recover the quality of critical national labour market statistics and allows UKSA to continue to provide data to support the government’s missions. Additional funding has been provided primarily to allow UKSA to start preparatory work for Census 2031, subject to the government’s decision on the census, expected this summer."
June 11, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Reposted by Philip Nye
teodorgrama.bsky.social
🚨 Civil service expands… again

New data show CS staff numbers increased by 0.4% in Q1 2025.

The 2,020 additional staff more than wiped out the ~600 FTE reductions recorded in Q4 2024 (only the second quarter since the Brexit referendum when the CS shrank).

(Quick 🧵)
A line chart from the Institute for Government showing total numbers of civil servants (FTE) from Q1 2009 to Q1 2025, where the number of civil servants broadly decreased from 2009 until the EU referendum in 2016, and then broadly increased until the present quarter. Numbers increased particularly rapidly during the Covid-19 pandemic.
June 10, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Reposted by Philip Nye
sachinsavur.bsky.social
Baroness Curran is the seventh departure from Starmer's government – she's left just two weeks after her predecessor, Lord Hunt, retired.
A step chart from the Institute for Government, showing ministerial resignations outside reshuffles, 1979 to 6 June 2025. Seven ministers have left Keir Starmer's government.
June 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM