Polly Mackenzie
@pollymackenzie.bsky.social
Co-founder and CEO, Zinc Innovation Partners - helping turn science into real-world change. Fomerly Demos, UAL, MMHPI, No10. Adviser at Future Governance Forum, Family Business UK, Door10 Recruitment. Writes at https://howtorunacountry.substack.com/
Pinned
There aren't any levers
A dead metaphor is killing the government's ability to get things done
howtorunacountry.substack.com
"Every time I pull a lever" says the Prime Minister.
This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done.
There aren't any levers. There's only leadership.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done.
There aren't any levers. There's only leadership.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
Happy Christmas everyone. I think my daughter has made the best ever Yule log.
December 25, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Happy Christmas everyone. I think my daughter has made the best ever Yule log.
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
Tomorrow evening it’ll be my annual duty to vaguely shepherd the activity on the #duvetknowitschristmas hashtag and urge people to give small sums to charity. 7.30pm? Something like that?
December 23, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Tomorrow evening it’ll be my annual duty to vaguely shepherd the activity on the #duvetknowitschristmas hashtag and urge people to give small sums to charity. 7.30pm? Something like that?
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
I had a thought on the levers of government in 2018. Same territory as Polly’s piece but here it is anyway…
markfoden.com/blog/2018/20...
markfoden.com/blog/2018/20...
On instability, pulling levers and taking control — Mark Foden
Increased connectedness in the world is bringing unusual instability. The idea of “taking” control of it is not a very useful one.
markfoden.com
December 22, 2025 at 2:16 PM
I had a thought on the levers of government in 2018. Same territory as Polly’s piece but here it is anyway…
markfoden.com/blog/2018/20...
markfoden.com/blog/2018/20...
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
"Every time I pull a lever" says the Prime Minister.
This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done.
There aren't any levers. There's only leadership.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done.
There aren't any levers. There's only leadership.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
There aren't any levers
A dead metaphor is killing the government's ability to get things done
howtorunacountry.substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 10:10 AM
"Every time I pull a lever" says the Prime Minister.
This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done.
There aren't any levers. There's only leadership.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done.
There aren't any levers. There's only leadership.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
Every time someone uses a lever metaphor, a fairy dies.
"Every time I pull a lever" says the Prime Minister.
This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done.
There aren't any levers. There's only leadership.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done.
There aren't any levers. There's only leadership.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
There aren't any levers
A dead metaphor is killing the government's ability to get things done
howtorunacountry.substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Every time someone uses a lever metaphor, a fairy dies.
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
On the contrary, there are lots of levers - and that is why there is a problem. The illusion is that they are connected to anything. Which does not at all diminish the power of the rest of your argument.
Some thoughts on levers from 15 years ago:
Some thoughts on levers from 15 years ago:
There is no such thing as the government
In the UK, we appear to have a government. It looks like a government, often talks like a government, and sometimes behaves like a government. But you can’t really understand the way governm…
www.publicstrategist.com
December 19, 2025 at 10:17 AM
On the contrary, there are lots of levers - and that is why there is a problem. The illusion is that they are connected to anything. Which does not at all diminish the power of the rest of your argument.
Some thoughts on levers from 15 years ago:
Some thoughts on levers from 15 years ago:
"Every time I pull a lever" says the Prime Minister.
This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done.
There aren't any levers. There's only leadership.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done.
There aren't any levers. There's only leadership.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
There aren't any levers
A dead metaphor is killing the government's ability to get things done
howtorunacountry.substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 10:10 AM
"Every time I pull a lever" says the Prime Minister.
This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done.
There aren't any levers. There's only leadership.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done.
There aren't any levers. There's only leadership.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
A healthy dose of realism and a much more pragmatic approach to the tools of government from @pollymackenzie.bsky.social, born of genuine (shared!) experience.
open.substack.com/pub/howtorun...
open.substack.com/pub/howtorun...
There aren't any levers
A dead metaphor is killing the government's ability to get things done
open.substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 9:35 AM
A healthy dose of realism and a much more pragmatic approach to the tools of government from @pollymackenzie.bsky.social, born of genuine (shared!) experience.
open.substack.com/pub/howtorun...
open.substack.com/pub/howtorun...
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
An excellent response from @tomforth.co.uk to the TBI proposal for new R&D institutions outside universities. I agree that it would be better if the UK had more diversity in R&D institutions; Tom brilliantly identifies some blind-spots in the TBI analysis. To pick out a few key points...
I went to a dinner with the AI Minister and I read a paper on Lovelace Institue --- a proposal from Tony Blair's Institute on how we could fund breakthrough science better. And I wrote that all up into one incoherent mess for you to enjoy. tomforth.co.uk/nationalpurp...
National purpose on AI.
Lovelace Institutes, why I like the idea, and how I think they could work.
tomforth.co.uk
December 17, 2025 at 4:10 PM
An excellent response from @tomforth.co.uk to the TBI proposal for new R&D institutions outside universities. I agree that it would be better if the UK had more diversity in R&D institutions; Tom brilliantly identifies some blind-spots in the TBI analysis. To pick out a few key points...
Woman who took the last room at the inn.
🎄And as an Xmas special: What is voting intention by school nativity role we played? Labour’s best result is with those who played Wise Men, Tory’s Joseph, Greens narrators & maybe mirroring their rise from underdogs to today Reform’s best score is among those who played sheep/donkeys
December 17, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Woman who took the last room at the inn.
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
NEW: Labour just announced the biggest change in planning policy in 80 years.
My breakdown of the key measures and whether they will succeed.
www.samdumitriu.com/p/labour-are...
My breakdown of the key measures and whether they will succeed.
www.samdumitriu.com/p/labour-are...
Labour are finally taking the housing shortage seriously
Is the new National Planning Policy Framework Labour’s biggest pro-growth move?
www.samdumitriu.com
December 17, 2025 at 11:49 AM
NEW: Labour just announced the biggest change in planning policy in 80 years.
My breakdown of the key measures and whether they will succeed.
www.samdumitriu.com/p/labour-are...
My breakdown of the key measures and whether they will succeed.
www.samdumitriu.com/p/labour-are...
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
Whilst obvious when you think about it, this line was a lightbulb moment for me: "For as long as humans have had urban settlements, in-person retail has subsidised the creation of shared places". So as retail goes online we need to encourage other activities into shared places. Great column.
Every pollster and focus group will tell you that high street decline and broken down buildings are a key part of our political malaise. I'd love to see government pick a fight with derelict property owners.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
How do you solve a problem like the high street?
Time for a Troubled Buildings Programme
howtorunacountry.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Whilst obvious when you think about it, this line was a lightbulb moment for me: "For as long as humans have had urban settlements, in-person retail has subsidised the creation of shared places". So as retail goes online we need to encourage other activities into shared places. Great column.
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
Great piece. Chimes with @powertochange.org.uk vision for community powered high streets, which means taking on derelict property owners, and moving away from the retail-dominated model.
We need more mixed-use high streets instead (with public services part of the mix).
We need more mixed-use high streets instead (with public services part of the mix).
Every pollster and focus group will tell you that high street decline and broken down buildings are a key part of our political malaise. I'd love to see government pick a fight with derelict property owners.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
How do you solve a problem like the high street?
Time for a Troubled Buildings Programme
howtorunacountry.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Great piece. Chimes with @powertochange.org.uk vision for community powered high streets, which means taking on derelict property owners, and moving away from the retail-dominated model.
We need more mixed-use high streets instead (with public services part of the mix).
We need more mixed-use high streets instead (with public services part of the mix).
This mystery is older than I am. As a child I thought it was exotic: a deep state conspiracy at the heart of my own family.
But what really happened to my grandfather? And who was John Cottell?
A podcast coming out in January - listen to the trailer now.
podfollow.com/1860256329
But what really happened to my grandfather? And who was John Cottell?
A podcast coming out in January - listen to the trailer now.
podfollow.com/1860256329
Codename Badger
In 1955 young army major Robbie Mills dies, disembarking a submarine docked at Torbay Harbour in Devon.His superiors say he was drinking and slipped from the gangplank in inclement weather. His widow,...
podfollow.com
December 15, 2025 at 5:34 PM
This mystery is older than I am. As a child I thought it was exotic: a deep state conspiracy at the heart of my own family.
But what really happened to my grandfather? And who was John Cottell?
A podcast coming out in January - listen to the trailer now.
podfollow.com/1860256329
But what really happened to my grandfather? And who was John Cottell?
A podcast coming out in January - listen to the trailer now.
podfollow.com/1860256329
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
I suspect you’ll find a lot pin this you agree with @daveproudlove.bsky.social , including the references to toxic landlords and market manipulation. Like the idea of a Troubled Buildings Programme (probably spend the entire budget in Stoke 😬) open.substack.com/pub/howtorun...
How do you solve a problem like the high street?
Time for a Troubled Buildings Programme
open.substack.com
December 15, 2025 at 8:43 AM
I suspect you’ll find a lot pin this you agree with @daveproudlove.bsky.social , including the references to toxic landlords and market manipulation. Like the idea of a Troubled Buildings Programme (probably spend the entire budget in Stoke 😬) open.substack.com/pub/howtorun...
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
Really interesting piece. Going back in time the focus on outputs and innovation was initially drove challenge funding and SRB. substack.com/@pollymacken...
Polly Mackenzie (@pollymackenzie)
substack.com
December 14, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Really interesting piece. Going back in time the focus on outputs and innovation was initially drove challenge funding and SRB. substack.com/@pollymacken...
Cake and cookies underway.
December 14, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Cake and cookies underway.
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
🏬 I'm late to this, but there's much to agree with @pollymackenzie.bsky.social's assessment on fixing our high streets. For a start, central govt needs to take it more seriously... and, not the main point, but the lack of business rates reform is not helping: open.substack.com/pub/howtorun...
December 13, 2025 at 9:40 AM
🏬 I'm late to this, but there's much to agree with @pollymackenzie.bsky.social's assessment on fixing our high streets. For a start, central govt needs to take it more seriously... and, not the main point, but the lack of business rates reform is not helping: open.substack.com/pub/howtorun...
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
Every pollster and focus group will tell you that high street decline and broken down buildings are a key part of our political malaise. I'd love to see government pick a fight with derelict property owners.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
How do you solve a problem like the high street?
Time for a Troubled Buildings Programme
howtorunacountry.substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Every pollster and focus group will tell you that high street decline and broken down buildings are a key part of our political malaise. I'd love to see government pick a fight with derelict property owners.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
'Places break slowly and are rebuilt slowly. But they can be broken back into life too. And right now, everywhere we look, we have the raw material: a country full of buildings waiting to be saved.' > this is🎯. Some places are winning this fight - it can be done! - many more need long term help.
Every pollster and focus group will tell you that high street decline and broken down buildings are a key part of our political malaise. I'd love to see government pick a fight with derelict property owners.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
How do you solve a problem like the high street?
Time for a Troubled Buildings Programme
howtorunacountry.substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:44 PM
'Places break slowly and are rebuilt slowly. But they can be broken back into life too. And right now, everywhere we look, we have the raw material: a country full of buildings waiting to be saved.' > this is🎯. Some places are winning this fight - it can be done! - many more need long term help.
Every pollster and focus group will tell you that high street decline and broken down buildings are a key part of our political malaise. I'd love to see government pick a fight with derelict property owners.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
How do you solve a problem like the high street?
Time for a Troubled Buildings Programme
howtorunacountry.substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Every pollster and focus group will tell you that high street decline and broken down buildings are a key part of our political malaise. I'd love to see government pick a fight with derelict property owners.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
I wanted dinner recommendations so I scraped 13,000+ London restaurants and accidentally discovered Google Maps is running a shadow economy. Anyway here's a dashboard and a political economy thesis: open.substack.com/pub/laurenle...
How Google Maps quietly allocates survival across London’s restaurants - and how I built a dashboard to see through it
I wanted a dinner recommendation and got a research agenda instead. Using 13000+ restaurants, I rebuild its ratings with machine learning and map how algorithmic visibility actually distributes power.
open.substack.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:53 AM
I wanted dinner recommendations so I scraped 13,000+ London restaurants and accidentally discovered Google Maps is running a shadow economy. Anyway here's a dashboard and a political economy thesis: open.substack.com/pub/laurenle...
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
It’s my birthday! Ask me anything.
December 8, 2025 at 8:10 AM
It’s my birthday! Ask me anything.
It’s my birthday! Ask me anything.
December 8, 2025 at 8:10 AM
It’s my birthday! Ask me anything.
Reposted by Polly Mackenzie
From Claire Short to @pollymackenzie.bsky.social, Gabriel Gatehouse to @jamesbloodworth.bsky.social, Dominic Grieve to @preetkgillmp.bsky.social, we have had a great year of Political Therapy. @philtinline.bsky.social and @jamesrball.com join us to reflect on it on 16 December.
December 6, 2025 at 10:11 AM
From Claire Short to @pollymackenzie.bsky.social, Gabriel Gatehouse to @jamesbloodworth.bsky.social, Dominic Grieve to @preetkgillmp.bsky.social, we have had a great year of Political Therapy. @philtinline.bsky.social and @jamesrball.com join us to reflect on it on 16 December.