Sam Macrory
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sammacrory.bsky.social
Sam Macrory
@sammacrory.bsky.social
2.4K followers 180 following 290 posts
Director of Communications, Institute for Government
Posts Replies Media Videos
sammacrory.bsky.social
Has Rachel Reeves rolled the budget pitch?

And how did former chancellors manage expectations?

Fascinating @instituteforgovernment.org.uk podcast with @stewartwood.bsky.social Giles Winn @gemmatetlow.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/rach...
Rachel Reeves and the art of pitch rolling the budget | Institute for Government
Former Treasury advisers Stewart Wood and Giles Winn reveal how chancellors prepare the ground for budget day.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
November 7, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Cross-party agreement can create political space for tax reform

It is time to take the political heat out of attempts to reform the tax system, says @gemmatetlow.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/cros...
Cross-party agreement can create political space for tax reform | Institute for Government
It is time to take the political heat out of attempts to reform the tax system.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
November 6, 2025 at 4:01 PM
sammacrory.bsky.social
NEW: the latest in our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk Performance Tracker series is out today

And ace colleague @amberdellar.bsky.social has been looking at school performance

The data is.. worrying

@laurahughesft.bsky.social at the @financialtimes.com has the story

www.ft.com/content/9be6...
Number of unfilled primary school places in England hits record high
IfG report shows London has been disproportionately affected by drop in pupil numbers
www.ft.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
rebeccamckee.bsky.social
New from me and @aliceolilly.bsky.social 👇
instituteforgovernment.org.uk Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 10d
What is the relationship between government, parliament and the monarchy?

Our latest explainer takes a closer look at the monarch's powers and role in relation to parliament and the legislative process, and whether parliament can remove royal titles
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mo...
The monarch, royal family and parliament | Institute for Government
What is the relationship between government, parliament and the monarchy?
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 31, 2025 at 1:21 PM
sammacrory.bsky.social
The monarch, the royal family and parliament (and people no longer called Prince)

Here’s a very timely and very useful new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer from top colleagues @aliceolilly.bsky.social and @rebeccamckee.bsky.social

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mo...
The monarch, royal family and parliament | Institute for Government
What is the relationship between government, parliament and the monarchy?
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 31, 2025 at 1:23 PM
sammacrory.bsky.social
NEW: Home Office truths

The Home Secretary says Home Office is not fit for purpose

So what’s the problem/solution?

🎧Today’s @instituteforgovernment.org.uk
podcast with @drhannahwhite.bsky.social
@alexgathomas.bsky.social & ex spad Hannah Guerin

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...
Home Office truths with Shabana Mahmood | Institute for Government
Former Home Office special adviser Hannah Guerin joins the podcast for a deep dive into the woes of one of Whitehall’s most challenging departments.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 30, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
cassiarowland.bsky.social
Well this is a particularly depressing illustration of what a collapsing justice system looks like. 262 people were released from prison by mistake in 2024/25 — more than twice the previous year and almost 4.5x 2014/15

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
October 25, 2025 at 12:05 PM
sammacrory.bsky.social
🎧NEW @instituteforgovernment.org.uk podcast

- Royal trouble
- Inquiry woe
- Prisons crisis

@dannyshaw.bsky.social joins @cathhaddon.bsky.social @cassiarowland.bsky.social & @alexgathomas.bsky.social to make sense of it all

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/pris...
The Prisons Crisis Strikes Back | Institute for Government
Former BBC journalist and Labour adviser Danny Shaw joins the podcast team to discuss the state of the criminal justice system.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 24, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
alexgathomas.bsky.social
Some - cautious - good news on the govt’s civil service gagging rules

Nick Thomas-Symonds has written to us rowing back on the worst aspects: “it is important for civil servants to speak in public about matters for which they have responsibility”

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/welc...
A welcome clarification on the rules ‘gagging’ civil servants | Institute for Government
New guidance on civil servants speaking in public is a welcome return to common sense.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 23, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
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
sammacrory.bsky.social
Great @mattdathan.bsky.social
@thetimes.com write up of today’s fantastic new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report by @cassiarowland.bsky.social on the state of the criminal justice system.

Which is again/still in a state of ‘slow-motion collapse’

www.thetimes.com/article/3319...
Criminal justice system in state of ‘slow-motion collapse’
Labour faces pressure for more early releases after a report warns that prisons are at breaking point and court backlogs are soaring
www.thetimes.com
October 23, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
marialaura-lacorte.bsky.social
Kicking off this year’s Performance Tracker 2025, Part 1 from the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk looks at how local government, social care and homelessness services are performing.

Great job @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social & @amberdellar.bsky.social!
instituteforgovernment.org.uk Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 26d
[NEW] How does the quality of local government services vary across the country – and what is driving performance?

The first instalment of our Public Services Performance Tracker 2025 with @nuffieldfoundation.org is out now🚨👇 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
October 17, 2025 at 11:00 AM
sammacrory.bsky.social
🎧Tinker, Tailor, Starmer, Spies?

Latest @instituteforgovernment.org.uk podcast is out now!

@gabyhinsliff.bsky.social @theguardian.com joins @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @amberdellar.bsky.social @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social & @timdurrant.bsky.social

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...
Tinker, Tailor, Starmer, Spies? | Institute for Government
The Guardian’s Gaby Hinsliff joins the podcast team explore the row and what it says about the UK’s relations with Beijing.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 16, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
jillongovt.bsky.social
This is @instituteforgovernment.org.uk equivalent of a 19th century novel with cliffhangers as each part comes out.. prepare for weeks of near unremitting gloom on the state of public services (I assume). by our stellar #performancetracker team
njdavies.bsky.social Nick Davies @njdavies.bsky.social · 26d
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 8:14 PM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
What have the different political parties announced on immigration and asylum?

Our latest explainer by @shaina-sangha.bsky.social sets out the positions of Labour, the Conservatives, Reform, the Lib Dems, and the Green Party www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/im...
Immigration and asylum: Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem, Reform and Green positions | Institute for Government
What have the different political parties announced on immigration and asylum in the run up to – and during – the 2025 autumn conference season?
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 15, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
[NEW] How does the quality of local government services vary across the country – and what is driving performance?

The first instalment of our Public Services Performance Tracker 2025 with @nuffieldfoundation.org is out now🚨👇 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
October 15, 2025 at 4:21 PM
sammacrory.bsky.social
Great thread by Nick on this eye-opening new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report 👇
njdavies.bsky.social Nick Davies @njdavies.bsky.social · 26d
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 7:07 PM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
kiranstacey.bsky.social
EXC: English councils will still be poorer in 2029 than they were in 2010, according to the IfG.

Report finds councils are increasingly providing social care and little else. Libraries, youth services, parks, all falling by the wayside.

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
English councils to remain poorer than in 2010 despite funding rise, says report
Exclusive: Impact of austerity cannot be undone by end of parliament despite above-inflation funding, analysis finds
www.theguardian.com
October 15, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
shaina-sangha.bsky.social
PSA: We have a new (and long) @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer out on the immigration and asylum policies of the major parties (of England...) following a flurry of announcements all year and around conference season, in particular.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/im...
Immigration and asylum: Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem, Reform and Green positions | Institute for Government
What have the different political parties announced on immigration and asylum in the run up to – and during – the 2025 autumn conference season?
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 15, 2025 at 3:34 PM
sammacrory.bsky.social
NEW: Part 1 of the brilliant @instituteforgovernment.org.uk Performance Tracker

@stuarthoddinott.bsky.social & @amberdellar.bsky.social have dug deep into local government services & finances

It’s.. gloomy

As @theguardian.com @kiranstacey.bsky.social reports

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
English councils to remain poorer than in 2010 despite funding rise, says report
Exclusive: Impact of austerity cannot be undone by end of parliament despite above-inflation funding, analysis finds
www.theguardian.com
October 15, 2025 at 5:40 PM
sammacrory.bsky.social
Lots of politicians setting out lots of pledges/promises/polices on immigration & asylum

And this brilliant new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer is the best summary out there

Read now

(And then bookmark it & read it again for the inevitable updates… sorry @shaina-sangha.bsky.social ..)
October 15, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
The party membership ballot for the 2025 Labour Party deputy leadership contest is open until 12pm on 23 October.

Read our explainer to find out more about the process for electing Angela Rayner's successor www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/20...
The 2025 Labour Party deputy leader contest | Institute for Government
Angela Rayner has stepped down as deputy leader of the Labour Party, who will replace her? The ballot is now open.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 9, 2025 at 3:06 PM
sammacrory.bsky.social
I would say this…

But this podcast is a must-listen to understand what happened at Conservative Party conference and whether Kemi Badenoch’s stamp duty plan adds up

Properly insightful analysis from ace @instituteforgovernment.org.uk colleagues and @patrick-pme.bsky.social @yougov.co.uk
October 9, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Reposted by Sam Macrory
sirjjkc.bsky.social
I’ve written more here.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/keir...
What does Keir Starmer mean by “looking again” at international law? | Institute for Government
The government plans to remain in the ECHR but change how it is interpreted.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 9, 2025 at 7:37 AM
sammacrory.bsky.social
Flagged in this morning’s Politico Playbook, here’s @tompope.bsky.social’s excellent new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk blog on Kemi Badenoch’s stamp duty plan - and why the sums don’t quite add up.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/kemi...
Kemi Badenoch’s promise to abolish stamp duty has ducked tax trade-offs | Institute for Government
Do Kemi Badenoch's stamp duty sums add up?
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
October 9, 2025 at 6:19 AM