Simon Parker
@simonparker.bsky.social
Public servant in search of a better future. Communities and service users first. Desires to unbuild walls.
Pinned
Simon Parker
@simonparker.bsky.social
· Jul 21
Basically funding #localgov is the nearest thing we have to a silver bullet. We're last in line for funding because we don't deliver any single, big improvement. But what we can do is make everything a bit better, and it doesn't even cost very much.
The best document of London in the 80s and 90s is Only Fools and Horses. The first series has Rodney chucked out of college for smoking weed and falling out with his post punk bandmates. Over the series right to buy happens, the yuppies move in, the pubs change.
Laila Cunningham grew up in the 1980s, when relatively central parts of London looked like this:
January 7, 2026 at 5:36 PM
The best document of London in the 80s and 90s is Only Fools and Horses. The first series has Rodney chucked out of college for smoking weed and falling out with his post punk bandmates. Over the series right to buy happens, the yuppies move in, the pubs change.
Yes this. I have mixed feelings about the redevelopment of London but the city is vastly safer than it was when I moved there in the 90s.
The idea that London has become less safe in recent years is quite strange - just look at how once "dangerous" areas have been transformed in recent years. Gentrification comes with its own issues but streets are packed with visitors and city far more welcoming than when I moved here a decade ago.
January 7, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Yes this. I have mixed feelings about the redevelopment of London but the city is vastly safer than it was when I moved there in the 90s.
Trump's 'no wars' claim increasingly relies on claiming that bombing countries and kidnapping presidents is not being at war. I suppose militarily occupying Greenland will also not constitute being at war.
January 7, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Trump's 'no wars' claim increasingly relies on claiming that bombing countries and kidnapping presidents is not being at war. I suppose militarily occupying Greenland will also not constitute being at war.
Love this. I think there's sometimes a danger of assuming that many men are emotionally stunted compared to women, rather than just finding emotional connection in different ways.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Male bonds develop one way, female friendships another. Should we stop trying to make men more like women? | Gaby Hinsliff
The strong and silent masculine image is often derided, but why? Perhaps companionship via trains, golf or a quiet drink is enough, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff
www.theguardian.com
January 6, 2026 at 10:38 AM
Love this. I think there's sometimes a danger of assuming that many men are emotionally stunted compared to women, rather than just finding emotional connection in different ways.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Simon Parker
Social Justice Warriors, sir. Thousands of them.
December 31, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Social Justice Warriors, sir. Thousands of them.
Unconditional cash transfers for the poorest are a very good thing. End of.
Spoiler: They used the money just as wisely as anyone else would, and it's so frustrating that this still isn't a common sense assumption to make.
December 30, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Unconditional cash transfers for the poorest are a very good thing. End of.
This year's Xmas movie turned out to be Armageddoh. First time I'd seen it. Really quite astonishing how bad it is.
December 28, 2025 at 11:57 AM
This year's Xmas movie turned out to be Armageddoh. First time I'd seen it. Really quite astonishing how bad it is.
Reposted by Simon Parker
Antidote to the madness.
December 24, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Antidote to the madness.
I don't think we should mock Geldof tbh. As far as I can tell he cared passionately and was desperately trying to do the right thing with the tools available to a pop singer. People who do this often get attacked both for virtue signalling and for not being virtuous enough, which is a bit crap IMHO.
A propos of nothing, it's taken as a given that Bob Geldof should be made fun of and that his Band Aid Christmas song is not just a maddening tune, but also a prime example of the White Saviour syndrome. I'd just like to add something to this take, which I've only learnt about very recently.
December 24, 2025 at 9:11 AM
I don't think we should mock Geldof tbh. As far as I can tell he cared passionately and was desperately trying to do the right thing with the tools available to a pop singer. People who do this often get attacked both for virtue signalling and for not being virtuous enough, which is a bit crap IMHO.
Reposted by Simon Parker
"Much of MMT is neither new nor wrong: it’s just standard economic theory presented in different language. The disagreement arises not over whether government can compel the central bank to finance its spending, but to what extent government should do this."
criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...
criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...
What’s wrong with MMT?
As Marc Lavoie and John Quiggin have noted, there are ‘two MMTs’. Scholars such as Randy Wray, Eric Tymoigne and Scott Fulwiler have contributed to debates on monetary economics, instit…
criticalfinance.org
December 19, 2025 at 10:31 AM
"Much of MMT is neither new nor wrong: it’s just standard economic theory presented in different language. The disagreement arises not over whether government can compel the central bank to finance its spending, but to what extent government should do this."
criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...
criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...
Reposted by Simon Parker
"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...
I love @instituteforgovernment.org.uk very much, but goodness me this annual conference line-up is a bit stale.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...
Government 2026: IfG's annual conference | Institute for Government
Join us as we bring together influential speakers and experts to explore the key questions for government in 2026.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
December 16, 2025 at 3:10 PM
I love @instituteforgovernment.org.uk very much, but goodness me this annual conference line-up is a bit stale.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...
Reposted by Simon Parker
🔔 New report out today 🔔 🪴 Rewilding Civic Life 🪴
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Rewilding Civic Life — Can we cultivate social capital? If so, how? — Kinship Works
In this Working Paper we curate the lessons from Big Local, a 15 year experiment in revitalising the capacity of local communities. We explore what Big Local did and the practices the programme employ...
www.kinship.works
December 16, 2025 at 7:06 AM
🔔 New report out today 🔔 🪴 Rewilding Civic Life 🪴
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
Today at @kinship.works, we’re publishing a Working Paper that pulls together the evidence from Big Local, one of the world’s biggest-ever experiments in revitalising civic life and restoring social capital. 1/n
www.kinship.works/publications...
I *loved* the best of Twitter and Bsky is a pallid replacement. But X contrived to replace stimulating discussion with ragebait. I found myself being edged into angry political discussions I didn't want to be part of. I am not obliged to use a product that's farming me for outrage.
"Bluesky is an echo chamber."
"Bluesky doesn't have enough reach"
"Liberals must return to X to challenge the far right"
I'm not a tech bro or a journalist. Your priorities are not my priorities. Stop telling me I need to do anything other than chat about comics & telly with people who seem nice.
"Bluesky doesn't have enough reach"
"Liberals must return to X to challenge the far right"
I'm not a tech bro or a journalist. Your priorities are not my priorities. Stop telling me I need to do anything other than chat about comics & telly with people who seem nice.
December 15, 2025 at 11:35 AM
I *loved* the best of Twitter and Bsky is a pallid replacement. But X contrived to replace stimulating discussion with ragebait. I found myself being edged into angry political discussions I didn't want to be part of. I am not obliged to use a product that's farming me for outrage.
Fond memories of the days when I spent a lot of time with very senior civil servants. Never have you met a more powerless crew. They knew what wasn't working but somehow never thought they could fix it. These people literally ran the country.
There are a lot of Labour partisans on here who I really wonder why they bother voting given they don't seem to think that governments have any actual power at all in the 21st century.
December 14, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Fond memories of the days when I spent a lot of time with very senior civil servants. Never have you met a more powerless crew. They knew what wasn't working but somehow never thought they could fix it. These people literally ran the country.
Let's assume MMT is right (I find it interesting descriptively). The idea that it allows you to spend as much as you like with no constraints except inflation glosses over the fact that inflation is a really, really big constraint.
December 12, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Let's assume MMT is right (I find it interesting descriptively). The idea that it allows you to spend as much as you like with no constraints except inflation glosses over the fact that inflation is a really, really big constraint.
Blue Labour covering itself in glory once again. www.desmog.com/2025/11/28/l...
Labour Group Slams Lord Glasman Over Climate Denial Lecture
An influential Labour peer has been criticised for being the star speaker at the UK’s main climate science denial group, which says carbon emissions are a “benefit to the planet”. Lord Maurice Glasman...
www.desmog.com
December 12, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Blue Labour covering itself in glory once again. www.desmog.com/2025/11/28/l...
Reposted by Simon Parker
“Air pollution fell substantially as Paris restricted car traffic and made way for parks, people-streets and bike-lanes.”
Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability and quality of life.
Common sense.
Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.
Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability and quality of life.
Common sense.
Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.
Paris said au revoir to cars. Air pollution maps reveal a dramatic change.
Air pollution fell substantially as the city restricted car traffic and made way for parks and bike lanes.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:22 AM
“Air pollution fell substantially as Paris restricted car traffic and made way for parks, people-streets and bike-lanes.”
Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability and quality of life.
Common sense.
Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.
Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability and quality of life.
Common sense.
Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.
You will be visited by three spirits.
December 9, 2025 at 2:16 PM
You will be visited by three spirits.
Reposted by Simon Parker
Wrote about how serious games can help public sector organisations align their structure with their purpose. Shout if you think the game we've developed and/or the thinking behind it can help you design (government) organisations better!
openpolicy.blog.gov.uk/2025/12/09/s...
openpolicy.blog.gov.uk/2025/12/09/s...
Serious games to support organisation design
Policy Lab has been exploring how serious games can help civil servants make more intentional decisions about organisation design. This post shares what we learned from designing and testing a new gam...
openpolicy.blog.gov.uk
December 9, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Wrote about how serious games can help public sector organisations align their structure with their purpose. Shout if you think the game we've developed and/or the thinking behind it can help you design (government) organisations better!
openpolicy.blog.gov.uk/2025/12/09/s...
openpolicy.blog.gov.uk/2025/12/09/s...
I cannot overstate the ridiculous level of uncertainty we are working under in #localgov. Ministers have completely reset the entire funding system and we won't know what it means until next week. Our budget papers need to be finalised in mid-January. It's no way to run a country.
I think it's really sensible that pretty much every year, a week before Christmas councils find out how much they'll have to spend next year
I'm sure there are no negative consequences to this
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
I'm sure there are no negative consequences to this
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Local authorities in England and Wales warn finances at ‘breaking point’
More councils expected to fall into bankruptcy in near future as they face nervous wait over government funding
www.theguardian.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:27 PM
I cannot overstate the ridiculous level of uncertainty we are working under in #localgov. Ministers have completely reset the entire funding system and we won't know what it means until next week. Our budget papers need to be finalised in mid-January. It's no way to run a country.
Reposted by Simon Parker
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
December 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
Reposted by Simon Parker
From elected councillors to practitioners, from trade union halls and chapels to libraries and school classrooms, people learn it, live it, contextualise it and defend it, often in defiance of the systems they work in www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
A Hundred Origin Stories – an Unfinished History of Relational Public Services
Simon Parker, Becca Dove and Benjamin Taylor explore the history of relational public services, ahead of Britian Renewed 2026, a major one-day conference exploring a more place-based approach to…
www.ucl.ac.uk
December 8, 2025 at 12:01 PM
From elected councillors to practitioners, from trade union halls and chapels to libraries and school classrooms, people learn it, live it, contextualise it and defend it, often in defiance of the systems they work in www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
Agree with this. No one is supporting Polanski because they think he will be PM. Labour's challenge is they want to have their left wing cake while eating more of the vote to their right, and voters are punishing them for it.
Why Keir Starmer dismissing the Greens as “nuts” won’t work – and how Labour should challenge them.
Today’s Morning Call. www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Today’s Morning Call. www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Labour’s Green attacks are misfiring
Keir Starmer’s dismissal of the insurgent party as “nuts” won’t work
www.newstatesman.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Agree with this. No one is supporting Polanski because they think he will be PM. Labour's challenge is they want to have their left wing cake while eating more of the vote to their right, and voters are punishing them for it.
Yeah the anti-Corbyn playbook doesn't work on someone who is never going to PM.
A lot of that Green support will be coming from people who want "change", who want something different. saying "these guys are wacko" doesn't do a huge amount to hurt them, especially if they're not seen as likely to lead the government
December 7, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Yeah the anti-Corbyn playbook doesn't work on someone who is never going to PM.