Stu Mackinnon
@stumackinnon.bsky.social
Head of comms and advocacy at Carnegie UK - a foundation that works on wellbeing policy.
Scotch pie, science fiction and rugby enthusiast.
Scotch pie, science fiction and rugby enthusiast.
As the Scot Gov reveals tax and spending plans, worth checking out this new-ish @theifs.bsky.social paper looking at how a revaluation might work in Scotland: www.gov.scot/publications... With the Greens, Glasgow CC, and Edinburgh CC all agitating for reform, could this be the year?
Council tax - revaluation and reform: key findings summary
This report summarises key findings from research on the design and impact of potential reforms to Scotland’s system of council tax.
www.gov.scot
January 13, 2026 at 9:11 AM
As the Scot Gov reveals tax and spending plans, worth checking out this new-ish @theifs.bsky.social paper looking at how a revaluation might work in Scotland: www.gov.scot/publications... With the Greens, Glasgow CC, and Edinburgh CC all agitating for reform, could this be the year?
I still love the FT and I thought this was the most brilliant journalism by Ravi Somaiya: www.ft.com/content/cd59...
‘It’s just a bomb’
The true story of two strangers and an extraordinary act of courage
www.ft.com
December 23, 2025 at 10:53 AM
I still love the FT and I thought this was the most brilliant journalism by Ravi Somaiya: www.ft.com/content/cd59...
This a good call: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Though I think coverage should reflect that it is the Finance AND Public Administration committee
Call for time limits on public inquiries as costs soar
MSPs have recommended changes as they revealed almost £260m has been spent on Scotland's public inquiries since 2007.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 21, 2025 at 12:45 PM
This a good call: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Though I think coverage should reflect that it is the Finance AND Public Administration committee
Reposted by Stu Mackinnon
"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...
This does feel like a sort of boiling the frog approach to council tax reform www.ft.com/content/c28e...
Six wealthy areas in London and south-east given green light for sharp council tax rises
UK government move aims to compensate for funding shift towards poorer areas
www.ft.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:27 PM
This does feel like a sort of boiling the frog approach to council tax reform www.ft.com/content/c28e...
I don't work on business rates any longer, but if I did I'd point out the state of the Scottish assessors' website is indicative of a wider problem: www.saa.gov.uk
Scottish Assessors – Scottish Assessors Association website
www.saa.gov.uk
December 18, 2025 at 10:19 AM
I don't work on business rates any longer, but if I did I'd point out the state of the Scottish assessors' website is indicative of a wider problem: www.saa.gov.uk
New snappy report from @futuregovforum.bsky.social about the Green Book: www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/wp-content/u...
www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk
December 17, 2025 at 8:34 AM
New snappy report from @futuregovforum.bsky.social about the Green Book: www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Stu Mackinnon
I'm working on the Moments of the Year script as I watch and Glasgow are making me very grateful for the free spot we left open on the list in case something happened this weekend.
December 13, 2025 at 9:36 PM
I'm working on the Moments of the Year script as I watch and Glasgow are making me very grateful for the free spot we left open on the list in case something happened this weekend.
Excuse the language but this was the old Glasgow Warriors smashing up Toulouse. Did try to get a cassoulet based chant going but to little avail...difficult to rhyme confit
December 14, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Excuse the language but this was the old Glasgow Warriors smashing up Toulouse. Did try to get a cassoulet based chant going but to little avail...difficult to rhyme confit
The team that Glasgow Warriors are playing on Saturday. Gulp.
December 12, 2025 at 1:15 PM
The team that Glasgow Warriors are playing on Saturday. Gulp.
Excellent interview with @kirstymcneill.bsky.social in the indispensable @policyunstuck.bsky.social newsletter: policyunstuck.castfromclay.co.uk/p/the-lived-... includes some thoughts about lived experience from the perspective of a policymaker.
🪞 The lived experience paradox
Kirsty McNeill MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, speaks to Tom Hashemi.
policyunstuck.castfromclay.co.uk
December 11, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Excellent interview with @kirstymcneill.bsky.social in the indispensable @policyunstuck.bsky.social newsletter: policyunstuck.castfromclay.co.uk/p/the-lived-... includes some thoughts about lived experience from the perspective of a policymaker.
"Barber’s theory is that ministers take a year to work out how government works and that by year three, it is too late." www.ft.com/content/368f... < with the Missions approach sunk below the waterline, you might ask change in what direction?
Starmer came to power promising action — but change is taking longer than his MPs expected
Some targets are long-term overhauls, others have been dogged by delays. But ministers failed to focus on delivery early on
www.ft.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:48 AM
"Barber’s theory is that ministers take a year to work out how government works and that by year three, it is too late." www.ft.com/content/368f... < with the Missions approach sunk below the waterline, you might ask change in what direction?
Reposted by Stu Mackinnon
My @carnegieuk.bsky.social colleague, Susan Pitney, is part of this Demos event, sharing the findings from our most recent Life in the UK index. Follow along via the link below. 👇
📢🎤 STARTING NOW | Making citizens’ voices heard: Accountability in a Healthy Democracy.
Tune into this critical conversation on how #governments, #institutions and #citizens can strengthen accountability and participation in public life. ⬇️
www.youtube.com/live/UEvFpLF...
Tune into this critical conversation on how #governments, #institutions and #citizens can strengthen accountability and participation in public life. ⬇️
www.youtube.com/live/UEvFpLF...
Making Citizens’ Voices Heard: Accountability in a healthy democracy
YouTube video by Demos
www.youtube.com
December 8, 2025 at 6:14 PM
My @carnegieuk.bsky.social colleague, Susan Pitney, is part of this Demos event, sharing the findings from our most recent Life in the UK index. Follow along via the link below. 👇
I'm really enjoying this book. Do you want a list of my favourite books this year?
December 8, 2025 at 5:27 PM
I'm really enjoying this book. Do you want a list of my favourite books this year?
This is good analysis: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... The fact that the NDR system is so complex that government and parliamentary lawyers couldn't spot a big legislative flaw is maybe a sign.
Is Holyrood bad at making laws?
Recent emergency measures to fix legislative issues may point to a wider problem in how Holyrood operates.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 7, 2025 at 11:21 AM
This is good analysis: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... The fact that the NDR system is so complex that government and parliamentary lawyers couldn't spot a big legislative flaw is maybe a sign.
Reposted by Stu Mackinnon
🔈 NEW EVENT 🔈
Join us, WISERD and Carnegie UK as we reflect on 10 years of the Future Generations Act, and debate how we can enable it to deliver its policy aspirations better ⤵️
🗓️ 15 January
⏰ 10am
📍Cardiff
🔗 https://ow.ly/ABUC50XyZHA
Co-production Network for Wales Calvin Jones
Join us, WISERD and Carnegie UK as we reflect on 10 years of the Future Generations Act, and debate how we can enable it to deliver its policy aspirations better ⤵️
🗓️ 15 January
⏰ 10am
📍Cardiff
🔗 https://ow.ly/ABUC50XyZHA
Co-production Network for Wales Calvin Jones
November 28, 2025 at 11:40 AM
🔈 NEW EVENT 🔈
Join us, WISERD and Carnegie UK as we reflect on 10 years of the Future Generations Act, and debate how we can enable it to deliver its policy aspirations better ⤵️
🗓️ 15 January
⏰ 10am
📍Cardiff
🔗 https://ow.ly/ABUC50XyZHA
Co-production Network for Wales Calvin Jones
Join us, WISERD and Carnegie UK as we reflect on 10 years of the Future Generations Act, and debate how we can enable it to deliver its policy aspirations better ⤵️
🗓️ 15 January
⏰ 10am
📍Cardiff
🔗 https://ow.ly/ABUC50XyZHA
Co-production Network for Wales Calvin Jones
Reposted by Stu Mackinnon
Is the UK Government preparing the ground for a council tax revaluation? Read my new @carnegieuk.bsky.social blog looking at the technical moves that make policy change possible: carnegieuk.org/blog/satelli...
December 4, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Is the UK Government preparing the ground for a council tax revaluation? Read my new @carnegieuk.bsky.social blog looking at the technical moves that make policy change possible: carnegieuk.org/blog/satelli...
Is the UK Government preparing the ground for a council tax revaluation? Read my new @carnegieuk.bsky.social blog looking at the technical moves that make policy change possible: carnegieuk.org/blog/satelli...
December 4, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Is the UK Government preparing the ground for a council tax revaluation? Read my new @carnegieuk.bsky.social blog looking at the technical moves that make policy change possible: carnegieuk.org/blog/satelli...
Great to be at the Re:State conference in Liverpool today
November 25, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Great to be at the Re:State conference in Liverpool today
Reposted by Stu Mackinnon
Grab a copy of The @yorkshirepost.co.uk this morning to read @sarahdavidson.bsky.social make the case for systematically improving people's wellbeing in England:
www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion...
www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion...
Devolution offers an opportunity to bring decision-making closer to communities but local leaders must involve citizens - Sarah Davidson
When Health Secretary Wes Streeting said, “…there’s deep disillusionment in this country at the moment, and I would say a growing sense of despair, about whether anyone is capable of turning this coun...
www.yorkshirepost.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Grab a copy of The @yorkshirepost.co.uk this morning to read @sarahdavidson.bsky.social make the case for systematically improving people's wellbeing in England:
www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion...
www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion...
I am thrilled to learn that Scotland will play Argentina in their first match of the Nations Championship www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-...
Nations Championship to feature north v south hemisphere contest
The Twickenham finale of next year's new Nations Championship event will pit the north and south of global rugby against each other.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 17, 2025 at 12:38 PM
I am thrilled to learn that Scotland will play Argentina in their first match of the Nations Championship www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-...
Interesting call from the TUC about the OBR. What would truly responsible budgeting look like?
www.tuc.org.uk/news/unaccou...
www.tuc.org.uk/news/unaccou...
Unaccountable OBR risks being a “strait-jacket on growth”, warns TUC - as it calls for “modernisation” of body
The TUC has today (Sunday) raised concerns about the “unaccountable OBR” – as the union body warned their discredited assumptions risk being a “strait-jacket on growth” and urged modernisation of the ...
www.tuc.org.uk
November 17, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Interesting call from the TUC about the OBR. What would truly responsible budgeting look like?
www.tuc.org.uk/news/unaccou...
www.tuc.org.uk/news/unaccou...
Reposted by Stu Mackinnon
And our Life in the UK stats for England are mentioned in The Times this morning: www.thetimes.com/business-mon...
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www.thetimes.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:49 AM
And our Life in the UK stats for England are mentioned in The Times this morning: www.thetimes.com/business-mon...
Reposted by Stu Mackinnon
Our Life in the UK data was featured in this article looking at wellbeing in different countries: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
Luxembourg named number one in the world for 'quality of life'
Luxembourg has been named the number one place in the world for quality of life, while the UK remains out of the top 20, languishing behind countries like Lithuania and Slovenia.
www.dailymail.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Our Life in the UK data was featured in this article looking at wellbeing in different countries: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
Very cool to see @carnegieuk.bsky.social data and graphics in this report looking at global living standards
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
Luxembourg named number one in the world for 'quality of life'
Luxembourg has been named the number one place in the world for quality of life, while the UK remains out of the top 20, languishing behind countries like Lithuania and Slovenia.
www.dailymail.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Very cool to see @carnegieuk.bsky.social data and graphics in this report looking at global living standards
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...