Peter Thomas
@peterdt847.bsky.social
Director of civilservicereformuk.com at Peter Thomas Ltd. Leading research to change the conversation about successful civil service reform. Taking a different view of impact, and focusing on the practice of reformers.
Pinned
Peter Thomas
@peterdt847.bsky.social
· Sep 29
demos.co.uk
I strongly recommend that fellow reform geeks take a look at this excellent report from Amy Gandon, now working with Demos. She gets under the bonnet of how civil servants really feel about their civil service to explore what it is about Whitehall that scuppers so many reform efforts.
Really happy to have played a very minor role in supporting @jonathanslater.bsky.social in his characteristically optimistic and determined drive to work out how we can stop failing the poorest young people at school.
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
Failure of school system to support poorest students is leading to rising NEET figures
The school system consistently fails society’s poorest children and requires thorough reform, finds new UCL Policy Lab report authored by former Department for Education Permanent Secretary, Jonathan ...
www.ucl.ac.uk
October 27, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Really happy to have played a very minor role in supporting @jonathanslater.bsky.social in his characteristically optimistic and determined drive to work out how we can stop failing the poorest young people at school.
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
I strongly recommend that fellow reform geeks take a look at this excellent report from Amy Gandon, now working with Demos. She gets under the bonnet of how civil servants really feel about their civil service to explore what it is about Whitehall that scuppers so many reform efforts.
demos.co.uk
September 29, 2025 at 10:39 AM
I strongly recommend that fellow reform geeks take a look at this excellent report from Amy Gandon, now working with Demos. She gets under the bonnet of how civil servants really feel about their civil service to explore what it is about Whitehall that scuppers so many reform efforts.
Despite the ubiquity of top down control by government through performance measurement and management regimes - they rarely work: doomed by their profoundly flawed view of what motivates public servants. My blog shows why they persist and why they fail. I sketch out a better approach.
The rise and fail of top-down control
Image created by Freepik 23-8-2025Why government should kick its addiction to failed top-down controlsDespite the ubiquity and longevity of top down control by government through performance measureme...
www.civilservicereformuk.com
September 29, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Despite the ubiquity of top down control by government through performance measurement and management regimes - they rarely work: doomed by their profoundly flawed view of what motivates public servants. My blog shows why they persist and why they fail. I sketch out a better approach.
Despite the longevity of top down control by government through performance management regimes - they rarely work. My new blog unpicks their flawed foundations. I sketch out a new model. But there are big barriers to making the change we need.
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
The rise and fail of top-down control
Image created by Freepik 23-8-2025Why government should kick its addiction to failed top-down controlsDespite the ubiquity and longevity of top down control by government through performance measureme...
www.civilservicereformuk.com
August 23, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Despite the longevity of top down control by government through performance management regimes - they rarely work. My new blog unpicks their flawed foundations. I sketch out a new model. But there are big barriers to making the change we need.
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
A very sound and important post from @jillongovt.bsky.social and @tompope.bsky.social. This is shockingly overdue and fits perfectly with Rayner’s devolution agenda. How does the treasuries misconceived control freakery endure when there are so many good people working there?
if Mayors ask to be allowed to levy tourist taxes, let them - @instituteforgovernment.org.uk blog by me and @tompope.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/rach... - time to end HMT control freakery
Rachel Reeves should allow local tourist taxes | Institute for Government
If mayors use the ‘right to request’ to call for tourist taxes, then the government should say yes.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
July 30, 2025 at 9:45 AM
A very sound and important post from @jillongovt.bsky.social and @tompope.bsky.social. This is shockingly overdue and fits perfectly with Rayner’s devolution agenda. How does the treasuries misconceived control freakery endure when there are so many good people working there?
Reposted by Peter Thomas
My new blog is one for serious reform geeks - my conceptual model for an episode of civil service reform. The blog outlines the research that led to it. The model will provide the lens for a series of reform case studies.
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
Cracking the code: understanding successful civil service reform
My civilservicereformuk.com research programme is looking differently at civil service reforms to provide insights into the practice of reform that will help ministers and officials succeed in future ...
www.civilservicereformuk.com
July 12, 2025 at 4:12 PM
My new blog is one for serious reform geeks - my conceptual model for an episode of civil service reform. The blog outlines the research that led to it. The model will provide the lens for a series of reform case studies.
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
My new blog is one for serious reform geeks - my conceptual model for an episode of civil service reform. The blog outlines the research that led to it. The model will provide the lens for a series of reform case studies.
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
Cracking the code: understanding successful civil service reform
My civilservicereformuk.com research programme is looking differently at civil service reforms to provide insights into the practice of reform that will help ministers and officials succeed in future ...
www.civilservicereformuk.com
July 12, 2025 at 4:12 PM
My new blog is one for serious reform geeks - my conceptual model for an episode of civil service reform. The blog outlines the research that led to it. The model will provide the lens for a series of reform case studies.
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
Reposted by Peter Thomas
As the numbers are crunched and Rachel Reeves's spending review winners and losers emerge, whatever happened to Labour's vision of "mission-led" government...?
Here's @drhannahwhite.bsky.social's on the day verdict for the @theguardian.com ...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Here's @drhannahwhite.bsky.social's on the day verdict for the @theguardian.com ...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Has Rachel Reeves made the right choices? Our panel responds to the spending review
The chancellor announced spending on health, housing, defence, and infrastructure. But will it be felt by ordinary voters? Polly Toynbee, Kirsty Major, Sahil Dutta, Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah, Jonny R...
www.theguardian.com
June 12, 2025 at 1:40 PM
As the numbers are crunched and Rachel Reeves's spending review winners and losers emerge, whatever happened to Labour's vision of "mission-led" government...?
Here's @drhannahwhite.bsky.social's on the day verdict for the @theguardian.com ...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Here's @drhannahwhite.bsky.social's on the day verdict for the @theguardian.com ...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Peter Thomas
Are we witnessing the slow death of the council tax? On the face of it #localgov doesn't do too badly from the spending review, but a lot of that new money is actually the government banking a universal 5% rise in council tax, 2% of which is a straightforward national precept for social care.
June 12, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Are we witnessing the slow death of the council tax? On the face of it #localgov doesn't do too badly from the spending review, but a lot of that new money is actually the government banking a universal 5% rise in council tax, 2% of which is a straightforward national precept for social care.
Reposted by Peter Thomas
Our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk spending review analysis is out! Take a read here www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/spen...
Our key takeaways: 1/7
Our key takeaways: 1/7
Spending review 2025: Six key things we learned from Rachel Reeves' announcement | Institute for Government
IfG experts set out the six things they learned from the spending review.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
June 11, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk spending review analysis is out! Take a read here www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/spen...
Our key takeaways: 1/7
Our key takeaways: 1/7
5 Missions were to be the North Star for Starmer. 12 wasted months later they are obscured by cloud. The spending review looks more like Osborne’s 2010 axe than a mission led investment in key milestones. A bold and reformist reset is needed.
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
The avoidable demise of mission led government
Prime Minister Starmer promised that five Missions would be the North Star for his government.Almost 12 months later they are obscured by cloud. And a storm of cabinet disunity is looming.There is a s...
www.civilservicereformuk.com
June 6, 2025 at 4:22 PM
5 Missions were to be the North Star for Starmer. 12 wasted months later they are obscured by cloud. The spending review looks more like Osborne’s 2010 axe than a mission led investment in key milestones. A bold and reformist reset is needed.
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
Reposted by Peter Thomas
Interested in learning and development? Want to make government more effective? We are looking for a Learning and Development Officer to join our @ifgacademy.bsky.social team.
Applications will close on Sunday 11 May at 11:59pm - find out more www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/about-us/car...
Applications will close on Sunday 11 May at 11:59pm - find out more www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/about-us/car...
May 8, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Interested in learning and development? Want to make government more effective? We are looking for a Learning and Development Officer to join our @ifgacademy.bsky.social team.
Applications will close on Sunday 11 May at 11:59pm - find out more www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/about-us/car...
Applications will close on Sunday 11 May at 11:59pm - find out more www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/about-us/car...
Reposted by Peter Thomas
Full article: Future Directions of Public Administration Research—Addressing Fundamental Issues and Questions www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Future Directions of Public Administration Research—Addressing Fundamental Issues and Questions
This introduction to the special issue on future directions of Public Administration research addressing fundamental issues and questions, reflects on some selected subjects emerging from the accep...
www.tandfonline.com
March 7, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Full article: Future Directions of Public Administration Research—Addressing Fundamental Issues and Questions www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Peter Thomas
Not one but TWO new senior research roles have opened up @carnegieuk.bsky.social
Are you a proven researcher who wants to work at the interface between data, research, public policy and practice?
Research and Insight: https://buff.ly/40wnmml
Data and Insight: https://buff.ly/40xXHK7
Are you a proven researcher who wants to work at the interface between data, research, public policy and practice?
Research and Insight: https://buff.ly/40wnmml
Data and Insight: https://buff.ly/40xXHK7
January 16, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Not one but TWO new senior research roles have opened up @carnegieuk.bsky.social
Are you a proven researcher who wants to work at the interface between data, research, public policy and practice?
Research and Insight: https://buff.ly/40wnmml
Data and Insight: https://buff.ly/40xXHK7
Are you a proven researcher who wants to work at the interface between data, research, public policy and practice?
Research and Insight: https://buff.ly/40wnmml
Data and Insight: https://buff.ly/40xXHK7
Reposted by Peter Thomas
As govt doubles down on turbocharging w/ AI narrative, it feels relevant to reshare some work I commissioned at @jrf-uk.bsky.social asking experts 'To what extent can AI improve public policymaking?'
This response from @gavinfreeguard.bsky.social is a personal fave!
www.jrf.org.uk/ai-for-publi...
This response from @gavinfreeguard.bsky.social is a personal fave!
www.jrf.org.uk/ai-for-publi...
Definitions, digital, and distance: on AI and policymaking
Human decisions will drive the deployment of technology in policymaking, for good and ill. Better policymaking should make lives better for humans, which is why we should listen to them.
www.jrf.org.uk
January 13, 2025 at 12:09 PM
As govt doubles down on turbocharging w/ AI narrative, it feels relevant to reshare some work I commissioned at @jrf-uk.bsky.social asking experts 'To what extent can AI improve public policymaking?'
This response from @gavinfreeguard.bsky.social is a personal fave!
www.jrf.org.uk/ai-for-publi...
This response from @gavinfreeguard.bsky.social is a personal fave!
www.jrf.org.uk/ai-for-publi...
Research from Elston and MacCarthaigh provides serious food for thought for treasury ministers who would fall for the easy politics of centralised input controls like shared services. Spoiler alert: few cashable savings, generate hidden costs and disempower managers from improving efficiency.
Sharing services, saving money? Five risks to cost-saving when organizations share services
Shared services are a popular reform for governments under financial pressure. The hope is to reduce overheads and increase efficiency by providing support services like HR, finance and procurement...
doi.org
January 7, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Research from Elston and MacCarthaigh provides serious food for thought for treasury ministers who would fall for the easy politics of centralised input controls like shared services. Spoiler alert: few cashable savings, generate hidden costs and disempower managers from improving efficiency.
Reposted by Peter Thomas
Join the team! 📢
We’re excited to be recruiting two new roles to join our policy team, focusing on research and data.
🔵 Senior Researcher (Research and Insight)
🔵 Senior Researcher (Data and Insight)
Find out more and apply: carnegieuk.org/work-with-us/
We’re excited to be recruiting two new roles to join our policy team, focusing on research and data.
🔵 Senior Researcher (Research and Insight)
🔵 Senior Researcher (Data and Insight)
Find out more and apply: carnegieuk.org/work-with-us/
Work With Us - Carnegie UK
carnegieuk.org
January 7, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Join the team! 📢
We’re excited to be recruiting two new roles to join our policy team, focusing on research and data.
🔵 Senior Researcher (Research and Insight)
🔵 Senior Researcher (Data and Insight)
Find out more and apply: carnegieuk.org/work-with-us/
We’re excited to be recruiting two new roles to join our policy team, focusing on research and data.
🔵 Senior Researcher (Research and Insight)
🔵 Senior Researcher (Data and Insight)
Find out more and apply: carnegieuk.org/work-with-us/
Reposted by Peter Thomas
Ministers and officials need to confront the two lies that dog spending reviews: effiencies are rarely that, instead they lead to blunt cuts with unconsidered consequences; the Treasury's self-identity as a strategic performance budgeter is shattered by their increased use of input controls
It is time to confront the 2 great lies of UK spending reviews
As we head into an unusually significant ‘outcome focused’ spending review ministers and senior officials should reflect on two mistruths that have dogged public expenditure controls and the accompany...
www.civilservicereformuk.com
January 1, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Ministers and officials need to confront the two lies that dog spending reviews: effiencies are rarely that, instead they lead to blunt cuts with unconsidered consequences; the Treasury's self-identity as a strategic performance budgeter is shattered by their increased use of input controls
Ministers and officials need to confront the two lies that dog spending reviews: effiencies are rarely that, instead they lead to blunt cuts with unconsidered consequences; the Treasury's self-identity as a strategic performance budgeter is shattered by their increased use of input controls
It is time to confront the 2 great lies of UK spending reviews
As we head into an unusually significant ‘outcome focused’ spending review ministers and senior officials should reflect on two mistruths that have dogged public expenditure controls and the accompany...
www.civilservicereformuk.com
January 1, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Ministers and officials need to confront the two lies that dog spending reviews: effiencies are rarely that, instead they lead to blunt cuts with unconsidered consequences; the Treasury's self-identity as a strategic performance budgeter is shattered by their increased use of input controls
Reposted by Peter Thomas
And the NHS actually spends less on things we consider “waste”, like admin and managers, than many other nations.
The NHS may indeed be inefficient — but it is not “bloated”. Rather, it is inefficient because it is run too lean.
More in my column 🔗 www.thetimes.com/article/1130...
The NHS may indeed be inefficient — but it is not “bloated”. Rather, it is inefficient because it is run too lean.
More in my column 🔗 www.thetimes.com/article/1130...
December 29, 2024 at 11:25 AM
And the NHS actually spends less on things we consider “waste”, like admin and managers, than many other nations.
The NHS may indeed be inefficient — but it is not “bloated”. Rather, it is inefficient because it is run too lean.
More in my column 🔗 www.thetimes.com/article/1130...
The NHS may indeed be inefficient — but it is not “bloated”. Rather, it is inefficient because it is run too lean.
More in my column 🔗 www.thetimes.com/article/1130...
Devolution has some work to do. Stark picture of re-centralisation and defunding of local public service - taking out a third of local government jobs since Osborne’s spiteful axe in 2010.
I post an update on this every year. The centralisation of the UK public sector continues - with the move from #localgov to #centralgov employment. This is a systemic change that has come without a public debate. h/t @thomasforth
December 23, 2024 at 4:41 PM
Devolution has some work to do. Stark picture of re-centralisation and defunding of local public service - taking out a third of local government jobs since Osborne’s spiteful axe in 2010.
In this reform smackdown @jdportes.bsky.social wins on two counts: HMT should be able to do finance and growth simultaneously; 60 years of wasteful structural battles achieved less than next step reform’s delegation of finance controls. Yes to beefing up no10 ability to challenge HMT constructively.
Mend it or end it?
Me vs @stianwestlake.bsky.social in this piece by @cjayanetti.bsky.social
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Me vs @stianwestlake.bsky.social in this piece by @cjayanetti.bsky.social
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Is It Time To Split Up The Treasury?
The suggestion that it would be better to break up the Treasury into more manageable parts has been mooted for years. Chaminda Jayanetti looks at t...
www.politicshome.com
December 14, 2024 at 9:11 AM
In this reform smackdown @jdportes.bsky.social wins on two counts: HMT should be able to do finance and growth simultaneously; 60 years of wasteful structural battles achieved less than next step reform’s delegation of finance controls. Yes to beefing up no10 ability to challenge HMT constructively.
Reposted by Peter Thomas
Excl: Government will move to scrap district councils in its devolution white paper on Monday, sparking the biggest local government reorganisation in 50 years
on.ft.com/3VBH0ui
on.ft.com/3VBH0ui
District councils face scrapping in major overhaul of English local government
[FREE TO READ] Devolution white paper aims to create larger authorities and more elected mayors
on.ft.com
December 13, 2024 at 7:50 PM
Excl: Government will move to scrap district councils in its devolution white paper on Monday, sparking the biggest local government reorganisation in 50 years
on.ft.com/3VBH0ui
on.ft.com/3VBH0ui
Reposted by Peter Thomas
Our brand new Clean Power 2030 Action Plan is published today.
We’ve produced this at lightning pace - it’s packed with new steps towards clean power. We’re moving quickly and making big decisions to open the path to 2030.
www.gov.uk/government/p...
We’ve produced this at lightning pace - it’s packed with new steps towards clean power. We’re moving quickly and making big decisions to open the path to 2030.
www.gov.uk/government/p...
December 13, 2024 at 11:05 AM
Our brand new Clean Power 2030 Action Plan is published today.
We’ve produced this at lightning pace - it’s packed with new steps towards clean power. We’re moving quickly and making big decisions to open the path to 2030.
www.gov.uk/government/p...
We’ve produced this at lightning pace - it’s packed with new steps towards clean power. We’re moving quickly and making big decisions to open the path to 2030.
www.gov.uk/government/p...