Stu Mackinnon
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stumackinnon.bsky.social
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.
Anas Sarwar MSP says that he's up for big bold ideas to address the problems Scotland faces. Suggests he would declare a waiting time emergency if successful at next year's elections...
October 29, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Speech from FM @johnswinney.bsky.social at @ipprscotland.bsky.social conference. In follow up Q&A says: "...standards of living (in Scotland) are not under our control."
October 29, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Great to be at the @ipprscotland.bsky.social conference this morning. @sarahdavidson.bsky.social from Carnegie UK outlined some options for Scotland to change the record about the fiscal challenges Scotland faces.
October 29, 2025 at 10:28 AM
At @carnegieuk.bsky.social we published new research this week looking at public perceptions of the UK tax system, finding that people believe the tax system is unfair, confusing and difficult for them to change.

Read that here: carnegieuk.org/publication/...
October 3, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Scotland is rubbish
September 13, 2025 at 6:00 PM
New Scottish Public Service Reform Strategy is a must read for people that are interested in getting stuff to work and the country not running out of money: www.gov.scot/publications...
June 19, 2025 at 3:54 PM
SPENDING REVIEW: I'm interested in this commitment to a "planning and performance framework" that will assess performance against both outcomes and value for money.

If you know anything about this, I would like to talk to you.
June 11, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Bit of Chariots of Fire running in St Andrews today.
June 1, 2025 at 5:33 PM
I went to Dublin to watch the rugby. A fine time was had by all despite the result.
May 18, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Just popping into Fisher & Donaldson - what do you fancy?
May 4, 2025 at 9:29 AM
As the FM hosts this democracy summit in Glasgow, a good moment to point out that @carnegieuk.bsky.social survey work shows that trust in politics and government in Scotland is in trouble, as it is elsewhere in the UK. (From our Life in the UK Index: carnegieuk.org/publication/...)
April 23, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Big Counter is a neighbourhood restaurant so good it should inflate local house prices.

We should go to drink wine and cream/butter based sauces.
April 19, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Not sure what I stumbled upon here...
April 14, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Lovely data visualisation in the FT today looking at pressure on the UK's public finances: www.ft.com/content/ebe5... At Carnegie UK, we're looking at how we might break the current cycle: carnegieuk.org/publication/...
March 26, 2025 at 8:37 AM
For two years straight, Carnegie's Life in the UK Index found that disabled people have much lower wellbeing than people without a disability: carnegieuk.org/wp-content/u...
March 18, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Can you do these homework questions set for my daughter?
March 10, 2025 at 7:51 PM
"We are a world in peril and we're making bad decisions" says Chris Earney from the UN Futures Lab.

Says they've learned from Wales about leadership, future-thinking and humility.

@futuregencymru.bsky.social
February 27, 2025 at 9:34 AM
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿"It is difficult for our public bodies to look beyond the next budget and the next general election. But we need to find a way for them to do so."

Ace to hear from @futuregencymru.bsky.social
in London this morning on the 10 year anniversary of the Well-being of Future Generations Act.
February 27, 2025 at 9:04 AM
The ONS will release an update of the measures of wellbeing dashboard later this morning. This bundle of stats paints a picture of what life is like in the UK.
February 11, 2025 at 8:58 AM
On behalf of @carnegieuk.bsky.social, speaking at a National Productivity Week event about wellbeing, productivity and fair work.
January 28, 2025 at 12:57 PM
The debate has been prompted by the review of national outcomes, and the associated report from the Scottish Parliament's Finance and Public Admin committee: bprcdn.parliament.scot/published/FP... (Increasingly I think the public admin bit of this committee's work is more important than the finance)
January 8, 2025 at 9:16 AM
This afternoon MSPs will debate the future of Scotland's national performance framework. At @carnegieuk.bsky.social we reckon that a reformed framework could be key to more systematic, effective, joined-up government in Scotland. Our report: carnegieuk.org/publication/...
January 8, 2025 at 9:16 AM
A few moments later, with delight, I said: "This is exactly the same is the interior of good steak pie."

So, you can have a lovely time doing special things, but remember to appreciate the stuff on your doorstep.

Much love to you and yours.
January 1, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Chianti and Chianti classsico. The host gave us a potted history of the culinary history of the region. (Glossing over fascism only slightly). Over a warm summer evening, we did the classic summer holiday thing and speculated about moving away from Glasgow and rain, and living in warmer climes...
January 1, 2025 at 5:17 PM
A new year's story...

In 2024, I was lucky enough to go on holiday to Italy. At the campsite in the Tuscan hills, my wife and I did a glorious food and wine tasting.

Cured meats and cheeses were followed by bread and tomato soup. In great detail, we were told the difference between..
January 1, 2025 at 5:17 PM