Tim Leunig
@timleunig.bsky.social
Policy thoughts: http://timleunig.substack.com Chief Economist Nesta, Director Econ PublicFirst, Vis Prof LSE Sch Public Policy, Vis Fellow Inst for Govt
Reposted by Tim Leunig
Important to be clear here that the proposed homes wouldn't mean demolishing the 18th century garden - it's just that they might possibly be visible from it. What appallingly selfish behaviour.
November 10, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Important to be clear here that the proposed homes wouldn't mean demolishing the 18th century garden - it's just that they might possibly be visible from it. What appallingly selfish behaviour.
This week I have written about whether the government's proposed changes to school accountability - Progress 8 - make sense (£/free trial). timleunig.substack.com/p/school-sta... @daisychristo.bsky.social @branwenjeffreys.bsky.social @schoolsweek.bsky.social @beckyfrancis.bsky.social
School standards
What to do about secondary school accountability measures
timleunig.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:03 PM
This week I have written about whether the government's proposed changes to school accountability - Progress 8 - make sense (£/free trial). timleunig.substack.com/p/school-sta... @daisychristo.bsky.social @branwenjeffreys.bsky.social @schoolsweek.bsky.social @beckyfrancis.bsky.social
Reposted by Tim Leunig
Want some growth on a Sunday lunchtime?
Some policy ideas on how to get it from @timleunig.bsky.social in this episode of the Economics Show
Some policy ideas on how to get it from @timleunig.bsky.social in this episode of the Economics Show
How to kickstart the UK economy. With Tim Leunig — The Economics Show
Many governments in western Europe are grappling with sluggish economic growth and the UK is no exception. From rising unemployment to weak public finances, the UK economy is in the doldrums and there...
overcast.fm
November 9, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Want some growth on a Sunday lunchtime?
Some policy ideas on how to get it from @timleunig.bsky.social in this episode of the Economics Show
Some policy ideas on how to get it from @timleunig.bsky.social in this episode of the Economics Show
Although we find it a lot easier to attract and assimilate immigrants than does Japan.
Japan shows us one possible future if trends continue unabated.
www.independent.co.uk/news/japan-a...
www.independent.co.uk/news/japan-a...
Ageing population in Japan leaves schools with empty classrooms
As the number of students falls across Japan, a recent ceremony saw only two final graduates before the school closed
www.independent.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Although we find it a lot easier to attract and assimilate immigrants than does Japan.
Reposted by Tim Leunig
Best followed up with this FT podcast with
@timleunig.bsky.social who has a nice example of why zero-rating things like food and children's clothing isn't a particularly effective way of supporting poorer households
www.ft.com/content/33d7...
@timleunig.bsky.social who has a nice example of why zero-rating things like food and children's clothing isn't a particularly effective way of supporting poorer households
www.ft.com/content/33d7...
November 7, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Best followed up with this FT podcast with
@timleunig.bsky.social who has a nice example of why zero-rating things like food and children's clothing isn't a particularly effective way of supporting poorer households
www.ft.com/content/33d7...
@timleunig.bsky.social who has a nice example of why zero-rating things like food and children's clothing isn't a particularly effective way of supporting poorer households
www.ft.com/content/33d7...
Reposted by Tim Leunig
Douglas Barrowman and Michelle Mone made £65m selling faulty PPE to the Government.
HMRC now wants £39m in unpaid tax — and we think we know why: Barrowman and Mone may have avoided tax on their £65m profit.
HMRC now wants £39m in unpaid tax — and we think we know why: Barrowman and Mone may have avoided tax on their £65m profit.
November 6, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Douglas Barrowman and Michelle Mone made £65m selling faulty PPE to the Government.
HMRC now wants £39m in unpaid tax — and we think we know why: Barrowman and Mone may have avoided tax on their £65m profit.
HMRC now wants £39m in unpaid tax — and we think we know why: Barrowman and Mone may have avoided tax on their £65m profit.
School closures are coming...
"Number of unfilled primary school places in England hits record high". Link: on.ft.com/47GtJWJ
We should get used to seeing this story once a year!
We should get used to seeing this story once a year!
November 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM
School closures are coming...
Important research on how to improve school results of poor kids. A Labour government will surely want to do this? Well done @simonburgess.bsky.social and co-authors.
NEW REPORT: Modelling and reforming school choice
By Ellen Greaves, @estellecantillon.bsky.social, @mariagraziacavallo.bsky.social and me.
Blog economics.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2025/11/06/a...
Policy briefing
www.bristol.ac.uk/media-librar...
#EconSky #EduSky
1/9
By Ellen Greaves, @estellecantillon.bsky.social, @mariagraziacavallo.bsky.social and me.
Blog economics.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2025/11/06/a...
Policy briefing
www.bristol.ac.uk/media-librar...
#EconSky #EduSky
1/9
Access to highly effective schools: The case for reform – Welcome to the Economics blog
How do we address the gap in attainment between the most advantaged and disadvantaged students in the UK? Pioneering research, led by the University of Bristol, reveals the reforms most likely to equa...
economics.blogs.bristol.ac.uk
November 6, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Important research on how to improve school results of poor kids. A Labour government will surely want to do this? Well done @simonburgess.bsky.social and co-authors.
Reposted by Tim Leunig
Wider engagement on this disaster-by almost all media, government but also universities themselves-has been self-indicting for the last two years. No one does indeed seem to care about our national library.
Turns out this news was in the public domain yesterday but no one has covered it as far as I can tell. Does no one care about our national library anymore? It was much the same with the cyberattack. If this was a bit of 'science' infrastructure can you imagine?
www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/...
www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/...
British Library chief executive quits midway through PCS strike
The British Library has been thrown into further turmoil midway through a two-week PCS strike with the resignation of its chief executive Rebecca Lawrence.
www.pcs.org.uk
November 4, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Wider engagement on this disaster-by almost all media, government but also universities themselves-has been self-indicting for the last two years. No one does indeed seem to care about our national library.
My policy substack sets out how we can make wills easier, cheaper and prevent fraud. Free to read timleunig.substack.com/p/where-ther...
Where there is a will, there’s a way
But what to do when there isn’t a will?
timleunig.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:44 AM
My policy substack sets out how we can make wills easier, cheaper and prevent fraud. Free to read timleunig.substack.com/p/where-ther...
Reposted by Tim Leunig
The problem with diagnosing "the electorate have unreasonable expectations around tax and spend" is that those expectations did not develop in a vacuum. They are the product of decades of politicians and the media telling them they can have x services with y tax levels, or not contradicting it.
November 1, 2025 at 8:06 PM
The problem with diagnosing "the electorate have unreasonable expectations around tax and spend" is that those expectations did not develop in a vacuum. They are the product of decades of politicians and the media telling them they can have x services with y tax levels, or not contradicting it.
In which case, add the post makers clear, emigration and immigration will be even bigger issues
Trouble with these sorts of projections is they are unsophisticated and do not take account of what could be particularly important structural factors.
In 2100, climate change might well have made Pakistan, DRC and Nigeria all but uninhabitable.
In 2100, climate change might well have made Pakistan, DRC and Nigeria all but uninhabitable.
November 1, 2025 at 11:35 PM
In which case, add the post makers clear, emigration and immigration will be even bigger issues
Particularly fine piece by @noahsmith.bsky.social this morning - www.noahpinion.blog/p/the-giant-... (Big overlap with one of my standard guest lectures)
The giant basket case countries
More and more of humanity is going to live in a few big countries that can't manage themselves.
www.noahpinion.blog
November 1, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Particularly fine piece by @noahsmith.bsky.social this morning - www.noahpinion.blog/p/the-giant-... (Big overlap with one of my standard guest lectures)
This is surely right
… the political pain from 1p vs, say, 3p on income tax isn’t that different.
Bigger than ‘necessary’ tax rises now both give more headroom, meaning this is less likely to happen again *and* give more room for spending on areas like local government & justice. 2/3
Bigger than ‘necessary’ tax rises now both give more headroom, meaning this is less likely to happen again *and* give more room for spending on areas like local government & justice. 2/3
October 29, 2025 at 11:55 AM
This is surely right
This is the best article that Caitlin Moran has ever written. @stianwestlake.bsky.social estlake will particularly appreciate it. www.thetimes.com/article/09da...
I never went to university but I’d love to do a mad PhD
‘I always thought students spent three years getting stoned, lying that they were into jazz — then got their parents’ mates to give them a job’
www.thetimes.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:09 AM
This is the best article that Caitlin Moran has ever written. @stianwestlake.bsky.social estlake will particularly appreciate it. www.thetimes.com/article/09da...
Reposted by Tim Leunig
Interested in bite-sized, data-driven insights on the world and how it’s changing?
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Check out our growing catalog of over 350 Data Insights (DIs) — which we’ve just made easier to explore and discover what matters to you!
October 28, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Interested in bite-sized, data-driven insights on the world and how it’s changing?
Check out our growing catalog of over 350 Data Insights (DIs) — which we’ve just made easier to explore and discover what matters to you!
Check out our growing catalog of over 350 Data Insights (DIs) — which we’ve just made easier to explore and discover what matters to you!
A lovely piece by @tomforth.co.uk this morning for me to appreciate - tomforth.co.uk/controversia... - thank you.
Controversial opinions.
If Britain cannot reasonably disagree on topics as mundane as transport, what hope do we have on really controversial issues?
tomforth.co.uk
October 27, 2025 at 9:24 AM
A lovely piece by @tomforth.co.uk this morning for me to appreciate - tomforth.co.uk/controversia... - thank you.
Reposted by Tim Leunig
Misunderstood! (Perhaps that is what Labour intended?) So have deleted. Thank you
16% is a bit misleading. Probably something roughly like 65% of 200k+ members and 5-9% of 800k affiliated orgs/mainly unions, where people didnt choose to join. They split the turnout by category every other time
October 25, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Misunderstood! (Perhaps that is what Labour intended?) So have deleted. Thank you
Very good from @stephenkb.bsky.social
My column in the @ftweekend.com: Keir Starmer is in trouble because he has not been serious about governing, and the best way for him to turn things around is for him to become serious:
Starmer needs to get serious about governing — and quick
The prime minister has to change or his party will seek a change of its own
www.ft.com
October 25, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Very good from @stephenkb.bsky.social
Reposted by Tim Leunig
Great job here!
Full or Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy
LSE School of Public Policy
Full Professor salary no less than £107,994 per annum.
Associate Professor no less than £80,927 per annum.
Plus, may attract a salary supplement.
Closes 30 November
Full or Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy
LSE School of Public Policy
Full Professor salary no less than £107,994 per annum.
Associate Professor no less than £80,927 per annum.
Plus, may attract a salary supplement.
Closes 30 November
October 25, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Great job here!
Full or Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy
LSE School of Public Policy
Full Professor salary no less than £107,994 per annum.
Associate Professor no less than £80,927 per annum.
Plus, may attract a salary supplement.
Closes 30 November
Full or Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy
LSE School of Public Policy
Full Professor salary no less than £107,994 per annum.
Associate Professor no less than £80,927 per annum.
Plus, may attract a salary supplement.
Closes 30 November
I am not the anon former senior civil servant but I agree with them.
Striking words from anon former senior civil servant to George Osborne, relayed on podcast with Ed Balls, re briefing against Chris Wormald, cabinet sec... 1/5
October 24, 2025 at 8:50 PM
I am not the anon former senior civil servant but I agree with them.
Reposted by Tim Leunig
Delighted to be nominated for comment journalist of the year at the British Journalism Awards, alongside some fantastic peers 🎈🍾 pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazett...
October 23, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Delighted to be nominated for comment journalist of the year at the British Journalism Awards, alongside some fantastic peers 🎈🍾 pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazett...
That is true!
A lot of that is because the Sheffield trams is...very very badly designed.
That’s a good provocation on tax — maybe I’m lapsing into Treasury brain on revenue. Though could you really find £30-odd billion elsewhere? Or just wait for travel-fuelled growth?
Loved all the comparisons — this was a real jaw-dropper! Also differences in motorway building UK Vs everywhere else
Loved all the comparisons — this was a real jaw-dropper! Also differences in motorway building UK Vs everywhere else
October 23, 2025 at 8:46 PM
That is true!
Reposted by Tim Leunig
Bracing convo on what the UK cld do to boost economic growth w/ @timleunig.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
How to kickstart the UK economy. With Tim Leunig
Podcast Episode · The Economics Show · 23/10/2025 · 32m
podcasts.apple.com
October 23, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Bracing convo on what the UK cld do to boost economic growth w/ @timleunig.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...