This report from UK think tank Re:State looks at the quality of public body oversight and sets out recommendations to strengthen government’s grip on what they deliver. Public bodies now account for around 60 per cent of day-to-day government spending, providing some of the most important and high-risk services. Despite this, departments are unclear on...

This report from UK think tank IPPR argues that the objective should be to deliver high-quality housing that meets the needs of local communities and has the buy-in of local people. Land is a finite resource, and the demands made of it have only increased over time. Not only do we need to house and...

This report from UK think tank IPPR argues that AI needs to be directed towards societies’ goals, via ‘mission-based policies’. The upcoming AI Action Summit in Paris is an opportunity to show how we can harness artificial intelligence (AI) as a force for societal, economic, and environmental good. AI is fundamentally different from other technologies...

This report from UK think tank Re:State makes the case for the strategic regional tier that would be required to unlock the full potential of devolution. England’s approach to regional governance is at a crossroads. While devolution has made significant strides, with the expansion of Combined Authorities and metro mayors, the system remains fragmented and...

This report from UK think tank the Future Governance Forum offers practical steps Government can take to embed civil society’s insight and expertise. Civil society organisations, with their depth of insight, reach into communities and capacity for innovation, have an important role to play in achieving the government’s five missions. But they are too often...

This report from UK think tank Green Alliance looks at the state of UK environmental law five years after Brexit. This report is the first in a series of stocktakes from Green Alliance’s Legislation and Governance Unit on the state of UK environmental law five years after Brexit. In it, we focus on the new...

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation examines the British public’s level of trust in the net zero transition and in heat pumps in particular. Given ambitious net zero targets, the UK cannot afford to face a stronger 'greenlash'. In this report, we seek to understand the British public’s level of trust...

This report from UK think tank City-REDI explores the utilisation of funding. There is considerable interest in how funding is allocated to local stakeholders to address spatial inequalities and in the amount of funding that is available. However, funding comes with rules on how, when, where and what it can be spent. The focus of...

This report from UK think tank the National Institute of Economic and Social Research Private Finance explores the use and impact of PFI. Initiative (PFI) continues to have a legacy in the public sector, with repayment costs being 3.3 times larger on average than the value of the infrastructure they built. The report explores the...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government is their annual, data-based assessment of the UK civil service over the past year.  High staff turnover, confused workforce planning, slipping morale and uncompetitive pay are hindering the civil service’s ability to deliver Labour’s missions. Whitehall Monitor 2025, the IfG’s annual data-driven stocktake of the...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government puts forward recommendations to help the government set a clear direction and a coherent asylum strategy. The government must exert its authority over the whole asylum system and avoid short-sighted measures aimed at conjuring an illusion of control. This report puts forward recommendations to help...

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at what a ‘good’ digital welfare state might look like. The introduction of ‘digital-by-default’ welfare and social protection systems in the UK and beyond has delivered efficiencies and cost savings for governments and can be convenient for recipients. But, given the rapid pace...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Welsh Affairs explores the concept of mission-driven government in the Welsh devolved context. Wales faces a systemic and wicked set of challenges. This major new IWA report seeks to inform how we can set up devolved government to tackle them, and bring about a brighter future....

This report from UK think tank Carnegie UK looks at Labour's missions and their likelihood of delivering. In this paper, Carnegie UK’s CEO Sarah Davidson argues that Labour missions will be undeliverable without a long-term commitment to cross-government working and culture change from Ministers and officials, informed by innovations in governance in Northern Ireland, Scotland...

This report from UK think tank the Centre for Policy Studies finds that there is still a viable electoral coalition available to the Conservatives. How can the Conservative Party recover from electoral catastrophe? A new report from the Centre for Policy Studies, built around an extensive programme of quantitative and qualitative research led by James...