Research and analysis
We examine the questions that matter most for effective government.
Explore our research and analysis
Government should not use its “Brexit Freedoms” Bill to further sideline parliament
Watering down scrutiny of changes to rights and regulations would be the opposite of parliament ‘taking back control’.
Boris Johnson’s plan for an ‘Office of the Prime Minister’ won’t address Sue Gray’s criticism
A superficial reorganisation of No.10 cannot solve the government’s problems
Sue Gray report update
On 31 January 2022, Sue Gray published an update on her investigation into alleged gatherings on government premises during Covid restrictions.
Sue Gray's report exposes the poor leadership in Johnson's No.10
Boris Johnson must now respond to the accusations of poor leadership set out in Sue Gray's report
Levelling up: where does government spend money?
The government has committed to tackling regional inequalities as part of its ambition to ‘level up’ different parts of the UK.
Whitehall Monitor 2022
Major reform is needed for government to respond to crises like the pandemic while simultaneously delivering long-term policy goals.
Local government unitarisation
Unitarisation is a type of local government reorganisation that replaces county and district councils in ‘two-tier’ areas with a single tier.
New UK intergovernmental structures can work, but only with political will
The opportunity to reset intergovernmental relationships requires a shift in attitudes from all four governments of the UK
Lifting Plan B Covid restrictions is the right move, but a ‘big bang’ approach is not
The government should aim to preserve people’s ability to manage Covid risks
Michael Russell
Michael Russell reflects on his role as Scottish cabinet secretary for education, and as the minister responsible for UK-EU relations during Brexit.