![Tom Pope](/sites/default/files/styles/wysiwyg_full_width_desktop/public/2023-01/tom-pope-326x326.jpg?itok=KZw2-eyM)
Thomas Pope
Deputy Chief Economist
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Capital spending in public services
Crumbling schools, hospitals and prisons need a new capital spending plan to turn performance around.
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Funding local growth in England
The next government must end "begging bowl culture" of local growth funding.
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How the next government should complete the job of English devolution
The next government must extend devolution to 85% of England to deliver meaningful and balanced economic growth.
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Where next for levelling up?
This short paper highlights five key challenges that any government seeking to reduce regional inequalities will need to address.
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A Labour government would need to take big decisions to deliver on its devolution agenda
Do Keir Starmer’s and Angela Rayner’s devolution plans add up?
All work
Six key takeaways from the Conservative Party conference in Manchester
Rishi Sunak’s speech made the headlines – but the Conservative Party conference was full of sub-plots worth following.
Five key questions for Rishi Sunak at the Conservative party conference
The IfG expert team set out the questions that need answering as the Conservative party gathers in Manchester
Three things we learnt from Liz Truss’s speech at the IfG
Liz Truss has defended the decisions she took as prime minister – but do her arguments stack up?
Doing data justice
The justice sector needs a system-wide data strategy to address current deficiencies.
‘Levelling up’ from the centre
A new central government approach is needed to reduce regional inequality.
This should be Labour's last pre-election reshuffle
Keir Starmer has made some big changes to Labour's shadow ministerial team.
Better borrowing numbers do not mean the chancellor has a tax cuts war-chest
The chancellor and prime minister should not use inflation to cut spending by the back door.
How is evidence used in tax policy making?
A key tenet of good policy making, including on tax, is use of the best available evidence.
How to get to grips with departmental budgets
What every new secretary of state needs to understand about departmental budgets.
Lessons from the Darlington Economic Campus for civil service relocation
Ministers shouldn’t see civil service relocation as a primary tool for reducing regional economic inequality.