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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 8h

Really enjoying this whole leaving the office while it's light thing while I still can

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Social Market Foundation @smfthinktank.bsky.social · 11h

Our Chief Economist @gideonsalutin.bsky.social was just on Sky News to discuss today's growth figures -

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Social Market Foundation @smfthinktank.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

📣Speaker announcement📣 Professor @helenmargetts.bsky.social, Professor of Society and the Internet at Oxford, joins our panel on governing the regulatory system: coherence, capacity and participation. 📅 21 Oct, Westminster 🎫 luma.com/4o1lirnw Kindly sponsored by Meta

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

So much important coverage of issues which wouldn't get any/enough attention elsewhere - subscription more than worth it

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Totally agree re the need to have targets for unis on disadvantage access to Erasmus+ - but I think this overstates how good Turing was e.g. wasn't the data they published on "disadvantage" super muddy/unis had loads of flex to let people on they termed as "disadvantaged"

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

We have a new briefing out today from @jtmigratory.bsky.social (SMF Senior Fellow and expert on all things immigration) on the future of the UK's immigration debate -

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Social Market Foundation @smfthinktank.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

📣Speaker announcement📣 What does "regulating for growth" mean? Is it an oxymoron? Baroness Hayter, Chair of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee, opens our conference with Meta in a fireside chat with Lord Willetts. 📅 21 Oct, Westminster ✍️Sign-up: luma.com/4o1lirnw

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

This is a great (and balanced in some tricky areas) piece from our Head of AI @sam-rob.bsky.social on some of the big issues facing Burnham's government on the technology -

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Social Market Foundation @smfthinktank.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

How can the UK regulate for growth and innovation? Join us and Meta for a half-day conference bringing together policymakers, regulators, industry and researchers to explore what pro-innovation regulation should look like in practice. 📍 Westminster 🎟️ Register: luma.com/4o1lirnw

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Great new piece from @jamiegollings.bsky.social on the timing of state pensioner pay - which is every 4 weeks, when most bills are monthly ⬇️

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Np at all/I think it's a good Q - as far as I'm aware there isn't any good data on who actually makes up the ineligible group (and then any splits within that e.g. by income level) to know how many are studying/working but not enough hours/looking for work etc

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

What if the second non worker is studying/looking for work/a carer? And that aside - it's early education as well as childcare, imo there's evidence we should have a core offer of at least 20 hours for early edu (and requirements that nurseries can't prioritise those on longer hours alongside)

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I don't view it as an instead, it's a different policy that isn't designed to do the same thing. It only covers 85% of costs + it's paid in arrears - you also need to be working to claim it. It makes sense on top of 30 hours for anything additional needed work wise for low earners.

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

...It's also early education that lower income children are missing out on, with evidence they are likely to benefit from that additional time (if the provision is of high quality)

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I'm not anti making it available for those on over £100k - but if we're having a chat about that we should also be discussing those at the bottom - including people in education/training and those looking for work (with long waits to access)....

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Reminder re the discussion on whether parents on over £100,000 should be able to access funded childcare hours that this is the income split for who can access the 30 hour policy for 3 and 4 year olds - low income families are the main ones currently missing out.

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

A huge thank you to Policy@Manchester for partnering with us on this topic across Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative party conferences.

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Another interesting conversation, this time at Conservative party conference, on NEETs and young people's mental health - lots on the role of educational institutions, community, employers and government to support young people and on the importance of preventative care.

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

(I did try to see the tapestry at 10pm last night but it was closed for a private event, sad times)

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Failed to go for a run or see the Birmingham tapestry at Conservative conference

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

(also huge props to the woman I assume was a TV presenter who put a blazer on top of her running outfit and immediately got in front of a camera?? I mean you only need to look professional on the top I guess?)

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Saw one of the party conference parkruns finally this morning - asked someone there and no it does not get logged on the parkrun system/count towards your overall numbers (disappointing)

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Looking forward to this important discussion at Conservative party conference in Birmingham tomorrow -

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Oh I totally agree the cliff edge at £100k is stupid - but that's not what they're proposing, they're saying £700m of civil servant cuts will cover it and like how is this the best use of new/redirected spending?

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

The disadvantaged two year old offer used to cover 40% of two year olds and now it's only 24% - how is that not a higher priority to re-expand?

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Long term I'd want to see a universal offer - but this is absolutely not the first place I'd be putting this funding when so many low income children don't have access. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

theguardian.com

Tories would expand free childcare to high earners, Badenoch says

Kemi Badenoch says those earning more than £100,000 should not be discouraged from working more

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Update - it's been three weeks and there is still no government. The Social Democrat leader Andersson is on the second attempt, after in the first the Left party voted for the Moderate candidate for speaker. She has until October 12th for the second attempt.

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Social Market Foundation @smfthinktank.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

We had a great time at Labour conference earlier this week. It was a jam-packed few days in Liverpool, with 11 events bringing together politicians, researchers and organisations to discuss some of the biggest policy questions facing Britain. A huge thank you to all of our speakers and partners.

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Off to Birmingham this weekend for my third (the SMF's 5th) conference of the season ⬇️

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

What a great few days at Labour conference in Liverpool - I've got so much to take away/think through, particularly when it comes to tackling the NEET crisis, which really felt like the theme of this year (I heard the upcoming Milburn review termed the "hottest drop of the season")

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

That was overall very good vs any leaders speech I've ever watched live tbh - so much emotion

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Two big pain points (although both in varying ways delayed) - social care reform and abolishing the triple lock (sort of) - also electoral reform but really depends what on earth is meant there/a commission could kick down the road for a long time.

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Immigration was the only place I didn't feel his emotion/it's the same general Labour vibe of - we get some (other) people have concerns about this and are trying to understand them, but don't have them personally (& in some ways more noticeable given how well the emotion was done elsewhere)

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

And Ed Miliband! Yes positive masculinity we love this

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I will say I appreciate a man crying in big moments/emotion is important and positive!

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

That sounds like nothing new on education/skills (pre Milburn response anyway)

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

My major thought watching this so far is wow - you can really feel that Burnham cares about this stuff. I'm not at all saying other recent PMs haven't, but it's so strongly communicated here.

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

"I'm going to give you a real speech/patriot in me tell me a tubthumping speech isn't what's needed" - interested to see where this goes

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Great session by the @coalitionedcare.bsky.social earlier on reforming childcare to tackle child poverty - optimistic for change in this space re the entitlements in the long term (fingers crossed)

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Really enjoyed the discussion this morning on two of the biggest policy questions facing politicians - how to reform the council tax and social care systems - looking forward to seeing what ends up being said re social care this afternoon 👀 @jimdickson.bsky.social @smfthinktank.bsky.social

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Social Market Foundation @smfthinktank.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Social care has been one of the hottest topics of this year's Labour conference, join us tomorrow morning for a discussion on options for both social care and council tax reform ⬇️

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

If you ever wondered what a day at party conference looks like on a Garmin watch 😭 only 20,400 steps which could have been worse...?

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

(*once the state pension has met an adequacy level that means Gen X - who have not saved enough - are not totally fucked)

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Don't threaten me with a good time (god can you imagine please let this happen*)

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Packed room for our event on NEETs and young people's mental health this morning - main takeaway, we need to do so much more to make sure the wider preventative support (e.g. access to extracurriculars/youth clubs etc) is there for young people to build confidence before they enter the workplace.

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Come join us in an hour for this important discussion on the NEETs crisis and how we can better support young people's MH (the room is in the big exhibition/stall area in the secure zone/quite easy to spot!)

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Good morning from Liverpool and a beautiful early morning run

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

First @smfthinktank.bsky.social event of Labour party conference, an in conversation with Chief Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds MP.

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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Our first conference event at Labour kicks off at 2pm today, just across the road from the conference centre ☺️

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