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Dan Kenealy

@dankenealy.bsky.social
9 followers 11 following 37 posts

Senior lecturer in public policy at the University of Edinburgh. I work on UK and Scottish government, devolution, cities and city-regions, public attitudes, and foreign policy. Also: film and politics. www.sps.ed.ac.uk/staff/dan-kenealy

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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Forensic. www.ft.com/content/be40...
ft.com
The UK Treasury can’t avoid the Bank of England’s losses
Suspending cash transfers to the central bank will not alleviate UK fiscal pressures
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
A real challenge for the sector. We need to change our approach. Call me old-fashioned, can we revive the practice of examining students orally more regularly, either in mini-viva's, or through formal presentations (also a "skill", don't Pro-Vice-Chancellors love those ... )? #University #AI
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Rather than offer up anything tangible, let's just praise a Leader who delivered a catastrophic result, and make a generic call for motherhood and apple pie. Oh dear. Not a very cunning plan, I'd say. #ScottishLabour www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
scotsman.com
Scottish Labour needs a new leader with the X factor - Barrie Cunning
Vague soundbites and a nod to a populist agenda that is steeped in ideology and classism will simply not cut it
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Reposted by Dan Kenealy
New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Outdated fiscal accounting rules are holding back urgently needed investment. Our Senior Economist @jayasood.bsky.social explains ✍️👇 neweconomics.org/2026/08/brit...
neweconomics.org
Britain's state investment institutions can't compete with Europe's
Outdated fiscal accounting is holding us back
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Reposted by Dan Kenealy
Michael Warburton @michaelwarburton.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
ITALIANAMERICAN (1974) is a 49min documentary Film by MARTIN SCORSESE with & about his parents — Catherine & Charles — at their Little Italy flat in New York. It’s a joy.
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Happy birthday Robert De Niro, one of the all time greats and one of my favourite #film actors. First saw him as Capone in "The Untouchables" (one of my favourites as a kid). Didn't know how much more there was to discover. For me, his Hall of Fame looks like this:
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Nice piece of analysis by John Burn-Murdoch at the FT. It will take more than shifting the discourse/narrative about vocational vs. academic training. It will take a more productive economy with better job prospects across the board. www.ft.com/content/1c4a...
ft.com
To fix education, fix the economy first
Weak educational outcomes often owe more to economic performance than education policy
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Reposted by Dan Kenealy
Centre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
🎙️ Big devolution announcements We discuss the document published by the Cabinet last Friday, break down some of the key changes coming down the line for devolved powers and what they mean for people in their places. Listen in full 🎧👇 www.centreforcities.org/podcast/city...
centreforcities.org
City Talks: Big devolution announcements - Centre for Cities
Ant Breach is joined by Jess Tulasiewicz and Oscar Selby to discuss the big devolution announcements that came last Friday.
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doc shartman @docshartman.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
[under breath] holy fuckin shit
Cinemagic theatre with three movies on the marquee: starship troopers, mars attacks and tremors
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Apparently political "street fighting" is about forensically examining the fiscal squeeze in local government budgets? #ScottishLabour www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politic...
dailyrecord.co.uk
'Michael Marra is the best street fighter Scottish Labour has'
Writing for the Record, MP Zubir Ahmed backs Michael Marra to become the next Scottish Labour leader.
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Agree 100 per cent - www.ft.com/content/1419...
ft.com
Time for Andy Burnham to smile on UK science
Waning support for basic research threatens Britain’s technology ambitions
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Centre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
www.centreforcities.org/blog/burnham...
centreforcities.org
Burnham bets big on historic devolution of power - Centre for Cities
The devolution announcement today marks a new era for the British economy.
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Reposted by Dan Kenealy
New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
In her latest blog, @jayasood.bsky.social writes about the changes we need - including: - More coordination between the Bank of England and Treasury - A national wealth fund that takes equity stakes - Replacing rigid fiscal rules with a fiscal committee neweconomics.org/2026/07/burn...
neweconomics.org
Burnham's economic transformation rests on changing our fiscal and monetary framework
Cost-of-living policies are all well and good, but they won't lead to structural change
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Would be nice to see government elevate universities up the policy agenda, given the vital role they play as anchor institutions for local economies and that we have many globally leading institutions. I hoped for a dedicated minister in DBIST to reboot this policy space. www.ft.com/content/e14d...
ft.com
Labour has harmed universities as much as Trump, London School of Economics head says
LSE vice-chancellor Larry Kramer points to domestic student fees freeze, international student limits and rise in employers’ national insurance
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Interesting little piece of career analysis about UK Chancellors of the Exchequer, from @lseblogs.bsky.social. And one might ask whether the academically economically "qualified" Chancellors - Lamont and Reeves - would come towards the bottom of any rankings? blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...
blogs.lse.ac.uk
After Reeves, Healey reverts to Chancellor type | LSE British Politics
Economics expertise is the exception to the rule for a UK Chancellor. But Chancellors, like John Healey, usually come with experience in the Treasury.
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Let's wait for the full announcement. But a smaller, more strategic "centre" in Whitehall, that does fewer but bigger things, alongside empowered and properly funded local/regional governments is something many people have been willing for a long time. #Devolution www.ft.com/content/160a...
ft.com
Andy Burnham to give English mayors share of income tax from 2028
New prime minister accelerates former chancellor Rachel Reeves’ efforts to move power away from Westminster
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
An interesting piece that perhaps misses the crucial point - the demonstrable flaws of our current political and economic structures require an answer that comes from a different part of the political spectrum this time, compared to 1979. #UKPolitics #Burnham #Devolution www.ft.com/content/5fa1...
ft.com
There is no modern-day Maggie to save Britain from Burnhamism
The right hopes that Labour’s new leader will fail, but who exactly is going to step in and shake things up?
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Agreed. In 90 seconds there's a policy agenda and one that might just, developed properly and in a focused way, create a different narrative about economic and political power in Scotland and how that affects public service delivery. #JoeFagan #ScottishLabour
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Good, thoughtful, balanced piece @theconversation.com about the end of DSIT. Thanks @jameswilsdon.bsky.social. theconversation.com/what-the-sud...
theconversation.com
What the sudden demise of the UK’s department of science means for the future of research
If we want to be reminded what real damage to a science system looks like, we only need to glance across the Atlantic.
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
As another reorganisation of the business-trade-science-technology-digital space goes through, it'll be interesting to see who is appointed to minister of state roles. I would like to see a strong, high-level minister for universities, science and innovation, predominantly based in DBIST.
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
An interesting set of Cabinet appointments from #AndyBurnham but some big questions I have - 1. Where is the political leadership for Number 10 North and how will it interface with the Ministry for Housing & Local Government?
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Really interesting piece by @antonmuscatelli.bsky.social as #AndyBurnham prepares to take over as UK #PrimeMinister. antonmuscatelli.substack.com/p/burnhams-f...
antonmuscatelli.substack.com
Burnham’s Fiscal Constraints – What Are The Options?
As the incoming Prime Minister prepares for office, what do his fiscal options look like?
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
I love a bit of #Cabinet #Reshuffle speculation, and not just for the political gossip. If policy matters, so does personnel and process (machinery of government, etc.). So as #AndyBurnham prepares to step into Downing Street tomorrow, my guesses for his Cabinet -
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Good piece on the complexities of regional development and devolution. #AndyBurnham #PrimeMinister acss.org.uk/what-burnham...
acss.org.uk
What Burnham may mean for Scottish regional development – Academy of Social Sciences
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Organising the business-science-research-energy space has proven a constant difficultly for Prime Ministers. www.ft.com/content/fec8...
ft.com
Jonathan Reynolds set to oversee beefed-up business department
Incoming prime minister Andy Burnham discussing plans to give ministry more powers over science and energy policy
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Interesting and balanced piece by Salford Uni Professor Philip Brown in @uk.theconversation.com. The ability of political leaders to develop, articulate, and steer a clear policy framework is really important. #AndyBurnham theconversation.com/andy-burnham...
theconversation.com
Andy Burnham promised to change Greater Manchester. Almost ten years on, how did he do?
Just weeks before he was elected as Greater Manchester’s first metro-mayor in 2017, I interviewed Andy Burnham for The Conversation.
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
I agree with those, including #AndyBurnham, who think a full-on break-up of the UK Treasury would be a distraction right now. The #PrimeMinister should remember the title that is actually on the 10 Downing Street letterbox - "First Lord of the Treasury".
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
"... reducing national policy to short-term spreadsheets can too easily obfuscate the need for a broader, dynamic vision of the economy that drives productivity and growth." www.ft.com/content/b2be...
ft.com
The lessons Burnham must heed on the economy
Policy must go beyond mere announcements and budget arithmetic
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Dan Kenealy @dankenealy.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Here's hoping the incoming #PrimeMinister doesn't have a moment like this over the weekend. #Burnham #Number10
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