Reposted by Dan MeadLabour Climate and Environment Forum @lcefuk.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Our panel on public ownership of the water industry has just kicked off - join us and @GoodGrowthFdn.bsky.social to unpack the options! We're expecting heated debate over this issue. 142
Reposted by Dan MeadLabour Climate and Environment Forum @lcefuk.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Public ownership, tighter regulation, or regional mutuals? 💧 The government has committed to putting the water industry back in the public interest - now the real policy battle is deciding what that model looks like. Watch highlights from our panel, co-hosted with @goodgrowthfdn.bsky.social. 001
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Hope to see people at Labour Party Conference - I'll be speaking on a panel hosted by @lcefuk.bsky.social and @goodgrowthfdn.bsky.social on who controls our water! 120
Reposted by Dan Meadsianushka.bsky.social @sianushka.bsky.social · 17/09/2026This all tracks as a Bristolian, although it's ironic that voters fed up with housing issues are switching to Green considering their track record on housing. 0133
Reposted by Dan MeadChristabel Cooper @christabelcoops.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Our @thinklabour.bsky.social report on the Greens challenge to Labour is in the Guardian today. Our diagnosis of why Labour's vote fell in cities is high housing costs for young people, plus progressives worried that Labour doesn't reflects their values. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...theguardian.comGreens just four points behind Labour in urban areas, poll revealsExclusive: UK’s Green parties could take 40 seats if result replicated at next election, according to Labour-linked thinktank 23610
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Bristol has a fast growing economy. So why does Labour face electoral danger in the city? Our new polling shows that Labour is losing a crucial set of voters in big cities: those that feel like they are financially struggling. Why are they financially struggling? Housing. A thread 🧵: 4107
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 16/09/2026I'm in the Future of the Left's essay collection on "re-industrialising Britain" as a bit of a dissenting voice. If we're looking at what the future for our post-industrial town could be, I think we should look at examples in our own country. Places like Reading and Swindon: 130
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Connectivity rather than a return of manufacturing is how we can heal the scars of deindustrialisation in our post industrial towns - my piece in response to @ben-glover.bsky.social futureoftheleft.substack.com/p/connecting...futureoftheleft.substack.comConnecting post-industrial townsA series on the politics of production. 011
Reposted by Dan MeadMayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 19/08/2026This stopped me in my tracks. An independent study by @qmul.bsky.social has found that after ULEZ was introduced, children’s lungs grew faster in Central London and have now caught up with children outside of the capital. Incredible. 1563370974
Reposted by Dan MeadThinkLabour @thinklabour.bsky.social · 04/08/2026Keeping test fees artificially low might sound like it helps with the cost of living. In reality, it leaves learners paying far more in extra lessons, lost opportunities, and even scalpers. Our polling suggests the public is more pragmatic than politicians assume. 121
Reposted by Dan MeadThinkLabour @thinklabour.bsky.social · 16/07/2026Who is Labour for? With a new PM stepping into number 10 on Monday, that question has never been more important. At ThinkLabour, we’re keeping it front and centre. Yesterday we sat down with the Deputy Leader of the Labour party, Lucy Powell, to tackle it head on. 143
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 21/06/2026As @jamesdaustin.bsky.social says we found young people in towns like Burnley, the ones doing the working(!), were much less likely to want the return of manufacturing Instead people understood the success of Manchester and wanted a part of it with better transport links 813836
Reposted by Dan MeadJames Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 21/06/2026One of the really interesting bits in @thinklabour.bsky.social poll of Burnley was that while many voters would like a manufacturing renaissance... ...most dont think its realistic (including advocates) and the 'connected town' services model is both more popular and see as more realistic 1735374
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 19/06/2026It looks like Labour both consolidated the progressive bloc and increased turnout to win in Makerfield Great rapid work by my research colleagues @christabelcoops.bsky.social @cwp-weir.bsky.social @dylancridland.bsky.social 022
Reposted by Dan MeadJames Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 16/06/2026Given were all praising @thinklabour.bsky.social polling - just want to highlight this one from their Burnley report. e Explains a huge amount about the disconnect between crime falling nationally and rising public concern. Its all salience 3172
Reposted by Dan MeadYuan Yang @yuanfenyang.bsky.social · 16/06/2026I'm very glad to see the government has raised objections to the current Thames Water deal proposed by its creditors. I've previously written to Ofwat to ask them to reject this deal. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... 1176
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 16/06/2026Great to see action from the government on Thames Water. The creditors deal did not offer enough for consumers or the environment. At ThinkLabour we called for the government to not accept any deal that involved watering down pollution standards. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukThames Water moves step closer to nationalisation after government objects to rescue dealThe environment secretary says the deal does not do enough for consumers or the environment. 030
Reposted by Dan MeadThinkLabour @thinklabour.bsky.social · 11/06/2026What a fantastic evening at the ThinkLabour launch party! 132
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 29/05/2026This work by @christabelcoops.bsky.social and @fintan-smith.bsky.social gives us novel and rigorous insights into a group of voters that is normally very hard to reach in traditional surveys. They're both too modest to blow their own horn but I'll do it for them 1129
Reposted by Dan MeadArguably @arguablymag.bsky.social · 22/05/2026To fix the social care crisis, Labour needs a “big bang” for the state, writes @danmead.bsky.social. www.arguably.uk/p/how-to-fix...arguably.ukHow to fix the social care crisisLabour needs a “big bang” for the state 113
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 22/05/2026The battle of ideas has started in Labour and social care is back on the news agenda. This is another area where "incremental change won't cut it". In @arguablymag.bsky.social I argue to unlock social care reform, only a "big bang" approach will work 1167
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 20/05/2026As David says, crime is a really important issue for voters, particularly in post industrial towns. In Burnley, shoplifting has increased way more than the average in England. 292
Reposted by Dan MeadDavid Klemperer @dmk1793.bsky.social · 20/05/2026Really excellent report here from @christabelcoops.bsky.social and @danmead.bsky.social on the politics of post-industrial towns - covering both how Labour can win them, and what a politically and economically credible future for them could look like (spoiler: it's becoming like Reading) 1136
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 20/05/2026Imagine you live in Burnley, all your family and friends are there. You get offered a new job in Manchester. Trainline tells you the train takes 45 minutes to go 25 miles. And it would take you 20 minutes to drive to the station. It also tells you there is only one train an hour to work. 🧵: 362
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 19/05/2026Andrew is right - austerity meant severe cuts to non social care spending by councils and at the same time council tax went up in real terms. Councils had no other choice. And so no wonder people are so fed up 04919
Reposted by Dan MeadJames O'Malley @jamesomalley.co.uk · 18/05/2026New YIMBY Pod! - Why does the BBC seem to hate the Universal theme park?! - And why Thames Water SHOULDN’T be nationalised, with @danmead.bsky.social ! www.abundancepod.com/p/the-bbcs-a...abundancepod.comThe BBC's anti-Universal theme park biasPlus why we SHOULDN'T nationalise Thames Water 042
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 15/05/2026After the bruising local election losses last week. Labour needs an answer on how it holds together its broad electoral coalition. My colleague @christabelcoops.bsky.social has a paper out today giving our response 010
Reposted by Dan MeadThinkLabour @thinklabour.bsky.social · 14/05/2026Today marks the launch of ThinkLabour! 🌹We are a unique political organisation dedicated to helping Labour govern confidently, win elections, and deliver lasting change.Here is what we are building 👇 29135
Reposted by Dan MeadDavid Klemperer @dmk1793.bsky.social · 01/05/2026Pleased to once again get the chance to make the case for compulsory voting, this time in a report for Labour Together. I set out why compulsory voting would rebalance British democracy towards a more long-termist progressive politics. 32311
Reposted by Dan MeadGeorge Eaton @georgeeaton.bsky.social · 20/04/2026Reclaiming the Future – the founding essay of @arguablymag.bsky.social To defy the twin foes of populism and fatalism, progressives must put ideas back at the centre of their politics and draw on the greatest thinkers from their past: Keynes, Crosland and Rawls. www.arguably.uk/p/reclaiming...arguably.ukReclaiming the FutureHow progressives can defy populism and fatalism – the founding essay of Arguably 3147
Reposted by Dan MeadThinkLabour @thinklabour.bsky.social · 17/04/2026Could street votes be the key to unlocking the UK’s housing crisis? Our new paper with @britishprogress.org explores how ministers could turn to residents to help create thousands of new homes. 232
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 10/04/2026I know nationalising Thames Water sounds appealing, especially if you're on the left. But in a blog post today I argue it's actually the least progressive option available. If we care about clean rivers and lower bills, we need to make privatisation work. Here's my argument: 1/6labourtogether.ukThere is nothing leftwing about nationalising Thames Water — Labour TogetherThose of us on the left should ignore the tempting siren calls from Zack Polanski to nationalise Thames Water. If we actually care about fixing our rivers and keeping bills low, it’s much more progressive to make privatisation work. 1321
Reposted by Dan MeadJames O'Malley @jamesomalley.co.uk · 01/04/2026Speedrunning Tesco – plus mixed feelings about Artemis, Mormon gambling, and a council finance nightmare. (Odds and Ends #93) takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/speedrunni...takes.jamesomalley.co.ukSpeedrunning Tesco (Odds and Ends #93)Plus mixed feelings about Artemis, Mormon gambling, and a council finance nightmare. 033
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 25/03/2026We've got a new game that puts you in the shoes of a council leader. Try to win re-election and avoid bankruptcy - it's difficult... 022
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 23/03/2026It is exactly this kind of remark that causes residents to lose trust in their council and in political parties. Kemi says "Lower taxes" but in reality West Sussex increased council tax by the maximum amount possible of 4.99% This is the absurdity of local government at the moment writ large. 100
Dan Mead @danmead.bsky.social · 18/03/2026I wrote this paper because too many people feel like they’re paying more and getting less from local government. Council tax keeps going up, but the services people actually see: bins, potholes, parks, libraries, street cleaning. Too often feel like they’re getting worse.labourtogether.ukFixing the shop front of the state — Labour TogetherThe contract between councils and residents has broken down. People pay more council tax every year and get less out. This paper argues for a big bang reform: nationalise the funding of adult social c... 1219
