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Marcus Shepheard

@mashley.bsky.social
1.3K followers 397 following 582 posts

Formerly @instituteforgov.bsky.social and @thecccuk.bsky.social, currently @nestauk.bsky.social, estwhile evolutionary biologist. "The intersection of policy and donuts" - @jillongovt.bsky.social

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Marcus Shepheard @mashley.bsky.social · 3h
Miatta Fahnbulleh announced that the Government plans to devolve the Warm Homes Plan funding earlier this week. We broadly think this is a good idea (although we look forwards to more detail). The only sticking point is BUS, as @acjsissons.bsky.social points out. www.nesta.org.uk/blog/devolvi...
nesta.org.uk
Devolving the Warm Homes Plan to local government makes sense - but the Boiler Upgrade Scheme should stay
Three implications of devolving the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
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Marcus Shepheard @mashley.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
This was surprisingly hard, and reminded me of how much enjoyment I have got from games over the years. Too many honourable mentions, but I'm pretty happy with these as a cut from start to present.
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Maciek Hamela @maciekhamela.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
With the Strait of Hormuz closed, Iraq has resorted to moving its oil across the desert to Syria in hundreds of tanker trucks, in true Mad Max style. From there, it will be shipped to worldwide markets.
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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
"The support line was answered by a distinctly unhurried voice who suggested moving everyone 10ft away from the perimeter of the car — a suggestion that the US Secret Service did not take kindly to." very funny account by @joemillerjr.ft.com of his Waymo's standoff with a Secret Service: motorcade
ft.com
What to do when your Waymo holds up a Secret Service motorcade
Stranded in six-lane traffic, surrounded by agents, my autonomous vehicle refused to budge
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Tom Haddon @tomh-analyst.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Fun little fact: The difference between 2021 and 2026 demand, year to date, is equal to 70% of total European underground gas storage capacity. And people wonder why storage doesn't fill up to levels seen in previous years. You don't tend to store gas no one is going to use.
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Marcus Shepheard @mashley.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
We're continuing our enjoyment of the open house festival with a visit to Stationer's Hall. It's a beautiful building. Among the many portraits is this one of Luke Hansard, who was the official publisher of the journal of the House of Commons. Which is now called 'Hansard' after him
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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 16/09/2026
The Government needs to develop a system for targeting support with energy bills. Why not just use the benefit system? Because it misses most people who need it. Passporting via means-tested benefits reaches only ~1 in 4 households, missing out the majority of the poorest half. 📊 buff.ly/Rh86oQF
Proportion of households entitled to and in receipt of means-tested benefits, by equivalised after housing costs income decile: GB, 2024-25
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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
There are, genuinely, a half dozen or more thinktanks which are govt aligned/very close (Fabians, IPPR, ThinkLabour, NEF, Resolution Foundation etc) to govt. The issue is not that there isnt space for this sort of thinking. Its that McSweeney didnt like the answers on tax/immigation etc
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Matthew Holehouse @matthewholehouse.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Very clever polling on the consequences of believing - or repeatedly being told - that you are the silent majority
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Ben Zaranko @benzaranko.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
A bit, yeah - it's still jumped by around 7,000 applications for men, and 16,000 for women, but it is less of an outlier if I plot the absolute change rather than % change
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Ben Zaranko @benzaranko.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Students are increasingly shifting towards university subjects with higher financial returns (economics, maths, law) and away from degrees that don’t pay (English, philosophy, performing arts). The same trend is evident in A-level entries. Students have become more discerning. A thread... 🧵
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Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 26/08/2026
Ofgem has today announced a 4% increase to the energy price cap from October. Our explainer sets out the role Ofgem plays in overseeing the electricity and gas markets, how it is structured and the state of competition in the energy market www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/of...
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Ofgem | Institute for Government
Ofgem is the public body responsible for overseeing the electricity and gas markets.
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Marcus Shepheard @mashley.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
The footprints of many holidays are pretty visible. I'm not sure if/when I'll make it into more of the interior states.
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Emma Monk @monkemma.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
It was inevitable, wasn't it🙄 Of course the Telegraph would run with something like this👇 So let's remove some of the rose-tinted spectacles and also look at some of that data comparing 1976 with modern heat waves Because the 1976 nostalgia porn is wearing a bit thin at this stage 🧵1/23
Telegraph headiline:

"Heatwave hysterics wouldn't have lasted a day in 1976", overlaid with a bold “MONK DEBUNKED” stamp.
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Twlldun @twlldun.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Entirely correct column from Stephen. Unfortunately, our political parties insist on telling us there is a secret fourth option that we can choose
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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Yeah, see, the thing is, a lot of them didn’t. Survive, that is.
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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Have you wanted to install external blinds/awnings etc but been prevented (or just put off) by planning permission? Chatted to a journo earlier who is keen to speak to anyone who has been impacted, either comment here or pop me a DM 🙂
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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 10/08/2026
The energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced families to adjust to high energy prices. In 2022, 79% of neighbourhoods cut gas use by at least 10%. Even London – the region that economised least – cut its gas use by 13%. Find out more ⤵️ buff.ly/ye6mOh8
Changes in use of electricity (left panel) and gas (right panel) by local authority: 20212022, England and Wales
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Marcus Shepheard @mashley.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I'm guessing 'crazy fans' wasn't in the risk register for NESO's strategic spatial plan www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Harry Potter fans force power link diversion to avoid Dobby's grave
Potter fans complained after a project manager suggested cables would go under the grave in a BBC interview.
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Marcus Shepheard @mashley.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Even by the Telegraph's standards, this feels like a bit of a reach. www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...
telegraph.co.uk
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Marcus Shepheard @mashley.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
You love to see it
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Matthew Fright @matthewfright.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
More @instituteforgovernment.org.uk initial reactions to the rewiring the state cabinet statement. TLDR - the scale of ambition is bold so a lot to unpack 🧵
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Marcus Shepheard @mashley.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Not a good sign tbh
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Jill Rutter @jillongovt.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
the other question is whether political consensus is a necessary precondition for reform. Its easy to see why @andyburnham.bsky.social wants this - he was burned by the death tax accusations in 2009-10 and May's reform attempt was nixed by the "dementia tax".
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Marie Le Conte @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com · 27/07/2026
all happening at the Mail today www.dailymail.com/home/article...
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
This would be a very good move. I'm a recent convert to mandatory voting and increasingly messianic about it open.substack.com/pub/iandunt/...
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Marie Le Conte @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com · 26/07/2026
this is free to read this weekend btw! think it was a good one:
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Simon Evans @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org · 24/07/2026
Renewables are now the world's largest source of electricity – and the main source of new supplies
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Alex Thomas @alexgathomas.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Keeping ministers in place - having signalled political change at cabinet level - is very sensible Good stuff @andyburnham.bsky.social for following our advice! www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/burn...
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
Burnham’s first reshuffle should resist a sweeping change of junior ministers | Institute for Government
Beyond refreshing his Cabinet, keeping most ministers in their current roles is Burnham’s best chance of getting things done in government.
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Jonathan Jones @sirjjkc.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
This is a powerful & important set of recommendations from @conunitucl.bsky.social for bolstering the constitution and strengthening democracy. I hope the new PM and his government pay attention Keir Starmer’s government made some - but limited and frankly disappointing - progress in this area
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Zachary Leather @zackleather.resolutionfoundation.org · 22/07/2026
It’s good that Burnham has focused on buses rather than trains for his first intervention – buses are the favoured public transport of the poorest households most likely to be struggling with the cost of living, and particularly important for those without a car
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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 22/07/2026
Was cutting VAT on electricity the right call? The highest-earning tenth of families spend nearly twice as much as the lowest-earning tenth on electricity. Since better-off households tend to use more electricity, they pocket more of the cash saving⬇️ buff.ly/QAdtMbt
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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 21/07/2026
Trimming the VAT? Jonny Marshall breaks down breathing space, off-target support and unfunded policies in our latest substack ⤵️ buff.ly/QAdtMbt
Distribution of government spending by household income quintile under two GB policies: Electricity VAT cut gives rising shares from poorest to richest (16%, 18%, 20%, 22%, 25%), while Targeted discounts concentrate benefits in the poorest quintiles (41%, 33%, 20%, 6%, small remainder).
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Gavin Freeguard @gavinfreeguard.com · 21/07/2026
So: questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat... - New Office for PM and Cabinet includes an AI Taskforce, PM adviser on AI, overall govt strategy on AI - Cab Off takes lead on AI adoption across Civil Service & AI strategy, public sector AI adoption and the AI Security Institute (cont...)
questions-statements.parliament.uk
Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
Information from UK Parliament on written questions & answers, written statements and daily reports.
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Marcus Shepheard @mashley.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Cutting VAT on electricity will save everyone money, but it's broadly regressive.
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Simon Hix @simonhix.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
The new UK cabinet has 12 women and 11 men. 👏
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Marcus Shepheard @mashley.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Great appointment. Miatta was excellent as the minister for consumers and will come in already across her brief
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Ash @queerash.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
the clearsky history for the @downingstreet.bsky.social account doesn't scream legit btw
DOwning street clearky showing it used to be catherine connolloy and other stuff
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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 20/07/2026
New Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would set out measures to help with the cost of living tomorrow, as the first policy act of his premiership. Crucially, he also said how he would pay for them. So, what cost of living measures should the new PM announce, and what’s to be avoided? 🧵
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Rosa Hodgkin @rosahodgkin.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
As Ed Miliband looks set to leave DESNZ a short 🧵on the department's achievements with him as minister and where there's still work to do:
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Jill Rutter @jillongovt.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Its a sad ending for Britain's first woman Chancellor (as Theresa May once said - hopefully not the last) as Rachel Reeves returns to the backbenches. But she bears a lot of the responsibility for the failures of the Starmer government. The biggest mistakes were before the 2024 election
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Chris Baraniuk @chrisbaraniuk.com · 20/07/2026
Oh woah, this happened at other stately homes back in 2018 during the heatwave then, too.
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Marcus Shepheard @mashley.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Happy New Prime Minister day to all those who celebrate
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Andrew Sissons @acjsissons.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
We put out a flurry of papers about energy bills on Saturday morning, and I wanted to follow up on some of the more interesting ideas in there. First, here is the case for setting a Price Ratio Target. We think the UK government should aim for electricity to cost 2.9 times gas or less...
nesta.org.uk
Energy affordability options: establish a price ratio target
The case for establishing a price ratio target.
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Kieran Lowe @kieranran.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Top story on the Guardian courtesy of @acjsissons.bsky.social and @mashley.bsky.social’s work on measures to lower the cost of electricity being considered by Burnham’s team - details here www.nesta.org.uk/feature/ener...
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Marcus Shepheard @mashley.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
I'm currently in Stavanger, Norway with family and the majority of cars I see are EVs and most of the homes (including the one in staying in) have hear pumps. It's really nice here. Which makes me extra happy to see our latest work on energy bills written up www.theguardian.com/money/2026/j...
theguardian.com
Andy Burnham considers radical shake-up to cut energy bills
Labour leader examining proposals to overhaul gas standing charges and make heat pumps cheaper to run than boilers
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Jill Rutter @jillongovt.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
People want to take functions away from HM Treasury. I want to give it a new one - getting the UK's act together on climate adaptation www.ft.com/content/2789... (£) - much more than an environment issue..
ft.com
The UK is forgetting the dull bit of climate change policy
Adaptation has never been the priority, but this summer’s heat is a message that the Treasury needs to act
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Steven Seggie @stevenhseggie.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
This is nuts. Who does this?
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Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 13/07/2026
🚨 NEW REPORT🚨 ⚡The UK and EU should commit to reciprocal exemptions from each other’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM) from the point at which the agreement is signed, to “reduce short-term trade friction” and avoid up to £800m in costs for UK businesses, a multi-party repor recommends.
bestforbritain.org
Up to £800m bill for UK firms unless EU carbon tax exemption agreed, report warns - Best for Britain
The UK and EU should commit to reciprocal exemptions from each other's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM) from t
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