iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

A new PM and a reshuffled ministerial team means that a process of hiring, firing and moving special advisers has been taking place behind the scenes. New comment piece from me and @paddy-mcalary.bsky.social with 5 tips for Labour's new spads, plus some analysis of the govt's recent spad data drop

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Five tips for Labour’s new special advisers | Institute for Government

How can spads in the Burnham government get things done?

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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

It's been a busy week in government, and at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk We've been keeping up with the key moves and announcements this week, so you don't have to Here's a round up of my top picks of analysis from my excellent colleagues 🧵

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

He wants to be adored – Burnham’s people-pleasing policy debut | Institute for Government

The Manchester Mill's Joshi Herrman joins the podcast team to explore Andy Burnham's first week as prime minister.

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Yesterday evening, Burnham confirmed the appointments of several Ministers of States. There's a combination of ministerial moves within depts, moves to new depts, some remaining in post and some new faces. With PUSS appointments still to come, our chart gives you the latest govt composition.

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Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 21/07/2026

PRESS RELEASE | Burnham’s OPMC creation follows IfG’s Commission on the Centre of Government recommendations Andy Burnham’s decision to create a strengthened Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet (OPMC) follows a key IfG recommendation www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/press-releas...

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Burnham’s cabinet is the first to achieve gender parity. And the Office for Equality and Opportunity will move to the MHCLG with Bridget Phillipson remaining in post as Minister for Women and Equalities. Here’s our IfG breakdown of what yesterday’s announcements mean for women in government … 🧵

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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Andy Burnham is holding his first cabinet meeting as prime minister and there are a few new faces around the table. Key appointments were confirmed late yesterday, so we've updated our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk chart to show where we currently stand with ministerial appointments 👇

A chart setting out confirmed and new appointments in Andy Burnham's cabinet as of 12:30pm on 21st July 2026. It shows all the cabinet positions have been filled, some ministers of state have been confirmed but others are yet to be confirmed as either staying in post or leaving.

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Philip Nye @philipnye.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

One question that’s come up a couple of times: where do Andy Burnham’s new cabinet represent as MPs? The north west has been the big gainer, with seven cabinet ministers holding seats there – of whom, five are in Greater Manchester

A small multiple of bar charts from the Institute for Government, showing the number of cabinet ministers by constituency region for the Starmer and Burnham governments in July 2026. The North West has the highest number of cabinet ministers under either government, with seven under Burnham

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Philip Nye @philipnye.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

As cabinet appointments start to come in, a reminder that we (@instituteforgovernment.org.uk) hold a database of all ministerial appointments back to 1979 It's easy to look up all the previous holders of a post, all the roles someone has had etc: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/ministers-da...

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

IfG Ministers Database | Institute for Government

Search our database of all government ministers since 1979.

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Jill Rutter @jillongovt.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Here is an @instituteforgovernment.org.uk Ministers Reflect interview with John Healey from 2016 (!) -- a reminder that he has been around a very long time.. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/defaul...

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Hilary Benn is out of the NI Office. He's been in this position before before and spoke to us for our Ministers Reflect archive about - among many other things - what it's like to leave government in a reshuffle.

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Matthew Fright @matthewfright.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

In his resignation speech, outgoing MHCLG secretary of state Steve Reed quoted remarks made by Andy Burnham at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk conference 2026

Extract from resignation letter by Steve Reed MP in which he said "At MHCLG, I sped up work to devolve power out of Whitehall and was grateful you acknowledged this "increasing clarity of drive towards devolution"

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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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Dr Duncan Robertson @duncanrobertson.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

And, once again, the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk ministerial resignation chart resets to zero. For now.

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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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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Resignations from cabinet ministers are now coming in thick and fast. Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Justice Secretary David Lammy, Housing Secretary Steve Reed and Deputy PM David Lammy are leaving their posts.

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Heloise Dunlop @hcdunlop.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

@jillongovt.bsky.social and I had a report ready to go but were pipped to the post by Burnham’s (predictable) decision to bring digital ID to an end. There were too many questions to answer and little that had been decided, making it an easier (and popular) decision than most will be for Burnham!

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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

The two ministers who have resigned today were both direct ministerial appointments (appointed to the Lords by Starmer to serve in government) As PM Starmer appointed ten of these - you can read more about these posts and how they're appointed in our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Direct ministerial appointments to the House of Lords | Institute for Government

If the prime minister wants to appoint a minister who is not a sitting MP or serving peer, they must ennoble them.

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Cassia Rowland @cassiarowland.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

We have our new PM. Alongside, we’ll get a whole host of new ministers. We’re expecting new leaders in most of the big public service departments: health, justice, local government, home office, & maybe education too. But what will this mean for services and all their ongoing reforms? 🧵

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Amber Dellar @amberdellar.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Good news, and... One of the big positives in the Starmer govt’s approach was its move beyond a narrow focus on rough sleeping. Burnham should make sure this pledge sits within a broader prevention strategy - not simply drive more spending on poor-value temporary accommodation to meet the target

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Jill Rutter @jillongovt.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

First concrete decision from Burnham govt - binning the digital ID scheme - new comment from @hcdunlop.bsky.social and me @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/andy... Not a surprise and good to move quickly ..but will still need a view on other govt ID work

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Andy Burnham’s ID card surprise is very unsurprising | Institute for Government

Keir Starmer’s digital ID plan was a lesson in how not to approach policy making.

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Cassia Rowland @cassiarowland.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

The day’s first casualty: James Timpson resigns as prisons minister. This is a big surprise! Timpson had a long history as a prisons reformer before entering government and seen as one of Starmer’s more innovative & exciting appointments. He’s also delivered a big change programme in gov. So: why?

bbc.co.uk

Prisons minister Lord Timpson quits government

The businessman said it was an "honour" to serve in the post, but the BBC understands he feels he has achieved all he can in the role.

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Paddy McAlary @paddy-mcalary.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Keir Starmer has announced his resignation, becoming the latest PM unable to see out a term in office But he won't stop being prime minister just yet - as the process to replace him gets underway Starmer will continue to man the ship as PM (but for how long depends on the Labour leadership contest)

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Andy Burnham has won in Makerfield with 55% of the vote share. But this wasn't your average by-election. Voters in Makerfield could well have determined how long Starmer has left in office, and who could succeed him as the next prime minister. Here's our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk breakdown... 🧵

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Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Once again (and yes, there is other news now), I have had some thoughts on WhatsApp in government:

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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

The violent attacks in Belfast have been horrendous. With family there, it’s hard to know what to say. But @timdurrant.bsky.social and I have been looking at how ministers can lead during and after a crisis - and why it matters that the underlying issues aren’t all the same as the rest of the UK

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

The violent disorder in Belfast is a test of leadership and governance | Institute for Government

A misjudged ministerial response in Northern Ireland risks being ineffective or even counter productive.

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Minister for the Armed Forces Al Carns announced his resignation yesterday evening, writing that the Defence Investment Plan 'is neither transformative enough nor sufficiently funded'. This brings the total of ministerial resignations from Starmer's govt up to 20. @instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

John Healey becomes the 19th minister to resign from Keir Starmer's government. Here's a handy recap of all 19 and why they resigned. Read our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer on ministerial resignations for more info! www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mi...

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Defence secretary John Healey has just resigned over the govt's Defence Investment Plan, writing that it "falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time". We're getting our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk resignation chart fired back up..

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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

The government announced yesterday that it's launching a democratic engagement fund £2.5m for civil society orgs Aim - to find out what what interventions support groups with historically low turn out and participation to engage in democracy Interesting idea! Very small ££ but one to watch

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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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

A short piece from me in Civil Service World this week outlining the key arguments from mine and @paddy-mcalary.bsky.social's new paper on the relationship between ministers and the civil service. We draw on the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk's fantastic Ministers Reflect archive... Read below!

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Paddy McAlary @paddy-mcalary.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Great piece by @meganbryer.bsky.social on our new paper on ministers & the civil service drawing on @instituteforgovernment.org.uk Ministers Reflect interviews What do ministers like about the civil service, what do they dislike & how could this relationship work better? Read more about it 👇

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

A new paper published today by @paddy-mcalary.bsky.social and me draws on the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk's archive of interviews with former ministers to set out, in ministers’ own words, their experience of working with the civil service... 🧵 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Ministers reflect on the civil service | Institute for Government

What can ministers learn from their predecessors' work with the civil service?

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Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

First up, @meganbryer.bsky.social and @rebeccamckee.bsky.social looked at what former ministers in the devolved governments had to say about making a success of their time in Cardiff and Edinburgh - plenty of good advice for the new ministers taking on those roles at the moment:

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

What can new ministers in Scotland and Wales learn from their predecessors?: Ministers reflect on devolution | Institute for Government

Former ministers – including several first ministers – share their insights on devolved government.

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Following the devolved elections, first ministers Rhun ap Iorwerth and John Swinney have made their ministerial appointments. A new paper from @rebeccamckee.bsky.social and me draws on the IfG’s Ministers Reflect archive to outline key lessons on how to be an effective devolved government minister.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

What can new ministers in Scotland and Wales learn from their predecessors?: Ministers reflect on devolution | Institute for Government

Former ministers – including several first ministers – share their insights on devolved government.

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Tim Durrant @timdurrant.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

As the UK government wobbles, the one at the other end of the M4 is getting set up - yesterday Welsh ministers were approved by the Senedd. Ahead of the election, we set out the mistakes they needed to avoid as they took office www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/new-...

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

New ministers in Wales and Scotland after May’s elections must learn from Labour’s 2024 mistakes | Institute for Government

New ministers in Cardiff and Edinburgh will have to get up to speed quickly.

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Health secretary Wes Streeting has just resigned from government, writing in his resignation letter that he has lost confidence in the PM - "where we need vision, we have vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift". We're live updating our chart here at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

New ministerial appointments have been made following yesterday's 4 resignations. Our updated waffle chart and explainer has the latest info... 1/4

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Health innovation and safety minister Zubir Ahmed becomes the fourth minister to resign today, writing that "the public across the UK has now irretrievably lost confidence" in Starmer as prime minister. See our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk ministerial resignations chart for the latest:

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Alex Davies-Jones (minister for victims and tackling violence against women and girls) becomes the third minister to resign from government today, citing the "catastrophic" electoral defeats last week in her resignation letter and urging the prime minister to set out a timetable for his departure.

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Jess Phillips - minister for safeguarding violence against women and girls - becomes the second minister to resign today, telling the PM that "deeds, not words are what matter". Our explainer @instituteforgovernment.org.uk has info on all 15 ministers that have resigned since Labour took office...

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Yesterday also saw resignations from within the ranks of the parliamentary private secretaries (PPSs, or unpaid assistants to government ministers). But what is a PPS and what is their role? Our explainer has all you need to know...

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Parliamentary private secretaries | Institute for Government

A parliamentary private secretary (PPS) is an MP who serves as an unpaid assistant to a government minister.

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Miatta Fahnbulleh - the minister for devolution, faith and communities - has resigned from govt this morning, calling on the PM to set a timetable for an orderly transition of leadership. Our ministerial resignation tracker has the latest info... docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

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Megan Bryer @meganbryer.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Today at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk, we publish a brand new set of Ministers Reflect interviews with Steve Baker, Gillian Keegan and Danny Alexander. They discussed what makes for effective ministerial leadership, the challenges of the role and their proudest achievements in post...

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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Parliament will be prorogued today until 13 May when it meets again for the state opening This marks the end of the 2024-26 session, which at 21 months is longer than a usual session. But it's become quite normal for the first session after an election to be extended Why?

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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

I've been following the assisted dying bill for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk for the last 18 months - this feels like a very unsatisfactory ending for everyone involved or invested, whatever their views on the outcome. Some thoughts below 👇 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/assi...

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

The assisted dying bill: parliament fails a test to handle the hardest ethical questions | Institute for Government

As a private members’ bill, failure was always likely for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

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Institute for Government @instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 23/04/2026

Mewn pythefnos, bydd pobl yng Nghymru yn mynd i bleidleisio yn y saethfed etholiad Seneddol ers sefydlu datganoli yn 1999. Mae @meganbryer.bsky.social a @howesdaniel.bsky.social yn esbonio beth sydd yn y fantol yn yr etholiadau yma www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/se...

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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

New from me and @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social for @labourlist.bsky.social drawing on our recent @instituteforgovernment.org.uk reports we set out the challenge for current ministers in reforming public services and some of the lessons they can learn from past successes labourlist.org/2026/04/what...

labourlist.org

'What past public service reforms can – and should – teach this government' - LabourList

Previous successes and failures in implementing public service reform give ministers plenty to learn from.

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Martha Ford @martha-ford.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Government should devolve greater responsibility for employment support. Our report, published today, sets out how government could better support people out of work due to ill health: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/... Why write this now?

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Designing and delivering employment support | Institute for Government

How can government better support people out of work due to ill health?

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