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Richard Jones

@richardaljones.bsky.social

1.8K followers 174 following 936 posts

Emeritus Professor of Materials Physics and Innovation Policy, University of Manchester. Science & innovation policy, regional economic growth, polymer physics. www.softmachines.org

Posts Replies Media

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Another confident statement from a metropolitan commentator that Andy Burnham doesn't have a "theory of growth". I think this says more about the insularity and lack of curiosity of the author than about AB www.ft.com/content/59ce...

The narrow Tory path to power

We are now going to see a fight to the death on the right — which the Conservatives may yet lose

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I don’t think this headline is a fair reflection of my piece, which argued that some RD&I funding at the innovation end should be devolved, while funding for discovery science & national priorities should be retained by UKRI. Full piece here: softmachines.org?p=3364

softmachines.org

On the devolution of Research, Development and Innovation funding: some tentative principles – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Reposted by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

What does govt's plan to "rewire the state" & shift power & funding to local leaders mean for research, development & innovation spending? I summarise the rationale for devolution of RD&I funding, & identify potential pitfalls, before outlining some tentative principles softmachines.org?p=3364

softmachines.org

On the devolution of Research, Development and Innovation funding: some tentative principles – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

What does govt's plan to "rewire the state" & shift power & funding to local leaders mean for research, development & innovation spending? I summarise the rationale for devolution of RD&I funding, & identify potential pitfalls, before outlining some tentative principles softmachines.org?p=3364

softmachines.org

On the devolution of Research, Development and Innovation funding: some tentative principles – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Reposted by Richard Jones

Paul Swinney @paulswinney.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

We don't measure the most important part of the economy in official statistics. Every economist and policymaker should be concerned about this:

Reposted by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

"R&D, place, and developing regional innovation systems: some lessons from Greater Manchester". I gave a talk with this title at Imperial College's Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance last Tuesday - a summary, and the slides, can be found here: softmachines.org?p=3350

softmachines.org

R&D, place, and developing regional innovation systems: some lessons from Greater Manchester – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

"R&D, place, and developing regional innovation systems: some lessons from Greater Manchester". I gave a talk with this title at Imperial College's Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance last Tuesday - a summary, and the slides, can be found here: softmachines.org?p=3350

softmachines.org

R&D, place, and developing regional innovation systems: some lessons from Greater Manchester – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Reposted by Richard Jones

Owen Jackson @owenjackson.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Agreed. Other than small refs to ITER, it is a very US-skewed article. No mention of STEP/Culham, First Light et al or the strong German sector (Proxima etc). The article points out the issue of pilot/commercialisation but doesn't then discuss the leading pilot projects outside of the US.

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Good to see FT covering the new wave of fusion energy start-ups, with expert commentary from Princeton's Steve Cowley, but a major omission not to mention the UK's STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) project, with goal of putting electricity on the grid by 2040 www.ft.com/content/ef51...

Nuclear fusion’s moment of truth

Start-ups are attracting record investments. Some scientists think their timelines are far too optimistic

Reposted by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

In the Economist today: “The false lure of factories: British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom” I’m quoted in the piece, & my views are fairly represented. But imo the piece spends too much time on soft targets www.economist.com/britain/2026...

British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom

It’s a poor way to achieve economic growth

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

In the Economist today: “The false lure of factories: British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom” I’m quoted in the piece, & my views are fairly represented. But imo the piece spends too much time on soft targets www.economist.com/britain/2026...

British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom

It’s a poor way to achieve economic growth

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

A long interview with me by Ollie Barrett on Cylch - Alumni Wales, covering my scientific career, my thoughts on industrial policy and regional economic growth, my Welsh roots, and (inevitably) my take on Andy Burnham’s plans for growth in every postcode. substack.com/inbox/post/2...

Finding Burnhamism: The Scales of Industrial Policy

An interview with Richard Jones, former Vice-President of Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at the University of Manchester

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Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Useful emphasis on how strong the Kings X innovation ecosystem is now in this piece by Michael Spence. Lesson here is that the UK can do place-based, innovation-led industrial policy very well when it tries - we should try it in some other places too. www.ft.com/content/d302...

Don’t mess up London’s knowledge economy

Oxford, Cambridge and Manchester are seen as innovation powerhouses but there’s a city we don’t mention

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Nice work on self-assembly of fibrinogen at air-water interfaces, relevant to clot formation. From the excellent Pharmacy Dept at @manchester.ac.uk Great to see neutron reflectivity in the FT - my favourite technique for studying macromolecules at interfaces! giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

giftarticle.ft.com

Blood clot discovery upends consensus about how wounds heal

Proteins stack up in layers like sheets of paper to start to form clots, scientists find

Reposted by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Just finished M. John Harrison's new novel "The End of Everything". The brilliant writing compels one to read on to find out what's going on (which one never fully does). I guess it's a Singularity novel, in the way "Sunken Land" is a Brexit novel, but, similarly, much more than that.

Reposted by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

(6/6) Can we build new institutions that create more porosity, more interaction between science progress and technological advance, perhaps through new kinds of public/private partnerships? More in my blogpost: Moving beyond the dichotomy between pure and applied science softmachines.org?p=3328

softmachines.org

Moving beyond the dichotomy between pure and applied science – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Just finished M. John Harrison's new novel "The End of Everything". The brilliant writing compels one to read on to find out what's going on (which one never fully does). I guess it's a Singularity novel, in the way "Sunken Land" is a Brexit novel, but, similarly, much more than that.

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

(1/6) Changes at UKRI, the dissolution of DSIT and move of science to the business department lead to fears that UK science is being pushed in a more applied direction. But the line between science and technology is fuzzier than many think...

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Seems to me that one curious feature of the short-lived Department of Science, Innovation & Technology was that its junior ministers - Lord Vallance & Kanishka Narayan - were much more prominent than its last 2 Secretaries of State. Michelle Donelan, though, was prominent for all the wrong reasons

Reposted by Richard Jones

Andy Westwood @andywestwood.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Anyone trying to work out what ‘reindustrialisation’ means (including which sectors) and how the skills system and devolution might support it, should read this speech from Andy Burnham a few months ago (given while still GM Mayor). www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/mayor-s...

greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

Devolving control of skills and technical education can unleash the economic potential of the North

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Thanks, @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social, for the mentions! More on my perspective on Burnham's economic plans: "Five glosses on Andy Burnham’s big speech" softmachines.org?p=3324 and "Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation" softmachines.org?p=3305

Reposted by Richard Jones

Jennifer Williams @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

A bit from me about what Burnham may mean by “redindustrialisation” as.ft.com/r/afe5abd3-4...

Burnham’s industrial revival will join up local needs and strengths

Forward-looking centre in Rotherham collaborates with business, capitalising on ‘muscle memory’ and existing assets

Reposted by Richard Jones

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Really good piece on Andy Burnham's speech, including further reading, by @richardaljones.bsky.social:

softmachines.org

Five glosses on Andy Burnham’s big speech – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Reposted by Richard Jones

Tom Forth @tomforth.co.uk · 07/07/2026

In 1998 and 1999, four of Britain's regions and nations voted for devolution. Since then, all have overperformed the rest of the country economically. Even Wales. . Also a bit of a rant about how there's more than one big city in Britain. tomforth.co.uk/agglomeratio...

Reposted by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Some commentary from me on Andy Burnham's big economics speech, focusing on his theory of local economic growth, the role of universities, innovation and skills. With some history of what's behind this policy agenda softmachines.org?p=3324

softmachines.org

Five glosses on Andy Burnham’s big speech – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Some commentary from me on Andy Burnham's big economics speech, focusing on his theory of local economic growth, the role of universities, innovation and skills. With some history of what's behind this policy agenda softmachines.org?p=3324

softmachines.org

Five glosses on Andy Burnham’s big speech – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

My commentary on Andy Burnham's economics speech on Monday: includes - his theory of local economic growth, - the challenges behind "Good growth in every postcode" - on reindustrialisation - on reshoring and sovereignty - further and higher education

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

What’s the difference between living tissue and inanimate matter? There’s a difference, but it's not an occult vital force - it's the ability of the stuff of life to convert free energy & export entropy to build complex structures, move around & process information Physicists call this active matter

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Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

What’s the difference between living tissue and inanimate matter? There’s a difference, but it's not an occult vital force - it's the ability of the stuff of life to convert free energy & export entropy to build complex structures, move around & process information Physicists call this active matter

Reposted by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

As Andy Burnham returns to Westminster, and is calling for "a new drive of re-industrialisation across the north of England”, what might be behind those words? My piece from a month ago: "Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation" softmachines.org?p=3305

softmachines.org

Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

As Andy Burnham returns to Westminster, and is calling for "a new drive of re-industrialisation across the north of England”, what might be behind those words? My piece from a month ago: "Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation" softmachines.org?p=3305

softmachines.org

Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Very timely quantitative look at one dimension of the recent economic success of Manchester - foreign direct investment. FDI in new productive capacity has focused on the high productivity services, ICT & profession, scientific & technical, with less retail than other cities.

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

For first time in decades, some optimism about future of what's left of Sheffield's steel industry, with big expansions at Sheffield Forgemasters & Special Melted Products. How did Sheffield's specialism in steel arise? Some interesting lessons in a 7 century long history: softmachines.org?p=3308

softmachines.org

How Sheffield became Steel City – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Reposted by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

For first time in decades, some optimism about future of what's left of Sheffield's steel industry, with big expansions at Sheffield Forgemasters & Special Melted Products. How did Sheffield's specialism in steel arise? Some interesting lessons in a 7 century long history: softmachines.org?p=3308

softmachines.org

How Sheffield became Steel City – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

For first time in decades, some optimism about future of what's left of Sheffield's steel industry, with big expansions at Sheffield Forgemasters & Special Melted Products. How did Sheffield's specialism in steel arise? Some interesting lessons in a 7 century long history: softmachines.org?p=3308

softmachines.org

How Sheffield became Steel City – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Great thread & linked piece on the post GFC regional divergence in risk premia demanded by investors across UK, another driver of regional inequality. Some encouraging signs of reductions in Manchester & W Mids. Drawing on brilliant work from Philip McCann & colleagues at @productivity.bsky.social

Reposted by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

What does Andy Burnham mean by "Manchesterism"? What's behind his argument that places like Makerfield need to "re-industrialise"? Some clues from the way Greater Manchester's economic strategy has evolved, since the city centre agglomeration story of Bernstein & Leese: softmachines.org?p=3305

softmachines.org

Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

A good FT piece from Martin Wolf arguing, rightly imv, that at root of UK's political woes is a 20 yr long slowdown in productivity growth "a good economy — one with widely shared economic growth — is a necessary condition for political stability in a liberal democracy"...

Plot of UK productivity since 1970, showing a break around 2006

Reposted by Richard Jones

Wonkhe @wonkhe.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

Last week on Wonkhe: The consensus that more research funding will lead to more growth is breaking down. Richard Jones urges the sector to act before it's too late

UK science must deliver on its promise of economic growth to resist growing political pressure

The consensus that more research funding will lead to more growth is breaking down. Richard Jones urges the sector to act before it's too late

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

What does Andy Burnham mean by "Manchesterism"? What's behind his argument that places like Makerfield need to "re-industrialise"? Some clues from the way Greater Manchester's economic strategy has evolved, since the city centre agglomeration story of Bernstein & Leese: softmachines.org?p=3305

softmachines.org

Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Reposted by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

What does Andy Burnham mean by "Manchesterism"? What's behind his argument that places like Makerfield need to re-industrialise? I take a look at the evolution of GM's economic strategy to get some clues softmachines.org?p=3305

softmachines.org

Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

What does Andy Burnham mean by "Manchesterism"? What's behind his argument that places like Makerfield need to re-industrialise? I take a look at the evolution of GM's economic strategy to get some clues softmachines.org?p=3305

softmachines.org

Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

What does Andy Burnham mean by "Manchesterism"? What's behind his argument that places like Makerfield need to re-industrialise? I take a look at the evolution of GM's economic strategy to get some clues softmachines.org?p=3305

softmachines.org

Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Reposted by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Me in @wonkhe.bsky.social on the breakdown of political consensus supporting R&D spending, as the UK economy continues to stagnate & the world looks more dangerous. The science funding system needs to adapt and demonstrate that it is delivering for the nation. wonkhe.com/blogs/uk-sci...

UK science must deliver on its promise of economic growth to resist growing political pressure

The consensus that more research funding will lead to more growth is breaking down. Richard Jones urges the sector to act before it's too late

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Me in @wonkhe.bsky.social on the breakdown of political consensus supporting R&D spending, as the UK economy continues to stagnate & the world looks more dangerous. The science funding system needs to adapt and demonstrate that it is delivering for the nation. wonkhe.com/blogs/uk-sci...

UK science must deliver on its promise of economic growth to resist growing political pressure

The consensus that more research funding will lead to more growth is breaking down. Richard Jones urges the sector to act before it's too late

Reposted by Richard Jones

Jim Dickinson @jimdickinson.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

NEW on Wonkhe: The consensus that more research funding will lead to more growth is breaking down. Richard Jones urges the sector to act before it's too late buff.ly/HFLssJX

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

Belief in a coming technological Singularity, as predicted in 2005 by Ray Kurzweil, is widespread in Silicon Valley, on basis of progress in AI But Kurzweil’s singularity wasn’t just about AI, it needed Drexlerian nanotechnology, which has seen little progress I discuss here: softmachines.org?p=3302

softmachines.org

The slow road to digital matter – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Reposted by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Will the Singularity be postponed? Twenty years ago Kurzweil predicted 2049; many SV folks think we’re on schedule, thanks to AI developments But Kurzweil’s singularity wasn’t just about AI, it needed Drexlerian nanotechnology, which has seen little progress My blogpost: softmachines.org?p=3302

softmachines.org

The slow road to digital matter – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Will the Singularity be postponed? Twenty years ago Kurzweil predicted 2049; many SV folks think we’re on schedule, thanks to AI developments But Kurzweil’s singularity wasn’t just about AI, it needed Drexlerian nanotechnology, which has seen little progress My blogpost: softmachines.org?p=3302

softmachines.org

The slow road to digital matter – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones

Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Sad to say goodbye to our cat Flossy, aged 17.5 Her slight build and kitten like features belied a cat with strong opinions, poor impulse control and an occasional anger management problem. We'll miss her terribly.

Photo of a small tabby cat