Nick Pearce appointed Director

Nick Pearce will be ippr's new Director, returning after three years as Head of No. Ten's Policy Unit. Nick says: "We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink and renew progressive ideas in this country and it is my ambition that ippr will be at that heart of that process: unashamedly reformist, open and pluralist, but always grounded in strong values and rigorous research."

James Purnell to chair ippr's trustees

ippr is delighted to announce that James Purnell is to become its new chair of trustees. James says: "The new Coalition government has made much of its commitment to progressive ideas. ippr has good relations with the new administration and we continue to aim to develop ideas that are adopted as policy, in Westminster and beyond.”

New Labour's legacy?

Events have moved so fast since the election that the end of the New Labour era already seems almost like ancient history. But while it is understandable to want to look to the future, it is also important to reflect on New Labour’s lasting contribution to progressive politics. ippr's co-directors Lisa Harker and Carey Oppenheim review Labour's time in power.

Referendum: why the Alternative Vote is not the answer

As plans for a proposed referendum on the Alternative Vote versus the current First-Past-the-Post system for the UK Parliament at Westminster are announced, ippr calls for the Government to be bolder and offer the electorate the chance to opt for a fair, proportional voting system.

Education: keynote speech by Rt Hon David Miliband MP

ippr was delighted to host the first major campaign speech on education by David Miliband at a secondary school in Bristol. Miliband set out his thoughts on the next stage of the party’s agenda to use the power of education to transform children’s lives . A copy of the speech is available here.

How progressive is the new budget?

The Chancellor George Osborne made welcome noises about how ‘progressive’ the budget was – but whether it is progressive or not will only become fully clear after October's assessment of the spending plans. In ippr’s view it needed to be much more progressive, to offset the impact of the deep cuts in public services that are round the corner.

Tackling the deficit fairly

ippr argues in a new paper that the Chancellor George Osborne should put up income tax to the same rate it was in 1997 when the Conservatives were last in office as a fair way of tackling the budget deficit. A simple principle should dictate decisions – the rich pay more, the poor pay less. And we need to protect spending that will provide the foundation for future growth.

Don't raise VAT - target the banks instead

In a report for the Robin Hood Tax Campaign, ippr assesses the scope for the UK’s financial institutions to pay an additional £20 billion annually in tax revenues. This could provide funds towards fighting poverty and climate change. 'Robin Hood taxes on the financial sector would be paid disproportionately by the wealthiest in society', says report author Tony Dolphin.

How has devolution changed the UK?

Devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland was a landmark reform, but one born in relatively benign economic and political circumstances. The picture today could not be more different and the strength of the devolution settlement will be tested in the coming years. Now, in a major new ippr report, leading experts assess public policy differences across the four nations.

Development on the Move

How does migration impact on international development? Does it help or hinder it? ippr and the Global Development Network have published their global study into this question, following four years' research in seven countries. Alongside we have released the fascinating stories of five migrants.

The hallmarks of a progressive government

The coalition agreement has now been published, but how can we measure the new Government’s progressive credentials in light of the huge challenges facing Britain today? ippr sets out four key priorities.

Original analysis and research

The first part of this issue of PPR assesses what went wrong for New Labour and what might lie ahead, for the coalition, the opposition and the UK. John Curtice writes the lead piece. Other articles cover hedge funds, childcare markets, circular migration and more.

Where next for progressive politics?

The summary of the discussion from our final Where Next for Progressives? seminar is now available. Chaired by Tony Wright, Douglas Alexander MP, Polly Toynbee and Nick Pearce presented.

Fairness must be at the heart of policy

Politicians must put fairness at the heart of domestic – not just global – climate strategies, argues David Nash, or the poor will end up bearing a disproportionate burden.

Root and branch reform needed

ippr calls for a fair, effective, clear and transparent system of rules which respects people's legal rights - but which does not allow migrants and their supporters to frustrate endlessly every attempt at removal.