Four Tests for Local Enterprise Partnerships

06 September 2010

Today (Monday 6^th September 2010) Ministers and officials at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will receive proposals from partnerships between businesses and local authorities to form Local Enterprise Partnerships.  These new bodies will be in the vanguard of sub-national economic development. 

ippr calls for wider referendum on voting reform

05 July 2010
As plans for a proposed referendum on the Alternative Vote vs 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.

ippr north director Ed Cox delivers speech on challenges and changing policies for the third sector

23 June 2010

Ed Cox was invited to be key-note speaker at the launch of the North West Together We Can Conference on 17 June 2010 in Manchester. View the speech and slides.  

'Easy' approach to delivering public services risks leaving poor in the cold

11 June 2010
A new report by ippr says that any plans by the new government to decentralise the delivery of public services to achieve greater efficiency must be coupled with minimum guarantees so the poor and excluded don't end up with sub-standard provision. 

As spending cuts loom, the North can’t just beg government for mercy

07 June 2010
The North needs to forge its own economic future, not beg the new government for mercy if it is to emerge from the economic crisis in a stronger position, says a new ippr north report.

Real tests for relationship between Cameron government and devolved administrations lie ahead

28 May 2010
A major new study of devolution by ippr published today (28 May) argues that the new political and economic landscape in the UK presents major challenges to a devolved United Kingdom that have not been faced before.

Electoral reform referendum must give the people the chance to choose a genuinely fair system

18 May 2010
The planned referendum on electoral reform could be a missed opportunity to change politics in the UK for the better, argues a new ippr report.

New consensual government needed to pursue long-term progressive reforms

07 May 2010
The election signals the end of one party rule – now a new consensual government needs to be built to pursue long-term progressive reform of the economic and political system, says ippr.

Results of ippr poll of PPCs

05 May 2010
A new ippr survey shows that Labour and Liberal Democrat candidates in tomorrow’s General Election are closer to each other on most political issues than they are to the Conservative candidates.

Alienation not immigration fuelling BNP support, says new ippr report

19 April 2010
It is not immigration but alienation and an inability to overcome social challenges such as isolation and low skills which are the main drivers for BNP support, says a study covering 150 local authorities launched today, Monday 19 April, by ippr.

Scotland less successful at reducing crime than other parts of UK

22 March 2010

New research into how devolution has impacted on England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland highlights that the devolved administration in Scotland has been less successful than other parts of the UK at reducing crime.

The research on criminal justice is part of a forthcoming book called Devolution in Practice 2010 to be published by ippr. It highlights both that patterns of crime in Scotland are different from England and other parts of the UK and that the Scottish government is adopting different strategies to tackle crime.

ippr welcomes Government action to save struggling pubs

19 March 2010
ippr welcomes action by Pubs Minister John Healey announced today (19 March), which takes forward a number of recommendations from ippr’s recent report Pubs and Places.

ippr reaction to Commons reform proposals

05 March 2010
MPs should be congratulated for standing up to the government and Tory whips who both shamelessly tried to derail plans to strengthen the role of Parliament.

ippr's election year

16 February 2010

2010 is a momentous year for politics with the General Election as its centre piece.

Much of the focus will be on the clash between the leaders and the parties, but much more important will be the debate over ideas. 

To help shape new thinking and new politics in 2010 ippr is hosting a series of events and running special projects.

Reforming expenses is not enough, only root and branch reform can lead to restoring public faith in politics, argues ippr

04 November 2009
In response to today’s publication of the Kelly report on parliamentary reform, the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) who led a coalition of leading think tanks in calling for fundamental and far reaching changes to the way UK politics is conducted, urges the parties to come together and ensure that the expenses system is revamped and wider reforms to improve the relationship between the public and politicians are enacted.

Think Tanks unite in call for fundamental reform of politics in wake of expenses scandal

03 November 2009
In the week when the Kelly committee publishes its proposals to overhaul the expenses system, seven leading think tanks make the case for systemic and radical reform to our political system in a unique collaboration, led by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr).

PwC and ippr report says real and visible decentralisation of power is key to ending our ‘blame the Minister’ culture

22 October 2009
When things go wrong with public service delivery, the public still tends to hold the government in Westminster accountable, a new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and ippr concludes. But Ministers should not be put off the idea of decentralising power. The report – based on a poll of more than two and half thousand members of the public – shows that if real power is transferred to highly visible and accountable bodies, like the Scottish government or the Mayor of London,  the public do understand who is responsible.

PR could be bad news for the Liberal Democrats

23 September 2009
An analysis of the May local and European election results, soon to be published by the leading think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr), shows that the Liberal Democrats could find their vote severely squeezed if proportional representation was introduced.

Film: ippr at 21

22 July 2009
Veteran documentary-maker Peter Dale and photographer Marc Schlossman embarked on a project to capture ippr's work on the occasion of our 21st birthday.

Barnett formula is broken, says new ippr analysis

19 June 2009
New analysis from leading independent think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) published today (Friday 19 June) reveals that the distribution of public spending across the UK is neither fair nor equitable.

This Wednesday: Constitutional Reform Live Chat with ippr

26 May 2009
This Wednesday between 12pm and 1.30pm, LabourList will be hosting a special live chat on constitutional reform. Featuring in the chat will be Rick Muir of the Institute for Public Policy Research, Britain's leading progressive think tank. Rick is a Senior Research Fellow for ippr and specialises in Democracy and Citizenship.

Political class must do more to recognise English national identity in fight against the BNP, says ippr

25 May 2009
Ahead of the forthcoming European and local elections a new essay by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) urges mainstream politicians to do more to recognise and engage with a growing sense of Englishness in order to stop English national identity being manipulated by the negative nationalist agendas of far right parties like the BNP.

The House of Commons can’t fix broken politics only the public can, argues ippr

15 May 2009
Responding to today’s speech by Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin, amid growing calls for him to quit over his handling of the expenses furore, leading independent think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) outlines a set of clear principles needed to radically overhaul the MPs pay and expenses system, arguing that reforms cannot come from the Speaker or MPs but must be driven by the public, if confidence in democracy is to be restored.

G20 must propose new principles for financial regulation says paper for ippr

26 March 2009
The G20 must avoid the mistake of adding more rules to global markets - which are likely to be ignored - and instead create a new international body to enforce practical global financial principles according to a new paper by Stephen Davies, Jon Lukomnik and David Pitt-Watson.

Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP and Michael Gove MP debate launches ippr and PwC’s ‘Towards a Smarter State’ programme

24 March 2009
The Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) are  launching a major new programme of work that aims to set out the practical steps needed to deliver a smarter, more effective state. ’Towards a Smarter State’, a joint PwC and ippr positioning paper outlining themes for future delivery of a smarter state, will also be launched with the programme today.

North East Commission launches inquiry to address persistent inequalities

19 January 2009
Public services across the North East are still delivering outcomes well below the English average, according to a report published by the Commission on Public Sector Reform in the North East.

Calman Commission public hearing in Newcastle

18 November 2008
Katie Schmuecker, Research Fellow for the Institute for Public Policy Research North said in advance of the Calman Commission’s public hearing in Newcastle tomorrow (19 November 2008), to consider the future of Scottish devolution and how the Scottish Parliament is funded, including the controversial Barnett Formula:

Barnett formula is inequitable and could undermine the Union unless reformed says the UK’s leading think tank

10 July 2008
The way the devolved institutions are financed in the UK is neither fair nor equitable, and is no longer appropriate for devolution, according to a report published today  (Thursday) by ippr north.

ippr north says government must put its own house in order to achieve decentralisation

20 June 2008
ippr north welcomes government plans for greater empowerment of local and regional government in the area of economic development and regeneration  but raises concerns about delivery mechanisms, in a new discussion paper published today (Friday) by the Institute for Public Policy Research North (ippr north).

Mayors could herald new era of devolution

20 June 2008
Gordon Brown should consider introducing more elected mayors to solve the current constitutional imbalance in the UK according to two leading think tanks. In an article published today, the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) and the New Local Government Network (NLGN) have called for more directly elected mayors with powers over local police, transport and health services.

Media Coverage since devolution has accelerated mutual ignorance and indifference between England and Scotland

09 June 2008
Media coverage of Scotland and England since devolution is fuelling cross-border ignorance and indifference according to a paper by Douglas Fraser, Scottish political editor of The Herald, released today by the Institute for Public Policy Research North.

An elected Mayor for every major English town and city

23 April 2008
The Government should introduce elected mayors in every major town and city in England, according to a paper for the latest edition of ppr, the quarterly journal of the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) published today (Wednesday). This would give stronger local political leadership, clearer accountability and encourage central government to decentralise more powers to local government.

North-South divide in family and neighbourly contact

22 April 2008
People in the North see their families and speak to their neighbours more than people in the South according to a new report published today (Tuesday) by the Northern Rock Foundation and the North East Social Capital Forum, and prepared by the Institute for Public Policy Research North (ippr north).

Government needs to address the ‘English Question’ to prevent future backlash

25 February 2008
English public opinion and an increasing sense of English national identity could pose a challenge to the Union in the future, according to two new reports published today (Monday) by the Institute for Public Policy Research North (ippr north).

ippr north reaction to new powers for residents on local spending

05 July 2007
ippr north welcomes the decision to give residents a direct say in priorities for their local council budgets.

Voting should be at the weekend or on bank holiday

02 May 2007
With fears of another decline in turn out at this week’s local elections, Emily Thornberry MP is urging Gordon Brown to make polling day an extra bank holiday in the middle of the week or have French style weekend voting.

British civil service needs to learn from around the world

06 April 2007
The British civil service needs to drop its ‘we know best’ mentality and learn from countries like Canada, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand and Singapore, according to a new report, published by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) today (Fri).

Gordon Brown must learn from '1906 and all that'

02 February 2007
Gordon Brown's attempt to build a 'progressive consensus' in Britain could be significantly strengthened by an understanding of the Progressive Alliance that ran the country between 1906 and 1914, according to new research from the Institute for Public Policy Research, published today. With many political pundits predicting a hung Parliament after the next election, ippr has been assessing what it would take for Labour and the Liberal Democrats to work together.

Government can’t make your new year’s resolutions but can help you keep them

28 January 2007
The Government can help people stick with their new year’s resolutions - like giving up smoking, getting fitter or going green - but it should not make people take the decision, according to a report to be published in April by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr).

Communities need empowering with a collective voice to strengthen local social networks

16 January 2007
Communities need empowering with a collective voice to strengthen local social networks according to the Rt. Hon David Miliband MP Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in an essay for the latest edition of Public Policy Research, the Institute for Public Policy Research’s quarterly journal.

Whitehall departments failing their own assessments

29 December 2006
Major Government departments assessed so far by Whitehall’s ‘Capability Reviews’ have “significant weaknesses in capability for future delivery”, according to new analysis published by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) today (Fri 29 Dec).

ippr's response to the Queen's speech

15 November 2006

Ian Kearns, ippr Deputy Director, said:

“The Government is right to focus on security as a key priority for this Parliamentary session. Citizens are worried about it and so are the security services and the police. But being tough on security now needs to be an all party affair. Policy in this area is not about choosing between security, domestic social unity and liberty but about delivering on all three simultaneously. The dividing line needs to be between the terrorists on the one hand and the rest of society on the other. More cross-party unity on this issue would be a good thing.

“The new priority given to tackling climate change is also to be welcomed but calls from some quarters for annual targets are unrealistic in policy terms. Targets should be based on a five year cycle that would match the electoral system and would allow the public to hold politicians to account on this crucial issue.”

‘No price for failure’ in Whitehall

07 August 2006
Top civil servants feel they are not held accountable for poor performance and that Parliamentary scrutiny of them is ineffective, according to new research published by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) today (Mon).

Lack of professional qualifications among senior civil servants

06 August 2006

Just one in three senior civil servants hold professional qualifications, according to Cabinet Office data revealed in a new report, published by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) next week.

Senior civil servants recognise need for reform

11 June 2006

Less than one in four civil servants think poor performance is dealt with effectively in their department, according to survey data published for the first time by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) today (Sunday). The survey of senior civil servants was obtained by ippr following a Freedom of Information request and paints a damning picture of frustration with performance management in Whitehall.

Root and branch reform needed to address 'systemic failure' in Whitehall

15 May 2006

Whitehall reorganisation and Ministerial reshuffles will not tackle the root of the Government’s recent problems: an unreformed civil service, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr).

Only compulsory turnout can restore principle of universal suffrage

01 May 2006

Ahead of this week’s local elections, new research shows that as turnout continues to fall, ‘turnout inequality’ has also been on the rise. In a new report published today (Monday), the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) argues that only compulsory turnout can close the gap and restore the principle of universal suffrage. The idea is backed by two current Cabinet Ministers.

Cities should share £3.5 billion EU funding

24 April 2006

Newcastle, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester should be the focus of £3.5 billion of European Structural Funding according to a new report by the Centre for Cities at the Institute for Public Policy Research, published today (Monday).

New Cabinet Secretary must champion reform in Whitehall

16 June 2005
The Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr), the UK’s leading progressive think tank, calls on the new Cabinet Secretary to make reform in Whitehall his priority.

ippr launch major project on the future of the Civil Service

15 March 2005

The Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr), the UK’s leading progressive think tank has launched a major new research project, Rethinking Whitehall: The Future of the Civil Service. The purpose of the project is to fundamentally assess the way that Whitehall works, identify the challenges it faces, and ask what role the civil service should perform to remain fit for purpose in the twenty first century?

Greater South East Rail Authority will improve services for passengers

15 February 2005
A Greater South East Rail Authority is needed to improve services for passengers across the region, according to a report published today (Tuesday) by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr). The third working paper of the Commission on Sustainable Development in the South East, which involves the region’s seven county councils, argues that commuter patterns across the Greater South East call for better transport planning, particularly in the case of rail services.

Design of town halls: law court or Tate Modern?

01 March 2004
Good design can produce savings in long-term running costs, promote productivity, and increase the satisfaction, happiness and even the health of the people who work for and use our public services, according to a new report from the Institute of Public Policy Research (ippr).

Government proposals for reform of House of Lords will undermine democracy

08 November 2001
Today’s announcement by the government recommending that only twenty percent of the House of Lords are directly elected has been met with dismay by the UK’s leading centre left thinktank the ippr