The Future Governance Forum (FGF)

Why the Home Secretary is taking a gamble with her asylum reforms, and what a progressive alternative should look like

New blog at @futuregovforum.bsky.social ⬇️

The Home Secretary is taking a huge gamble with her asylum reforms - but there is a progressive alternative By Emily Graham, FGF Policy Associate

Ahead of today's speech by Shabana Mahmood on #asylum, FGF’s @emilyagraham.bsky.social sets out a progressive alternatives to how government can deliver on asylum, preserve fundamental rights while restoring order, safety and trust.

Read it here 🔽🔽🔽

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/the-home-s...

FGF’s Spring Statement response By Dan Corry, FGF Chief Economist

Read our FGF takeaways from the Chancellor’s #SpringStatement, her forthcoming 2026 Mais Lecture and the government's autumn Budget ⬇️⬇️⬇️

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/fgfs-sprin...

Watch FGF Chief Economist, Dan Corry, explain how the government’s new Green Book has taken on board lots of things FGF have called for, especially changes that will be good for investment projects outside London and the SE 🔽🔽🔽

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/green-ligh...

Quite the finding in @philtinline.bsky.social @futuregovforum.bsky.social report on power

Nearly 61% who think their local high street is bad blame the council - just 37% think it's changing consumer demands

Telling how often it is institutions, not social forces, people point the finger at!

A new relationship between people and state: how can government make a success of Pride in Place? YouTube video by The Future Governance Forum (FGF)

Missed our event on how government can make a success of Pride in Place?

We were joined by an expert panel for a lively discussion on what makes Pride in Place different from neighbourhood policy efforts that have come before.

Watch the event back now 👇
youtu.be/exkdpZgvjpw

Delighted to be asked to talk about my Power Failure paper for @futuregovforum.bsky.social with the inestimable @jamesomalley.co.uk

Watch FGF Chief Economist, Dan Corry, explain how the government’s new Green Book has taken on board lots of things FGF have called for, especially changes that will be good for investment projects outside London and the SE 🔽🔽🔽

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/green-ligh...

Shorter, better, fairer, stronger: Why the new Green Book is an encouraging update The revised Green Book looks better. But the key to seeing more productive investment in all parts of the country is political will in Westminster ...

Now that the revised Green Book is here, how’s it looking? Dan has written for @civilserviceworld.bsky.social and argues it is an encouraging start.

But it will still be *political will* more than anything that determines whether investment materialises: www.civilserviceworld.com/news/article...

The Green Book and getting more investment into the regions - Future Governance Forum A new report by The Future Governance Forum, ‘The Green Book and getting more investment into the regions’, has called on the Government to change the way that its Green Book is used if it wants to in...

These changes are something we at FGF have argued are necessary (but not sufficient) to see investment spread right across the UK as part of the govt's growth agenda

Our Chief Economist @danrcorry.bsky.social set out the arguments back in December: www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/cha...

New Green Book to ensure that investment in all parts of the UK given a "fair hearing" New guidance will support fairer and more balanced decisions on investment in every part of the country.

There's been a lot going on of late, so you'd be forgiven for missing the fact that earlier this month the Treasury issued an updated version of its 'Green Book' - which could have a significant impact on how public money is invested beyond London and the South East

www.gov.uk/government/n...

Ben says the question isn't whether a revolution is coming or not, it's "whether Labour or a triumphant Nigel Farage will lead it".

We called it a choice between 'disrupt and deliver' or 'disrupt and destroy'. At FGF we're making the case for the former, and setting out how govt can get there.

'In Power 01', led by FGF director @yeowell.bsky.social and chair (and former Deputy Cab Sec) Helen MacNamara, was the result of over 100 interviews with experts and argued for a new centre of govt structured around strategy & politics; policy & delivery; diplomatic & security; and private office.

In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street In Power 01: Transforming Downing Street is the culmination of an in-depth investigation by FGF into the centre of government.

His main recommendation - "we need to go Australian with a Department of the Prime Minister" - is the same conclusion we reached at @futuregovforum.bsky.social after our in-depth look at how Downing Street functions last year

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/in-...

The state is failing — No 10 needs an overhaul No PM can succeed when an underpowered operation is unable to command the civil service

"Slow, secretive and sclerotic, the government machinery itself is jammed. Our good intentions, in a busted system, are not enough. You need scepticism, a plan and some history."

Thoughtful piece from @benjudah.bsky.social on the problems with the British state

www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...

Record Debt in the World’s Richest Nations Threatens Global Growth

‘In Britain it will cost at least 300billion pounds ($410billion) to upgrade infrastructure over the next decade according to Future Governance Forum’

@nytimes.com story by @patcohen.bsky.social illustrates the scale of the infrastructure challenge facing the UK 🔽

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/b...

Rebuilding the Nation 03: Infrastructure Investment Partnerships - Future Governance Forum Delivering the UK's infrastructure ambitions with a new model of public-private partnerships

FGF has long called for a new model of public-private partnership - ‘Infrastructure Investment Partnerships’ - to get Britain building again. Read more here 🔽🔽🔽

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/reb...

The Budget is a chance to show voters that this government is serious about fixing Britain’s broken infrastructure By introducing a new model of public-private partnerships, Rachel Reeves could send an unambiguous signal that change is coming.

The @nytimes.com article links to a blog by our Deputy Director @adamterryfgf.bsky.social ahead of last year's Budget, arguing that the government needs to show it is serious about fixing our crumbling public realm 🔽

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/the-budget...

Record Debt in the World’s Richest Nations Threatens Global Growth

‘In Britain it will cost at least 300billion pounds ($410billion) to upgrade infrastructure over the next decade according to Future Governance Forum’

@nytimes.com story by @patcohen.bsky.social illustrates the scale of the infrastructure challenge facing the UK 🔽

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/b...

Rebuilding the Nation 05: Spurring Innovation - Future Governance Forum Harnessing the potential of emerging technologies will be key to delivering a step change in productivity growth.

FGF’s ‘Rebuilding the Nation 05: Spurring Innovation’ report found innovation is held back by an incoherent approach to funding and smart #regulation and put forward recommendations aimed at accelerating innovation and productivity.

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/reb...

At the Lords Industry & Regulators Committee FGF's @danrcorry.bsky.social explained his environmental regulation review for Defra, what it tells us about regulation & how the regulatory system must focus on outcomes & take a more sensible approach to risk
parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...

See you on 24 Feb! We're determined to improve our place by taking a systematic approach to community power—organising people with energy and ideas, building their collective ability to realise change. They can’t go it alone—we must actively draw everyone into the community of place: bit.ly/3M2PM34

How can we make Pride in Place a success?

Join us on 24 Feb & hear from:
🗣️Claire Wightman, @grapevinecovwarks.bsky.social
🗣️Monica Needs, ex Barking & Dagenham
🗣️Alex Boys, @localtrust.org.uk
🗣️Pritpal S Tamber & Ollie Smith, FGF Associates
🪑@gracewyld.bsky.social

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-can-go...

How do you solve a problem like Whitehall? Our tired machinery of government needs new ideas and new statesmen

'Walk down Whitehall and look at the buildings. ... Those stern facades do not say: “Oh dear oh dear, we don’t know what to do. Can someone phone McKinsey?” No – they say, “We are here to govern.” So what’s gone wrong?'

My latest @newstatesman1913.bsky.social

www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

A brilliant rejoinder by @philtinline.bsky.social to the increasingly consensus right-wing view of the modern British state. The state has been hollowed out and is failing many people––but the solution is not more privatisation or markets, but more democracy!
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

There’s a lot to unpack in @philtinline.bsky.social report. Review by @jonnelledge.bsky.social is a good place to start.

Both really worth a read.

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/wp-content/u...

Disempowering the public For those leading relatively empowered lives, interrogating power risks stirring up needless conflict. But in the face of warnings that ‘the sense of disempowerment people feel over their everyday liv...

This by @philtinline.bsky.social for @renewaljournal.bsky.social gives the central argument of his recent report 'Power Failure': how what begin as solutions to overconcentrations of power in time become problems, disempowering and frustrating the public: renewal.org.uk/blog/disempo...

Friendship is magic - Future Governance Forum Lessons for No10 from the My Little Ponyverse.

I'd missed bookmarking this to read back in November. Come for great @futuregovforum.bsky.social recommendations on creating a Department for the Prime Minister (also suggested by @instituteforgovernment.org.uk ), stay for excellent MLP metaphors.

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/2025/11/17/f...

Hamida Ali: Strategic authorities need greater capacity The organisations should be stewards of their regional system, writes Hamida Ali, head of practice and learning at the Future Governance Forum.

Hamida Ali has written an article in today's LGC on FGF's report and why strategic authorities:

* Must be ’stewards of their regional systems’

* Need greater capacity for investable projects and prevention programmes

* Need greater fiscal devolution

www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

Did you know strategic authorities serve 28million people in England?

A new report published by FGF, written in partnership with Metro Dynamics & funded by London Councils, calls for national govt to strengthen the foundations of strategic authorities
www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/imp...