IPPR, the Institute for Public Policy Research, is the UK’s leading progressive think tank.
Westminster, London
Joined February 2009
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Progressives haven’t had a compelling political project since the Third Way.
Our new report sets out one: #reciprocism.
A politics in which the state does more for citizens, while asking more of them in return.
Read here 👇
ippr.org/articles/what-is-th…
IPPR retweeted
Are you a northerner? Are you wondering what'll be in tomorrow's budget? Are you currently scrolling on X?
If you answered yes to any of those questions you should probably watch this and hear about what northerners (and everyone else) can expect to hear from the Chancellor👇
£20bn of total borrowing over five years for investment on AI, defence and green energy is expected in tomorrow's budget.
But how much would this actually cost the public finances?
Our new analysis finds that this investment would use less than £1 billion of fiscal headroom in 2029–30.
This is because much of the borrowing would be used to provide loans and buy stakes in businesses, creating financial assets that retain value, rather than simply spending money that won't be recovered.
This shows how the government could invest in industries of the future while remaining within its fiscal rules, while also highlighting the need to reform the UK's fiscal framework to better recognise the long-term benefits of public investment.
ippr.org/media-office/chance…
IPPR retweeted
The BBC’s first Budget chart shows higher borrowing costs.
It's estimated this will cost the Chancellor around £10bn in headroom tomorrow—potentially more than any single tax, spending or growth measure.
You’ll hear a lot about this. But why have borrowing costs risen? 🧵
1/10
In Depth: Budget:
UK economy defied low expectations even amid considerable global headwinds this year, registering 0.6%, 0.5%, and possibly heading higher in Q3 (vs independent forecasters predicting around 0.3% or lower in each quarter, a bit higher from OBR) …
Sustaining that, while delivering on the fiscal consolidation plans praised by the IMF, (and absent mostly elsewhere in the G7) and now noticed in markets is the challenge and opportunity for the Budget. A Chancellor who has had more time in the Treasury than any new Number 11 resident.
The Treasury John Healey returned to is rather different to the one he was used to under Gordon Brown, constrained by OBR (no late changes to the forecast, no 3am Budget morning print runs, but also no surpluses), high debts and interest costs.
Two big calls: 1. appeal to markets and face some backbench flak, or the other way round - looks like former.
2. whether to hold off on some long term decisions while the public finance forecasts/ markets reflect long term settlement in the Gulf, and possible at least partial reversal of last year’s long term growth downgrades.
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck87…
The Autumn Budget is just around the corner, and the government faces a crucial challenge: delivering fiscal stability while improving living standards.
With energy bills set to rise further, the chancellor must give households some much-needed breathing room. Freezing fuel duty would be a welcome first step, but further action is needed to ease the pressure on household finances, such as unfreezing the Local Housing Allowance and introducing rent controls to limit unaffordable increases.
Fiscal responsibility must also go hand in hand with economic growth. With the right safeguards, investing in the industries of the future can boost productivity and deliver lasting improvements in living standards.
And to help fund these priorities, the Budget must reform our tax system. That means taxing banks' windfall profits, ensuring that large online retailers pay a fairer share to fund cuts to high street business rates and giving local leaders greater control over tax revenues to drive growth.
IPPR retweeted
This is correct - bringing down inflation reduces interest rates and lowers mortgage costs.
In the near-term, it's the best way to get the economy moving and support households.
We've recommend a temporary energy price ceiling as the best route: ippr.org/articles/cost-of-li…
NEW: Sir Keir Starmer’s policy director urges Burnham to double down on “mechanically cutting the rate of inflation” to lower mortgage rates.
Writing publicly for the first time since leaving No10, Stuart Ingham says the PM should use “any additional fiscal room” to lower prices including by sustaining the VAT cut on energy bills beyond March 2027.
He says this will feed through to mortgage interest rates if the Bank of England can be persuaded to hold or cut them.
He argues in today’s @telegraph that for Labour “just about nothing is more important” than the cost of living, and points out that Starmer beat the Tories by 17 points among mortgage holders in 2024, after losing by 10 points among the same group in 2019.
telegraph.co.uk/politics/202…
IPPR retweeted
Excellent news! Reform to carers allowance is long overdue and hugely welcome.
A system that can leave someone thousands of pounds worse off for taking an extra shift or getting a small pay rise makes no sense.
Tuesday’s @guardian front page: ‘Cliff edge’ rule to be scrapped in wake of carer’s allowance scandal theguardian.com/society/2026…
Leaving the EU has made aspects of managing Channel crossings more difficult by reducing cooperation with Europe on asylum.
As IPPR has argued, leaving the EU’s Dublin Agreement reduced safe routes for people seeking to reunite with family in the UK and limited options for cooperation on asylum transfers.
Rebuilding cooperation with the EU on asylum, including family reunification and shared arrangements for processing claims, could help undermine people smuggling gangs and provide a more effective response to Channel crossings.
telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10…
“We didn’t publish this report lightly.”
@harry_qp explains why Britain needs to rethink its long-term strategic position in a world of growing geopolitical instability.
With the US no longer an ally the UK can simply depend on, Britain needs close partners that can match the scale of today’s challenges and share our values.
Watch 👇
Public opinion on Europe has moved, but any future campaign for EU membership would still have arguments to win.
Writing in Labour List, Tazu Walden argues that simply rerunning the 2016 debate won’t work. The case for Europe needs to speak to the challenges Britain faces now, from economic insecurity to defence and security, while being upfront about the trade-offs membership would bring.
Read 👇
labourlist.org/2026/10/europ…
It’s great to see the Treasury reportedly taking an interest in our proposal for an online sales tax, with the revenue used to fund cuts to high street business rates.
For too long, the tax system has favoured online retailers over high street businesses. Using the upcoming Budget to start rebalancing the system could help bring life back to our high streets and support jobs across retail, hospitality and leisure.
theguardian.com/uk-news/2026…
The world has changed, and many of the biggest challenges Britain faces are shared across Europe.
Joining the EU would give the UK greater scale to tackle those challenges, strengthen our security and deliver better outcomes for people.
@harry_qp on @TimesRadio 👇️
IPPR retweeted
Lots of economic data in the last few weeks, and lots of spin online.
Practically none of it matters for next week’s Budget, since the OBR have locked in their forecast. But the overall read is positive.
My sober take on inflation, GDP, public finances and unemployment: 🧵
IPPR retweeted
This is a shame if confirmed. We've been calling for the government to introduce a foreign investor visa. Linking it to investments in crucial frontier sectors. If well designed, this could help solve the UK's problem of innovative businesses struggling to scale here.
📚 | NEW REPORT: Disadvantaged children are nearly three times less likely to achieve the highest marks in Year 6 SATs.
We call for a rethink of primary school assessments to reduce inequality, ease pressure on teachers and create a fairer system for all pupils.
Read here 👇
ippr.org/articles/what-comes…
The case for EU membership is about more than the economic cost of Brexit.
In a world of great-power competition, Britain’s security, sovereignty and influence increasingly depend on scale. That's why we believe EU membership should be the medium-term goal.
@harry_qp on @TimesRadio 👇️
