Matthew Elliott

The Boundary Commission for Wales’ review presents a critical opportunity to reshape our political landscape in a way that genuinely reflects and serves BAME communities. This is more than a technical exercise—it’s about ensuring that every voice in our diverse society has the power to influence policies that affect our economy and well-being. Politicians and media must see this as a chance to promote real equity, where fair representation leads to tangible improvements in the lives of minority communities across Wales. #BAME #RepresentationMatters #EquityInAction #BoundaryReview https://lnkd.in/ek4cm32x

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The US presidential/ UK PM debates have never taken place in the same week, let alone consecutive days. Setting aside which was the more entertaining (easily US) – a few thoughts on how the different broadcast formats affected the coverage and impacted the viewer: ⏳ Ground rules & visuals Contrasting with the BBC's looser approach, #CNN set explicit rules of engagement, everything from response times, microphone control and stage positioning. The split screen close-up camera effect was revealing – Biden pensive then growing in confidence and Trump looking increasingly needled as the debate progressed. If a similar technique was adopted for the UK debate, it wouldn't have benefited Starmer... 🔊 Moderation & questions Dana Bash and Jake Tapper led for CNN vs Mishal Husain alone for the #BBC. Two moderators enabled closer control and smoother transition through questions. Lack of audience in Atlanta meant a strangely sanitized atmosphere but removing audience reactions – along with the use of zoom-in – perhaps helps the viewer to focus more on the candidates and be less influenced by variables. The debate in Nottingham was less structured, giving both men – mainly Sunak – more chance to interrupt and go on the attack. There was also something very British about a willing audience stumbling through their questions amidst shouts of protest from outside! 🎯  Fact-checking Husain planted the flag early by highlighting BBC Verify and both candidates appealed to the service when disputed claims arose. She was also more assertive at clarifying statements and presenting official statistics especially during the immigration and fiscal debates. There was little pre-emptive or real time fact-checking in Atlanta, for which CNN are being heavily criticized. In the closing stages, the moderators struggled just to get the candidates – especially Trump - to engage with the question asked. Personal accusations, counter-claims and a ‘he started it’ line of attack increased as the debate wore on. As for the overall optics, Trump and Sunak appeared the more forceful and vigorous. Biden and Starmer will have to hope their more measured, statesmanlike performances are not overly perceived as tired or meek. #presidentialdebate #2024election

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The Government has announced a work programme to remove the barriers faced by Community Housing Providers (CHPs) and to ‘level the playing field’. A key focus is on ensuring that CHPs have access to finance that is not unnecessarily restrictive, giving them a stronger economic case for building more social houses. This initiative aims to make progress towards CHPs and Kāinga Ora working on an equal footing to deliver social housing. I have summarised the work programme below: 1️⃣ Firstly, officials have been directed to advance the following short-term changes: 🔹 Making the IRRS revenue stream more attractive for investors and financiers. This includes exploring the removal of termination for convenience clauses, extending compensation terms, and reviewing funding approval arrangements, including early approval in principle to enable CHPs to invest with greater funding certainty. 🔹 Increasing the use of leasing to provide social housing in cases where leasing delivers value for money. This could help deliver more social housing quickly and would only be available for newly built homes that have not yet been occupied. 🔹 Capitalising part of the Operating Supplement currently paid to CHPs for new housing developments, to be paid upfront when contracts for new social housing are agreed. This capital funding, agreed in principle to be up to $70 million, will be made available in targeted circumstances to provide equity to CHPs, allowing them to raise finance at better rates. This Operating Supplement would otherwise be paid to CHPs over time during the life of the contract. 2️⃣ Secondly, the Minister of Finance has set the expectation that the Reserve Bank's review of standardised risk weights prioritises the treatment of CHPs. There is concern that current risk weightings penalise CHPs, reducing their ability to borrow at competitive rates from banks. 3️⃣ Thirdly, the Government will explore credit enhancement interventions for CHPs so that they can access suitable debt. Over the next three to four months, the Government will consider a range of options to support CHPs’ access to debt on terms reflective of their real risk and circumstances. In addition to removing any barriers to capital markets financing CHPs, these options could include: 🔹 Providing direct lending or guarantees to CHPs 🔹 Establishing a Crown intermediary to provide financing efficiencies 🔹 Providing lending or guarantees to a private lender. Agencies will be working with the CHP sector through the first quarter of 2025 and will then report back to Ministers with advice.

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The FT reports that Keir Starmer will next month launch a public dashboard enabling voters to monitor his administration’s progress on a range of pre-election targets. The article states that “Starmer will also recommit to an existing pledge to build 1.5mn homes by the end of this parliament” which suggests that Labour’s house building commitment will be one of the targets monitored on the new dashboard. Intriguingly, the article adds “There is also a push in Downing Street to expand local data tracking to identify problem spots in specific policy areas, so that early remedies can be applied, and to calculate areas that are performing well and may harbour tips for the rest of the country.” This implies there will be a national monitoring and intervention mechanism put in place to deal with areas that are deemed to be failing. Unlike previous administrations, these are not easy to deliver PR gimmicks. Delivering 1.5 million homes will not be easy - few in the industry believe we will get anywhere close. Our planning system is broken, and despite the enormous strides taken by Angela Rayner and her team over the last few months, there is still a long way to go to turn it into a barely functioning system. But even if the Govt sorts out planning, there is then the lack of skilled workers to build the homes, and the lack of raw materials like bricks, cement and tiles. You then have the small problem about how all this is going to be funded. In short, there is a lack of land, labour, capital and raw materials. While there are undoubtedly major challenges, there are also big opportunities for those businesses that want to part of this growth agenda. Just Build Homes by Shared Voice certainly see it that way. For the first time in my lifetime, we have a Government that is totally committed to deliver housing, and not defer to the Nimby minority. I have personally been involved in helping secure more planning permissions over the last four months than over the last four years. Strong national leadership and local public support is proving to be a powerful combination in changing the narrative and getting applications approved. The Govt should be applauded for setting a challenging target. Now let’s all work together on delivering it. https://lnkd.in/eBY6mRaR

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From Cameron to Sunak: How did the Conservative Party arrive at its current crisis? In my latest column for Newsroom, I explore the spectacular implosion of the Tories and the lessons it holds for centre-right parties worldwide. The conservative void at the heart of British politics: https://lnkd.in/gwXhWDf4

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Clean Energy by 2030 ⚡️ A national mission. But locally delivered. So, where do councils start? Here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eJu4wnUt

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The absence of honest discussion of public finances has been one of the great and disgraceful flaws in the election campaigns so far. Both main parties are committed to financial rules that will require reductions in public spending of about £20B pa. Neither will tell us what they would cut. Neither will contemplate higher taxes on the higher paid and those with wealth. The Independent picks out the Greens as the one party that's honest about the choice we face. This isn't the only flaw. Also absent has been discussion about the results of Brexit and the increasingly urgent need to reduce global carbon emissions enough to keep the temp rise below 2 degrees. Are the main parties in an alternate reality?

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Looking forward to chairing this session for PLMR Genesis colleagues next week, with an expert panel discussing what may happen in the polls coming July 4th & what the East of England needs from a new administration. Sign-up details below if you want to listen in! #politics #policy #publicaffairs #eastofengland

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https://lnkd.in/dpCExdCG There are still some important results to come from Thursday's local elections in England and Wales, not least the mayoral election in West Midlands where the Conservatives will be hoping to hold on as they did in Tees Valley. However, here is John Curtice's analysis based on where things stood when counting was suspended last night and it does indeed look grim for the Conservatives who have lost over half the council seats they held (and counting). The Beeb is reporting that there is no sign of a right-wing rebellion against Rishi Sunak yet; but, personally, I would not expect anyone to make a move before the West Midlands result is announced. If the Tories lose there and even more so if the loss of council seats crosses 500 an attempted ouster would come as no surprise even though the commentariat consensus (with which I agree) is that it would probably not succeed. What the threat might do, however, is push Mr Sunak into calling an early election - 20 percent probability only, according to the bookmakers (and, again, I agree) but one which cannot be dismissed.

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𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝? There have been a lot of headlines recently about using the Mayoral role (and funds) to buy a hotel in Scarborough and, more recently, to set up a Mayoral Development Corporation for the town. This is a useful read from the Yorkshire Post https://lnkd.in/e99z7_vB which explains that these “…have proved controversial as they are essentially unaccountable, being largely made up of unelected individuals” and “the use of MDCs has drawn criticism elsewhere, particularly in Teesside... https://lnkd.in/eGv5Gsy8 which was criticised in a government-commissioned review for lacking transparency and appropriate systems to evaluate whether value for money was being achieved” So is this what Scarborough needs? Is it for a lack of a hotel (albeit refurbished) that 85% of North Yorkshire’s most deprived residents live in Scarborough? This is a town that has some of the highest levels of unemployment and poverty, and lowest life expectancy in the region - but at the same time it’s a beautiful place with excellent potential. It needs a positive narrative, and I have other plans… You can read my comments in York Mix https://lnkd.in/eJGhzGVT in essence, there are a blend of issues to resolve and various elements of my manifesto address these : “to establish a clear and innovative marketing plan for tourism, regenerate the High Street, boost the night-time economy, improve public transport, address the second homes/holiday let imbalance, resolve the skills and labour shortage crisis and get to the bottom of the shellfish die back and ongoing sea water quality issues.” I have also pledged to improve health and wellbeing, with subsidised access to sport, nutritious school food, mental health support and daily toothbrushing for children - along with an allotment scheme, supporting community hubs and increased social care provision. So I hate to disappoint you if you are looking for a headline grabbing fix... but the answer lies in getting to grips with what the issues really are, resolving them and identifying opportunity to generate growth and prosperity for all. To read Felicity's manifesto: https://lnkd.in/eQ3gWwZE #scarborough #community #jobs #economy #socialcare #yorkandnorthyorkshire #york #northyorkshire #yorkshire #felicity4mayor #felicitycunliffelister

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The Guardian today publishes three lengthy articles about the housing crisis engulfing Europe, culminating in this piece on how far-right and populist politicians are exploiting the issue with their nasty, divisive messages. For them, the answer is not more homes, but less people; specifically fewer immigrants. It’s a simple, emotive argument, and one that is gaining traction. We see exactly the same playing out here in the UK. Nimby objectors are increasingly framing their arguments around these themes. ‘We need homes for local people, not outsiders.’ ‘They are building loads of houses around here, but they are all being bought up by Londoners.’ ‘We don’t need anymore houses - there’s plenty of houses here, but they are all being taken by illegal immigrants.’ The development industry spends millions on its communications, but the traditional planning comms model is simply not geared up for dealing with these issues. Consulting on design, traffic layouts or community benefits won’t cut it. Neither will sustainability, social impact or temporary meanwhile uses. Instead of spending £10,000 hosting a public exhibition, developers would be better advised donating it to the National Housing Federation and their excellent homelessness campaign. It is why Shared Voice has developed a totally new and different approach to planning communications; one that 1. Undertakes opinion research so we understand what a community genuinely thinks about the issues, not just the views of the handful who attend a public exhibition; 2. Utilises cost effective, digital-led neighbour communications; 3. Mobilises supporters to get involved and have their say. Thousands of people have now used our Yimby brand - Just Build Homes - to register support for schemes up and down the country, bringing supportive voices into the public debate. Real people, setting out in their own words, why more housing is needed and why they support that scheme. And it’s not just a numbers game. Individual stories can be just as powerful in persuading decision makers. We have crafted a simple and easy narrative that sets out the positive case for development and motivates people to act. If you’d like to know more, get in touch. https://lnkd.in/eEUyC-S5

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This feels like urgent, important work in the context of global changes afoot at the moment. When America's information ecosystem is all but lost, how can we protect and renew what is left of ours? We will be looking at 1, new threat research to understand the implications of the Trump administration here, 2, new regulation, 3, new ways to safeguard traditional news, 4, government communications, and 5, citizen empowerment. So we can't do it alone and want to involve partners - see how to get involved below. Brilliant work by Elizabeth Seger Hannah Perry and team, with support from William Perrin OBE FRSA

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This is going to be a brilliant event. Never mind the creeping impostor syndrome for sharing the stage with such giants :) Looking forward to discussing and learning more about the future of data.

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As it’s the second Friday of the month, we have just sent out our latest UK political intelligence report. May’s briefing includes the likely date of the next General Election, as well as some of the potential advantages that could be enjoyed by a newly elected Labour-led administration. They include: a largely sympathetic Civil Service that is willing to pursue Labour Ministers’ policy goals; a surge in confidence among lenders and investors; and an explicit electoral mandate to overcome legislative obstacles in the House of Lords. The current administration’s policy agenda still has a little way to go, though, and HMG is committing to increase defence spending until it reaches at least 2.5% of GDP. We recommend scepticism about the Prime Minister’s numbers but they do reflect an inevitable direction of travel. An important aspect of Sunak’s plan is the decision to formally classify defence equity stocks as meeting ESG requirements, which is likely to draw more private institutional investment into defence manufacturing. On a connected note, we have been informed that further disclosures about recent Chinese cyber attacks on the UK are highly likely over the coming months. Looking ahead, National Security staff from the UK and other G7 countries are investing additional resource to mitigate cyber risks to shared Financial Services infrastructure. Officials believe that the cross-border financial system presents the CCP with its best opportunity to cause maximum disruption in Western economies for relatively little effort. All told, we can expect the pace and seriousness of politics to pick up over the second half of the year. To subscribe to our confidential intelligence reports, please contact me here.

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What does the new government mean for the environment? New Green Alliance podcast (featuring me!) below 👇 🎧 This discussion, recorded one week after the election, delves into how the new government will likely approach environmental policy and politics, what the results mean for the future of UK energy, resources and nature policy, and what the key moment will be in the coming months.

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Update: The consultation on Invest 2035, the UK’s modern industrial strategy asks: What UK government policy solutions could best address barriers relating to people and skills? What more could be done to achieve a step change in employer investment in training in the growth-driving sectors? UK productivity growth is dependent on updating the skills of the workforce and getting millions from welfare into work. But the pace of change has overtaken the thinking of those who put bureaucratic accountability and academic values ahead of the needs of employers and students. Policy changes requiring legislation are unlikely to produce results before 2028. The role of the new intake of MPs in helping organise local skills partnerships and removing barriers to voluntary co-operation across current funding silos is therefore critical if they want to be re-elected. The round table will begin with an introduction to the consultation and there will be an opportunity afterwards to discuss submissions and follow up with the relevant officials. The format will be similar to last year when the Group hosted a round table with invitations to over 30 APPGs interested in skills and employment, including equality and diversity of access. The Round Table will therefore begin with an introduction to the consultation on the Skills stream of "Invest 2035" and end with discussion on how to input views and work together on joining up local partnerships - that will increasingly need to cross the boundaries of Welfare to Work, Skills England, Modernising Employment, Right to Work to meet the for diversity of needs of pupils, students, parents and employers (including public sector like the NHS and Central and Local Government). AI is, of course, both problem and opportunity. techUK , Better Hiring Institute (BHI), BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT , Tony Blair Institute for Global Change , Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) , Digital Policy Alliance , INCA - Independent Networks Co-operative Association , Workers Educational Association , Good Things Foundation , Digital Leaders , ISC2 , ISACA , Keith Rosser , Casey Calista ' , The Parliamentary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum (PICTFOR) , APPG on Blockchain Technologies , LCR APPG , Net Zero APPG , Healthy Homes and Buildings APPG https://lnkd.in/eV_sW-yG

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I have worked closely with TheCityUK and its members in recent years to formulate The Labour Party's policies for the financial and professional services sector, and a future Labour Government will build on this important partnership. Labour will unleash the full potential of the City to drive growth by: ✅ Delivering economic stability with tough spending rules, so we can attract investment, and create the conditions for growth ✅ Driving competitiveness by streamlining regulations to unlock billions of pounds of growth and to create thousands of well-paid jobs in financial services and the wider economy ✅ Making the UK a world leader in green finance, delivering a world-leading regulatory framework for net-zero, and partnering with financial services to make Britain a clean energy superpower ✅ Bolstering the growth of regional financial centres alongside established hubs in London and Edinburgh, and empowering the regions to drive growth by taking a full fat approach to devolution https://lnkd.in/eZzZcmfh 

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Do the UK public know their EPCs as well as their ABCs? In March the Department of Energy released its latest data on the public’s awareness and understanding of climate change issues, green heating, and low-carbon choices. Nesta has delved into the data for a temperature check on the public’s awareness of the transition to green heating and whether there are signs of change. From growing awareness of heat pumps to a better understanding of EPC ratings, these are their five key findings:

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My piece in Left Foot Forward on LGR: “New unitaries with populations of around 350,000 and coherent economic geographies and travel to work areas are where we should be looking and that’s a view backed up by leaders and chief executives right across the sector. In Essex that would mean five new councils ready to deliver on the health, homes, journeys and jobs that communities and government alike need.” https://lnkd.in/ecrpY8gR

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