Nesta

How can Andy Burnham bring the UK’s essential services under public control?

From rising energy bills to struggling water infrastructure, frustration with privatised services is growing. But with public finances under pressure, can government deliver change without buying everything back?

In the latest episode of our deep-dive series from the Policy Fix podcast, Nesta’s Ravi Gurumurthy and economist Tony Curzon Price explore how a new government can give people more control over essential services - without returning to old models of nationalisation.

The conversation breaks down:
⚡ Why traditional regulation has struggled to deliver better outcomes.
🏗️ How government can play a stronger role in shaping markets, from energy and water to digital services.
🔐 Why giving people more control over their data could help create fairer digital markets.
🇬🇧 How stronger public infrastructure could rebuild trust and deliver better services.

🎧 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts: https://bit.ly/4fPbiD3

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How can Andy Burnham solve Britain’s wealth tax debate?

As Prime Minister, Burnham will need to find money to fund public services and deliver on his promises. Should he introduce a wealth tax, or are there faster, fairer ways to raise revenue?

In the latest episode of our deep-dive series from the Policy Fix podcast, Nesta's Ravi Gurumurthy and economist Dr Arun Advani explore the biggest challenges facing the UK's tax system - and the practical reforms Burnham should prioritise first.

Our duo explore:
💷 Whether a wealth tax is the best way to raise revenue.
📈 How reforming capital gains tax and National Insurance could raise billions while supporting investment.
🏡 Why Britain's property tax system may need an overhaul.
⚖️ How government can build a tax system that's fairer, simpler and fit for the future.

🎧 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts: https://bit.ly/4fOYHQf

If you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, subscribe and share it with your network.

How should Andy Burnham take back control from big tech in his first 100 days in power?

The world's biggest tech companies now shape what we see, think and do online every day, raising important questions on who owns the power in modern Britain. How should Burnham protect children online, make powerful tech companies more accountable and ensure digital technology serves the public interest?

In the latest episode of our deep-dive series from the Policy Fix podcast, Nesta's Ravi Gurumurthy and Baroness Beeban Kidron OBE sit down to discuss. The conversation explores:

📱 Why holding tech companies accountable for harmful and addictive products matters more than banning individual platforms
⚖️ Why the growing power of big tech is one of the biggest challenges facing democratic government.

🤖 The opportunities and risks of AI - and how the UK can make better use of trusted public data.

🇬🇧 How Britain can build digital technology that serves the public interest instead of corporate profit.

🎧 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts: https://bit.ly/4pW0zLN

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💰 Where should Andy Burnham look to raise government funds - and where shouldn't he?

As Andy Burnham enters Downing Street, he needs to find the financial headroom to fund his ambitious agenda. But what are the policy cul-de-sacs that Burnham should avoid - ideas for revenue raising that might seem easy or tempting but which are likely to fail or trip up a new government

In the latest episode of our new deep-dive series, Andy Burnham's first 100 days, Nesta Chief Executive Ravi Gurumurthy sits down with Nesta's chief economist, Tim Leunig, to explore where government should look for funding and where it shouldn't.

Together examine concrete, evidence-backed fixes: from closing the tax gap through enforcement to modernising VAT, reforming disability assessments, and targeting investment in skills, infrastructure, and AI.

🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://bit.ly/4g4RLPt

🤖 How can the UK win the global race on digital public tech?

The UK spends billions renting back access to its own data from private tech vendors. To transform government services, Andy Burnham needs to build a sovereign digital state.

In this episode of our new deep-dive series, Andy Burnham's first 100 days, Nesta Chief Executive Ravi Gurumurthy is joined by Mallory Durran to explore how government can take back control of digital public infrastructure.

They discuss concrete steps for Andy Burnham’s first 100 days: adopting common digital standards, applying Open Banking principles to health data, and treating technical talent as a national priority.

🎥Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://bit.ly/44V3DhG

💊 What should Andy Burnham do to actually tackle the root causes of poor health?

Andy Burnham wants to help people live well by building a preventative state. But the UK remains trapped in a struggling health system, burdened by chronic illness and soaring costs.

How can he tackle the root causes of ill health - from poor housing to obesity - rather than just treating the symptoms?

In the second episode of our deep-dive series from the Policy Fix podcast, Nesta’s Ravi Gurumurthy and Hugo Harper break down the biggest drivers of ill health, the societal and economic costs at play - and the practical fixes Andy Burnham should focus on first.

🎧 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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New podcast 📣 How should Andy Burnham fix our broken tax system and close the tax gap?

The UK has an extraordinary amount of taxes and exemptions. The result is a system burdened by complexity, distorted incentives and a tax gap estimated to be billions.

With big promises to take back control of public utilities, ease the cost of living and build thousands of council homes, Andy Burnham needs serious cash. Can fixing Britain’s broken tax system and closing our tax gap help him Burnham foot the bill? And where should he begin?

🎙️ In this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix podcast, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy is joined by tax expert Dan Neidle to map out the steps Andy Burnham should take to get started on tax reform in his first 100 days. They explore:

📈 How reforming capital gains tax could raise billions while creating room for targeted tax cuts elsewhere.

💡 Why establishing clear tax principles and committing to long-term stability is essential to rebuilding public trust.

🏢 Why launching a Small Business Tax Commission could tackle modern digital tax evasion and large-scale fraud without burdening ordinary small businesses.

🎧 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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As a new Prime Minister entering Downing Street, Andy Burnham has set out an ambitious agenda. But can his vision survive the fiscal and political realities facing the UK today?

That’s what we’re exploring in this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix podcast: Andy Burnham’s first 100 days.

Hosted by Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy, each episode sits down with the UK's leading policy experts to stress-test the main policy ideas that should shape a new government's agenda - from tax reform and digital public infrastructure to health, energy, and industrial strategy.

Our guests go beyond rehearsing the UK's biggest challenges to explore the practical, evidence-led policies Andy Burnham should pursue - and the steps he should take to get started in his first 100 days.

The first four episodes are available now:
💷 How to close the UK tax gap, with tax expert Dan Neidle.
🍎 How Andy Burnham can tackle the real drivers of ill health, with Hugo Harper
💻 How Andy Burnham can build a sovereign digital state, with Nesta’s Mallory Durran.
📈 Where Andy Burnham should look for revenue - and where he shouldn’t, with Nesta’s Tim Leunig.

Watch the full series on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

With new UK government leadership incoming, how can ministers and policymakers turn momentum into meaningful change?

🎙️ On a recent episode of the Policy Fix podcast, Nesta's Director of Policy Joe Owen was joined by experts in government reform and policymaking Jill Rutter (Institute for Government) and Andrew Greenway (Public Digital), to explore why governments so often struggle to turn bold promises into reality - and what it takes to really get things done.

In each episode of the Policy Fix, we take a policy problem and look at the solutions for fixing it.

▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Link below ⤵️

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Policy can transform a nation’s health. Policy change turned the UK into a non-smoking culture - and with the right policies, we could achieve the same with our food system.

We’re talking about what the government should do to turn the tide on obesity in the latest episode of the Policy Fix podcast 🎙️

In each episode of the Policy Fix podcast, we take a policy problem and then look at the solutions for fixing it.

In each episode of Policy Fix, we take a policy problem and look at the solutions for fixing it.

Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts - link below 🔗

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