News and views from the Blavatnik School of Government community 
Whether by historical standards, or compared with other parts of the public sector, the financial settlement awarded to English local government in 2010 was undoubtedly tough. As the Coalition Government sought to manage a perilous fiscal situation through a combination of modest tax rises and far more significant spending cuts, grants to […]
Back in October and fresh out of university myself, I joined the Blavatnik School of Government’s admissions team as an admissions assistant. I wasn’t quite prepared for what a whirlwind the next few months would bring, but I’ve enjoyed every bit of what we do. First, let me explain what […]
Donald Trump’s pledge to withdraw US ground troops from Syria and Afghanistan has become one of the most controversial foreign policy decisions of his presidency. The political backlash following Trump’s abrupt announcement to immediately remove all 2,000 troops from Syria last December has caused a series of partial reversals, with […]
Throughout history, technological advances have put politicians and regulators in a difficult balancing act between embracing the benefits of the transformational changes brought by new technologies, versus providing reassurance to citizens that change can be managed and stability maintained. Take for example the advent of the self-propelled vehicles (cars), which […]
At the beginning of Chinese Lunar New Year of the Pig, a purely “made-in-China” domestic science fiction film ‘The Wandering Earth’ rocked the global box office igniting people’s imagination and passion. This hardcore style sci-fi film quickly topped global box office and received praise at home and abroad. It also […]
Three shifts, in particular, have created a more hostile environment for a plucky country wanting to set out on its own. First, the global rules-based system has been seriously weakened. Second, China no longer looks like such a good partner for the United Kingdom. And, third, tech platforms have left […]
The passing of Bangsamoro organic law, better known by its previous name Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), last July presents a unique chance for peace in the southern Philippines as the government and two rival separatist groups agreed to work together. While the signing of BBL marked yet another historical breakthrough […]
Have you heard of that recent data-driven initiative that will revolutionise the way you think about your business systems, your shopping experiences, your home, or even your bodies? Most of you reading this probably have, and you will also know that the public sector is no stranger to this agenda. […]