Peers debating the Queen’s Speech cited Policy Exchange research nine times in the House of Lords, covering a broad range of recently published research. Supporters and opponents alike acknowledged the influence of Policy Exchange papers such as Protecting the Constitution, a paper by Professor Richard Ekins published in late December. It was described as “the basis” of Government policy on constitutional reform by Lord Thomas of Gresford OBE QC, a Liberal Democrat peer.

Lord Brown of Eaton-Under-Heywood PC, a former Supreme Court Justice and a cross-bencher, recognised the case for a new Treason law, and commended Policy Exchange – an “admirable body” – for its work on the subject, which includes Aiding the Enemy. He also quoted First Hundred Days, a report published last month that set out “quick wins” for the new Government, on the subject of prorogation. Baroness Kennedy, a Labour peer, also mentioned Policy Exchange in reference to the debate over the lawfulness of prorogation. 

Baroness Tyler of Enfield, a Liberal Democrat peer, referred to Whitehall Reimagined and noted that it “rightly points out that recruitment freezes, below-inflation pay rises and major cuts to budgets have put the [Civil Service] under severe strain in the past 10 years”. Lord Faulks QC, a former Minister of State for Justice, praised Policy Exchange for its “continuous work on trying to protect our troops from vexatious claims”. He also referred to the constitutional reform proposals from Policy Exchange’s Judicial Power Project. Read more in Hansard here.

In the first speech by a Cabinet Minister since the Conservative election victory, the Health Secretary, Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, visited Policy Exchange for a keynote speech on nurse recruitment in the NHS – and his vision for UK health care over the coming decade. Watch the speech here. In advance of the event, Policy Exchange published a short paper by Richard Sloggett, our newly appointed Senior Fellow and Health and Social Care lead, examining what the public wants from the new Government on the NHS. It marked the launch of Policy Exchange’s new Health and Social Care Unit. He found increased recruitment of doctors and nurses was the top priority for voters. Read The People’s NHS.

The Sun reported that the Government is considering a Department for the Union to strengthen the bonds between the nations, as recommended in Policy Exchange’s Modernising the United Kingdom paper. This follows the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee backing Policy Exchange’s proposals to increase the number of sporting events that must be shown on free-to-air TV, for example women’s national football tournaments and test cricket in Public service broadcasting: as vital as ever.

Boris Johnson should “seize the moment” and make “quick wins” in a number of key policy areas during his first 100 days to “reform public services and reshape the inner workings of government”, said Hon John Howard OM AC, the former Australian Prime Minister in the Foreword to a new Policy Exchange report. The paper offers ideas from across our research team to provide a blueprint for the new Government to implement some of its key manifesto pledges and other ideas during its first 100 days in office. Read John Howard’s piece for Times Red Box.

Policy Exchange was delighted that the party election manifestos reflected the priorities of our cross-party research since the last general election (and even earlier). Ideas from at least 24 papers were contained in the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green 2019 manifestos – from social care to education, farming to judicial power. Explore the infographic showing which ideas were adopted by the different parties here.

Dean Godson, Director of Policy Exchange, was delighted to welcome the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, to the official launch of the final volume of Charles Moore’s authorised biography of Margaret Thatcher, Herself Alone.

The event, hosted by Policy Exchange, was the Prime Minister’s first visit to a think tank since he took office. It was attended by some of the surviving dramatis personae from the Thatcher era and other senior figures from the world of politics, journalism and public life.

The Prime Minister praised the biography, saying, it is “not just the greatest recent work of biography but… also, in our lifetimes, the greatest work of modern British history”. Charles Moore, the author of the 20-year project, is a Senior Fellow at Policy Exchange and was previously Chairman of the Trustees. Watch the video of the speeches on YouTube