Publications
All Policy Exchange publications are free to download in .pdf format. You can also purchase hard copies of the majority of our reports – check each individual report page for details.

Government & Politics Publications

Open, Meritocratic and Transparent
Benjamin BarnardFeaturing a Foreword by Lord Macpherson of Earls Court, Open, Meritocratic and Transparent calls for an urgent overhaul of Civil Service appointments in light of recent revelations about the appointment of Lex Greensill.

Whitehall Reimagined
Iain Mansfield, Warwick Lightfoot, Gabriel Elefteriu, Benjamin Barnard and Jan ZeberThe Government should use the opportunity of the stability created by the election result to reform the civil service to make it more democratically accountable and better able to deliver on the mandate of the government of the day. Better decision making, streamlined processes and improved accountability will lead to improved policy making and legislation, more effective delivery and improved public services, benefiting every part of the UK.

Modernising the United Kingdom
Jack Airey, Gabriel Elefteriu, Sir Stephen Laws, Warwick Lightfoot, Benedict McAleenan, Rupert Reid and Jan ZeberUnleashing the power of the Union – ideas for new leadership

Lost in Transition
Robert Craig, Richard Ekins and Sir Stephen LawsThis paper challenges some claims made about the constitutional obligations of Her Majesty the Queen, the current Prime Minister and the next Prime Minister.

Endangering Constitutional Government
Sir Stephen Laws and Richard EkinsThe risks of the House of Commons taking control.

The Irish Backstop: Nothing has changed? It has actually
Lord Bew and Lord TrimbleThe UK Government is now correct in asserting the right, in extremis, to appeal to international law under the Vienna Convention.

A Second Look
Professor Guglielmo Verdirame, Sir Stephen Laws and Richard EkinsThe UK’s legal position in relation to the backstop.

The Smart State
Jonathan DupontThe UK should become a global hub for ‘GovTech’, with digital technology offering the chance to transform the relationship between the state and the citizen, and create a more efficient, responsive and innovative state, says a new Policy Exchange report The Smart State.

Judging the Public Interest: The rule of law vs. the rule of courts
Richard EkinsJudging the Public Interest examines the Supreme Court’s quashing of the Attorney General’s decision to block disclosure of the Prince of Wales’ correspondence with ministers. The report argues that, in doing so, the judiciary confused the rule of law with the rule of courts and overstepped its constitutional limits. It recommends that Parliament act swiftly to overturn this wayward judgment, reaffirming the rule of law and Parliamentary authority.

Overlooked But Decisive: Connecting with England’s Just about Managing classes
James FrayneDespite their overwhelming importance, “squeezed middle” voters – those in the C1/C2 socio-economic classes – across England’s most marginal seats feel overlooked and unrepresented. Overlooked but Decisive examines the values and political attitudes of this group and develops a detailed profile of this groups values and beliefs.