Hugh Bennett

🚨 NEW PODCAST 🚨 Why can't Prime Ministers get things done? @AlexGAThomas from @instituteforgov, Downing St researcher @MLClem and former No10 special adviser @HughRBennett join @Alain_Tolhurst to discuss the problem at the heart of government 🎙️: pod.fo/e/2381fa

🚨New @politicshome podcast🚨 Why can’t Prime Ministers get things done? @AlexGAThomas from @instituteforgov, Downing St researcher @MLClem and former No10 special adviser @HughRBennett join me to discuss the problem at the heart of government 🎧 here: pod.fo/e/2381fa

Well worth a read of this piece by @rcolvile and his thread below. All sorts of things have gone badly wrong in our procurement over the years. As @rcolvile says, some, though far from all, is due to the EU's procurement regime. One of the little commented-upon aspects of the 2020 TCA negotiations was procurement. We knew we wanted out of the EU's absurdly restrictive and complex rules. The EU did not want to let us go, for all the usual reasons. This was quite a battle and we eventually agreed some articles in the TCA that were entirely optical, allowing us to proceed at a national level. That is why we (notably @LNevilleRolfe in the Cabinet Office) were able to bring in a new Procurement Act this year reforming and opening up our procurement rules 👇 gov.uk/government/pub… Personally I'd like to have seen something even more far-reaching, but it is an excellent first step and there is no reason why more can't follow, as businesses and government get used to the new regime. It is a post-Brexit reform that has slipped under the political radar because of its rather technical nature, but it's an important first stage in getting better value for the £300bn+ government spends every year.

Some personal news: excited to be joining the fantastic and fast-growing @rudpedersenuk team led by @JonAarons focusing on international-facing public affairs. Looking forward to a very interesting year ahead! rudpedersen.com/en-UK/contact/…

Earlier in the week, Lord Maude's proposals for reforming government were published (and disappeared somewhat into the reshuffle vortex). Alex has set out our overall @instituteforgov view - I thought I'd add some thoughts on the sections on ministers and spads specifically...

Interesting discussion on the King's Speech on Sky News earlier. While the Speech itself is unlikely to shift the dial, Starmer's ongoing strategy of playing it safe does present an opportunity for Sunak - if he can step it up a level with the Autumn Statement and into next year

The economy is in the hotseat today with inflation falling but still sluggish growth, what can be done about it? I write in today's City AM. 👇

On @SkyNews to discuss why last week's by-elections offer an opportunity for the Government to take the fight back to Labour - if they can flesh out a clearer vision of genuine reforms for the country

The Windsor Framework makes several welcome steps forward, but it is not the conclusive resolution to the Protocol it claims to be - and did not justify the dropping of the Bill By overselling it, the Government risks creating more problems for the future conservativehome.com/2023/03/02/hug…

From @HughRBennett: The Windsor Framework is a rebranding masterclass, not a resolution to the Protocol conservativehome.com/2023/03/02/hug…

My @Telegraph column with initial comment on the new NI Protocol deal. (Initial because there's still a lot of detail to work through.) There are improvements, but it seems hugely oversold, & may entrench the Protocol framework rather than weaken it. telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/2…

@pmdfoster Ultimately having those powers on the statute book - giving UK ability to act in days/weeks rather than months/years - is a strong incentive on both sides to reach equitable solutions more quickly. Otherwise, legal asymmetry of the situation will always favour inertia/inaction

@pmdfoster I see your point but wouldn't characterise it like that Ultimately, aim is to resolve problems in future. Sometimes that's by agreement - great. Sometimes you need a row before a problem gets the attention it needs Yes, UK activating the Bill would cause a major fuss, but...

Very good ⁦@HughRBennett⁩. NI Protocol explainer via ⁦@politico⁩ reminds everyone about Article 10, dual regs issue and fact that, if EU won’t change text, there’s big questions on legal force of any buffers in ECJ role. BUT…1/2 politico.eu/article/six-th…

@pmdfoster @JP_Biz @politico Much clearer example is Covid Recovery Loan Scheme, effect of State Aid rules very clear here: maximum cap of £2m for GB vs only £1m for biz in scope of NIP. Also created endless bureaucratic headaches to try to administer the two schemes in parallel gov.uk/guidance/recov…

@pmdfoster @JP_Biz @politico Probably could have chosen a more straightforward example - obviously NI energy market has added complications and not my direct policy area but I do recall state aid rules being one factor in the NI scheme being structured differently to GB (not necessarily worse in this case)

Six key tests for any deal on the NIP: 1. How green is the green lane? 2. Is there treaty change? 3. Does it restore UK tax & spend powers? 4. Can UK goods be sold in NI? 5. What happens to the ECJ? 6. What happens to the Bill? Me for @POLITICOEurope politico.eu/article/six-th…

A very helpful analysis from @HughRBennett on what to look out for in a Brexit deal for Northern Ireland politico.eu/article/six-th…

Brexit must read — @HughRBennett, a former UK negotiator and member of the Leave campaign, very clear about details of dispute over Northern Ireland and what Brexiteers will look for if the UK strikes a deal with the EU politico.eu/article/six-th…

🇪🇺🇬🇧What's wrong with the Northern Ireland Protocol? On this week's IEA Podcast, IEA Head of Public Policy @matthewlesh discussed this with @HughRBennett, former member of the Brexit negotiating team and former Special advisor to both Liz Truss and Boris Johnson👇