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Jan 20, 2025 | 
dsc.org.uk | Jay Kennedy
After an eventful 2024, the new year begins. There are sure to be plenty of ‘unknown unknowns’ along the way but some things we can decipher from what’s come before. Here’s a summary of some of the policy trends and initiatives that affect charities as we enter 2025. Prime Minister’s letter to civil societyIn what may be an unprecedented gesture, Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote a New Year’s letter addressed to ‘all civil society partners’.
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Dec 4, 2024 | 
dsc.org.uk | Jay Kennedy
Over the past twenty years I’ve observed some governments which have emphasised the role of civil society in their policy agendas, some which haven’t at all, and many which have paid lip service without really doing anything meaningful. Platitudes versus practiceRegardless of which party is in charge, there are recurring structural problems that get in the way of constructive relationships or the holy grail of ‘partnership-working’, especially where central government is concerned.
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Oct 31, 2024 | 
dsc.org.uk | Jay Kennedy
More than three months since the General Election, Britain’s first female Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered the first Labour Budget in nearly 15 years under the theme: ‘Fixing the foundations to deliver change.’In a lengthy and detailed speech, the Chancellor announced tax rises to cover spending decisions in the region of £40bn.
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Oct 24, 2024 | 
dsc.org.uk | Jay Kennedy
DSC held its annual Engage conference on how charities can influence politicians and policymakers on 17 October, and with the first Labour government in 14 years taking office just over 100 days before, it was a jam-packed edition! Read on for a summary.
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Aug 1, 2024 | 
dsc.org.uk | Jay Kennedy
On Monday 29 July, the new Chancellor Rachel Reeves made a statement to the House of Commons about the state of the public finances. Much of the media coverage was about her assertion that the previous government had not been honest about the state of the public finances, and that there was a ‘£22bn black hole’ in the books which needed to be urgently addressed.
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Jul 25, 2024 | 
dsc.org.uk | Jay Kennedy
I’ve been closely observing UK politics and elections for over 20 years, and I have to say I’m excited about this parliament for the first time in a long time. Ok, I’m a bit of a nerd and I realise that may sound quite weird! I’m not making a party-political point either, but I do think the election results mean there are many fresh opportunities for charities to influence the political process. Let me explain.
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Jul 18, 2024 | 
dsc.org.uk | Jay Kennedy
The last time a Labour government put forward its legislative programme for Parliament was in 2009, after Gordon Brown had taken over from Tony Blair as Prime Minister. It was the middle of the financial crisis and so-called ‘Great Recession’, and proved to be Labour’s last legislative session before the Coalition Government took power the following spring.
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Jul 8, 2024 | 
dsc.org.uk | Jay Kennedy
Many of Sir Keir Starmer’s early Cabinet appointments have experience of working in civil society or as previous Ministers or Shadow Ministers for the civil society brief in government. After the Labour party won a decisive majority in the 4 July General Election, Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister and over the weekend he began appointing the Cabinet. The process is still ongoing but there are some notable appointments from the point of view of charities and civil society so far.
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Jul 3, 2024 | 
dsc.org.uk | Jay Kennedy
When the Prime Minister called the general election six weeks ago I have to admit I was relieved: whatever the result, it would put an end to what seemed like endless months of waiting. But I also had a few nagging concerns…Would charities get drawn into nasty culture war attacks and bad faith press reporting? Would the Charity Commission have to wade in and make fast-tracked decisions with wider ramifications for the sector?
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Jun 20, 2024 | 
dsc.org.uk | Jay Kennedy
It’s become a little tradition at DSC that for every General Election we do a little exercise we like to call Manifesto Mashup. Basically this is where we take 100s of pages of party-political waffle, and try to sift out any mentions that are relevant to charities or wider civil society, as well as categorising proposals in key policy areas that are relevant to many organisations in our sector.
