Dan Corry
Dan Corry is CEO of NPC, a think-tank and consultancy on third sector issues. He is a former Treasury and Downing Street economic adviser
Pursuing happiness
At last, the Treasury wants us all to be happy, says Dan Corry. ‘A brilliant early sign that the Treasury means this is if the forthcoming and long-awaited multi-year Spending Review pushed these concepts hard’, he adds.
Doing the right thing
Dan Corry says the ‘slow crumbling of standards may not matter if people overall like the government of the day and feel it is delivering for them’ – but it feels like something quite important is in danger of breaking in the system.
Is levelling up just a soundbite?
A poll has named tackling homelessness, poverty, crime and unemployment as priorities for levelling up. But Dan Corry says these are not the problems ‘a new building or bridge or a tarted-up high street can solve’.
An own goal that proves the need for caution
Pondering the wider lesson from the European Super League debacle and the creation of the Premier League, Dan Corry advises that if you let market forces into a system, you must make sure you know what you are doing.
Admit when you’re wrong
If we know less and less about successes and failures because we allow denial of the truth and a refusal to admit mistakes, then we will be a weaker society for it, says Dan Corry.
We need to hear everyone’s voice
Apparent attempts to stifle the voice of civil society are bad for all of us, says Dan Corry - and a plurality of voices is a key part of a healthy and thriving democracy.
Changing the boss?
In some of the most successful businesses and local authorities, longevity seems to work, says Dan Corry, but perhaps we need at least a bit of the ‘fear of the chop’ to incentivise the right behaviours?
Where now for the economy?
Uncertainty about the future has reached extreme levels, says Dan Corry. The mystery as to the Government’s instincts on economic and fiscal policy will probably remain, even as Brexit is sorted one way or another and vaccines come on stream.
Communities, COVID and Marcus
Community and charity activity is helpful – and absolutely essential during COVID – says Dan Corry. But he argues that the comprehensive actions we need to tackle so many of the issues we face also depend on the central and local state.
The problem with averages
In the aftermath of the exams disaster it should sound obvious that the individual matters, says Dan Corry – but it is a point missed out far too often in policy analysis.
Keeping positive outside crisis time
The better nature of people has come to the fore during the recent pandemic, but how do we keep the momentum going in more ‘normal’ times? Dan Corry poses the question.
Overcoming the unemployment mountain
The avalanche of unemployment that is soon to hit us needs to soar up the agenda, says Dan Corry. Here he outlines solutions that can help us avoid the worst outcomes.
Why localism is needed for behaviour change
Councils can be key – as can local community groups and charities – in setting social norms that people will want to follow, says Dan Corry.
The exit strategy is crucial
How to withdraw from the special and unprecedented COVID-19 emergency measures is a really complex task for policy makers – but it matters to the rest of us too, including councils, says Dan Corry.
To co-ordinate or not?
Dan Corry asks if the familiar struggle between Downing Street neighbours tells us something about other attempts in the public and social sectors to co-ordinate work.
Build on the social aspect of towns
Much of the discussion about ‘levelling up’ towns has been about physical infrastructure, but as Dan Corry explains, the lesson of the past is that the social side must be taken into account.
Breaking down that segregation (a little)
It has not been the best advertisement for our democracy and most people will be glad it’s all over, writes Dan Corry. So why does he think the General Election process always does some good?
Do we all hate each other?
Local government could teach Downing Street and Westminster a thing or two. It has always had to deal with people who disagree on issues and have different world views, writes Dan Corry.
Is insourcing the default?
The system needs recalibrating so there is a level playing field, rather than a major bias towards outsourcing in local government, argues Dan Corry.
It’s a good time to lobby
Dan Corry says that while the policy world is currently in something of a stasis lock, politically we’re seeing major realignments, with new battlefields – or at least new fronts – opening up everywhere.
