The Policy Fix

Nesta

Policy Fix is where Britain's smartest minds come to solve problems, not just debate them.

While other podcasts focus on what's broken or the day-to-day ups and downs of politics, we focus on what works and how to make it happen. We move beyond the political headlines to focus on what works and how to make it happen.

Hosted by Nesta, the research and innovation foundation, we explore bold ideas and radical thinking on policy that will drive our country forward.

Join us to discover the bold ideas and radical thinking on policy that will drive our country forward.

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18 episodes
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September 24 · 35 min
How Andy Burnham can use AI to make government smarter, with Geoff Mulgan
The UK government is under immense pressure to respond to geopolitical instability, financial pressures and rapid technological change - but traditional policymaking methods are struggling to keep pace. AI has the potential to transform how government makes decisions, delivers public services and responds to a rapidly changing world - but what would a smart AI-enabled state actually look like? And is the government ready to adopt and embed AI? With Andy Burnham now two-thirds of the way through his first 100 days in Downing Street, AI is a topic he has already had to face head-on. But might Burnham's new government use AI to build a smarter, more agile state? To dive into this question, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy sat down with Professor Geoff Mulgan, former head of the Number 10 Strategy Unit, on our deep-dive series from the Policy Fix podcast: Andy Burnham's first 100 days. Our duo discuss the areas where AI could transform policymaking, allowing civil servants to analyse evidence, test ideas and model scenarios at speed - and why avoiding AI-dependence while keeping human judgement intact is critical. The conversation explores what an AI-enabled government could mean for Andy Burnham's approach to public control, how AI could make regulators smarter, whether public services could continuously learn and improve and what a more democratic alternative to centralised, authoritarian uses of AI might look like. So, as Andy Burnham approaches the end of his first 100 days, what could he do to start modernising the state with AI? Listen to our latest episode to find out. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:41 Designing policymaking for the AI era 06:16 Will AI create overconfident generalists? 07:31 Using AI in the spending review 11:03 How AI could fix meetings 14:12 Leapfrogging Westminster 15:47 Can AI make state planning work? 19:57 Smarter regulators 21:56 A democratic alternative to authoritarian AI 23:41 Global governance of AI 27:34 Public services that continuously learn 32:38 How many civil servants should there be? 34:11 The one thing Burnham should do Liked the episode? Rate, review, subscribe – and share it with your network. Watch the full series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfr-pIsrx5ko Find out more about Nesta: https://www.nesta.org.uk Nesta is a UK research and innovation foundation. We design, test and scale solutions to the big challenges of our time. We're funded by a charity endowment and are politically neutral.
September 24 · 51 min
How Andy Burnham can make our economy more secure, with Jonathan Black
Former Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Black joins Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy to ask how Andy Burnham can make the UK economy more secure in a world where trade, technology, energy and investment have become tools of geopolitical competition. This episode is part of Andy Burnham's first 100 days, our deep-dive series on the choices facing the new prime minister. Ravi and Jonathan talk about how the UK should handle its economic relationships with the US, China and Europe, and where it needs to cut its reliance on countries and technologies that could leave it exposed. Jonathan draws on 25 years in government, including time as the prime minister's G7 and G20 sherpa. He goes through the hard trade-offs on offshore wind, AI and industrial policy, whether the UK should make a strategic bet on Europe, and what Whitehall needs to change to make these decisions well. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:56 Can a prime minister avoid foreign policy? 05:48 Global integration meets great power rivalry 08:03 Does US–China interdependence prevent conflict? 13:28 How economic security policy fails 19:36 The Mingyang offshore wind decision 25:40 AI and sovereign capability 28:46 Depending on US frontier models 32:08 Should the UK make a strategic bet on Europe? 35:24 Middle powers and coalitions of the willing 37:52 How Whitehall needs to change 43:08 Working with business without being captured 44:50 Burnham's diary and his first 100 days Liked the episode? Rate, review, subscribe – and share it with your network. Watch the full series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfr-pIsrx5ko Find out more about Nesta: https://www.nesta.org.uk Nesta is a UK research and innovation foundation. We design, test and scale solutions to the big challenges of our time. We're funded by a charity endowment and are politically neutral.
September 24 · 43 min
How Andy Burnham can make foreign aid spending work, with Kate Hampton
The UK's overseas aid budget is at its lowest level in decades, with cuts having far-reaching consequences for people and communities around the world. But increasing aid spending would mean making difficult choices at home too. With his first 100 days drawing to a close, how should Andy Burnham be looking to make foreign aid spending work? And how can he make sure that money has the greatest impact? To dive into these questions, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy was joined by Kate Hampton, CEO of the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, on the Policy Fix podcast's deep-dive series: Andy Burnham's first 100 days. They discuss what the UK's reduced aid spending means in practice, from its impact on children, women and climate action to the risks of doing nothing. They also explore how Burnham's government could make the case for increasing aid spending at a time when there are competing pressures on public money at home. The conversation looks at how the UK could use its influence to put international development higher up the global agenda, including through the G7 and G20. They also explore how to get better value from aid spending - from reforming international finance and tackling debt to finding better ways to deliver and scale what works. So, as Andy Burnham approaches the end of his first 100 days, what should he do to make UK aid work harder? Listen to the full episode to find out. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:50 Why development matters to a domestically focused PM 03:15 Has the UK lost influence after the aid cuts? 04:26 Beyond the 0.7% target 06:30 Reforming global finance and tackling debt 12:23 Can finance reform make up for aid cuts? 15:12 Aid in fragile and conflict-hit countries 18:21 Getting money out before disasters strike 20:43 How energy shocks and trade barriers hit the poorest 24:18 What the G7 and G20 actually do 30:36 What the UK should put on the G20 agenda 33:06 How to run an ambitious G20 presidency 35:44 Making the case for development at home 39:55 The role of philanthropy 42:33 The one thing Burnham should do Liked the episode? Rate, review, subscribe – and share it with your network. Watch the full series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfr-pIsrx5ko Find out more about Nesta: https://www.nesta.org.uk
S2 · E7
August 4 · 48 min
How Andy Burnham can bring the UK’s essential services under public control, with Tony Curzon Price
Bringing essential services back under public control is a key part of Andy Burnham’s agenda. But with rising energy bills, struggling water infrastructure and growing frustration with privatised utilities, how can government deliver change without the cost of buying everything back? In this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix podcast, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy speaks to leading experts about the big decisions facing a new Prime Minister. Together, they test the ideas that could shape Burnham's first 100 days and explore what it would take to turn them into action. In this episode, Ravi Gurumurthy is joined by economist and Nesta policy fellow Tony Curzon Price to explore how a new government can give the public more control over essential services without returning to old models of nationalisation. They discuss why traditional regulation has often failed to deliver better outcomes and how government could take a more active role in shaping markets - from energy and water to digital services. The conversation also explores how better use of data could give people more control online and why creating a stronger public digital infrastructure could help build fairer markets. Listen now to discover the practical steps Andy Burnham could take in his first 100 days to rebuild trust, improve public services and rethink the role of government. Liked the episode? Rate, review, subscribe - and share with your network. We are a UK charity and our work is enabled by a financial endowment. Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833. To find out more or connect with us, check out our website and socials: Website: nesta.org.uk Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/nestauk.bsky.social Facebook:facebook.com/nesta.uk Instagram: instagram.com/nesta_uk/hl=en LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nesta
S2 · E6
August 4 · 51 min
How Andy Burnham can solve Britain’s wealth tax debate, with Arun Advani
As Prime Minister, Andy Burnham will need to find money to fund public services and deliver on his promises. But how should he raise it? Is a wealth tax the answer, or are there better ways to reform Britain's tax system? In this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix podcast, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy speaks to leading experts about the big decisions facing a new Prime Minister. Together, they test the ideas that could shape Burnham's first 100 days and explore what it would take to turn them into action. In this episode, Ravi is joined by economist Dr Arun Advani to explore how Burnham could raise billions while making the tax system fairer and simpler. Rather than introducing an annual wealth tax straight away, Arun argues there are faster, more practical reforms. He explains how changes to capital gains tax and National Insurance could raise significant revenue while encouraging investment and closing loopholes. The conversation also explores whether the UK's property tax system needs an overhaul, the trade-offs between local and national tax reform, and how government can create a tax system that is fairer, more stable and fit for the future. Liked the episode? Rate, review, subscribe – and share it with your network. We are a UK charity and our work is enabled by a financial endowment. Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833. To find out more or connect with us, check out our website and socials: Website: nesta.org.uk Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/nestauk.bsky.social Facebook: facebook.com/nesta.uk Instagram: instagram.com/nesta_uk/?hl=en LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nesta
S2 · E5
August 4 · 56 min
How Andy Burnham can take back control from big tech, with Baroness Beeban Kidron OBE
The world's biggest tech companies now shape what we see, think and do online every day - raising big questions about who really holds the balance of power between them and national governments. The previous government proposed banning social media for under-16s, a policy Andy Burnham has also backed. But is that enough? As Burnham sets out his agenda, what should he prioritise in his first 100 days to protect children online, strengthen the UK's digital independence and make powerful tech companies more accountable? In this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix, Nesta's policy podcast, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy sits down with some of the country’s leading experts on policy and government. Rather than just rehearsing the problems facing Burnham, they stress-test the big ideas that should shape his agenda, discuss the policy solutions he should actually pursue and map out the steps he should take to get started in his first 100 days. In this episode, Ravi is joined by filmmaker, politician and leading voice on children’s rights in the digital environment, Baroness Beeban Kidron OBE, to unpack the steps Andy Burnham should take to decisively reclaim public control from Silicon Valley. Taking a wider view than proposed responses like social media bans or regulating AI, Beeban argues the real challenge is the growing power of a handful of tech companies. She explains why governments should hold platforms responsible for harmful and addictive products, not just the content they host. The conversation also explores the risks of powerful AI, why the UK should make better use of trusted public data from organisations like the NHS and the BBC and how Britain can build digital technology that serves the public interest instead of corporate profit. Liked the episode? Rate, review, subscribe - and share with your network. We are a UK charity and our work is enabled by a financial endowment. Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833. To find out more or connect with us, check out our website and socials: Website: nesta.org.uk Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/nestauk.bsky.social Facebook: facebook.com/nesta.uk Instagram: instagram.com/nesta_uk/?hl=en LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nesta
S2 · E1
July 28 · 49 min
How Andy Burnham can close Britain’s tax gap, with Dan Neidle | Episode 1: Andy Burnham's first 100 days
The UK has an extraordinary amount of taxes and exemptions. The result is a system burdened by complexity, distorted incentives and a tax gap estimated to be billions. With big promises to take back control of public utilities, ease the cost of living and build thousands of council homes, Andy Burnham needs serious cash. Can fixing Britain’s broken tax system and closing our tax gap help him foot the bill? In this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix, Nesta's policy podcast, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy sits down with some of the country’s leading experts on policy and government. Rather than just rehearsing the problems facing Burnham, they stress-test the big ideas that should shape his agenda, discuss the policy solutions he should actually pursue and map out the steps he should take to get started in his first 100 days. In this episode, Ravi is joined by tax expert Dan Neidle to explore how Andy Burnham could claw back billions by closing the tax gap. Our duo explore how to fix our broken tax system - from changing capital gains tax to raise billions to a Small Business Tax Commission that could help tackle modern tax avoidance and fraud without placing extra burdens on ordinary small businesses. Liked the episode? Rate, review, subscribe - and share with your network. We are a UK charity and our work is enabled by a financial endowment. Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833. To find out more or connect with us, check out our website and socials: Website: nesta.org.uk Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/nestauk.bsky.social Facebook:facebook.com/nesta.uk Instagram: instagram.com/nesta_uk/hl=en LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nesta
S2 · E4
July 28 · 49 min
Where Andy Burnham should look for revenue - and where he shouldn’t, with Tim Leunig | Episode 4: Andy Burnham's first 100 days
As Andy Burnham enters Downing Street, he needs to find the financial headroom to fund his ambitious agenda. But what are the policy cul-de-sacs that Burnham should avoid - ideas for revenue raising, cost cutting that might seem easy or tempting but which are likely to fail or trip up a new government? In this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix, Nesta's policy podcast, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy sits down with some of the country’s leading experts on policy and government. Rather than just rehearsing the problems facing Burnham, they'll stress-test the big ideas that should shape his agenda, discuss the policy solutions he should actually pursue, and map out the steps he should take to get started in his first 100 days. In this episode, Ravi is joined by Nesta's chief economist, Tim Leunig, to explore where a new government should look for funding- and where it shouldn't. Together, they challenge some of the most common ideas for raising tax revenue and instead explore practical, evidence-led reforms that could raise revenue, improve public services and boost long-term economic growth. The conversation covers closing the tax gap through stronger enforcement, modernising VAT, reforming disability assessments and making targeted investments in education, transport infrastructure and AI-enabled public services. Our duo set out a pragmatic roadmap for a new government’s first 100 days, exploring where not to look for money, how to avoid tempting policy traps and where to focus to lay the foundations for genuine economic growth. Liked the episode? Rate, review, subscribe - and share with your network. We are a UK charity and our work is enabled by a financial endowment. Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833. To find out more or connect with us, check out our website and socials: Website: nesta.org.uk Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/nestauk.bsky.social Facebook:facebook.com/nesta.uk Instagram: instagram.com/nesta_uk/hl=en LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nesta
S2 · E2
July 28 · 47 min
How Andy Burnham can tackle the real drivers of ill health, with Hugo Harper | Episode 2: Andy Burnham's first 100 days
Andy Burnham wants to help people live well by building a preventative state. But the UK remains trapped in a struggling health system, burdened by chronic illness and soaring costs. How can he tackle the root causes of ill health - from poor housing to obesity - rather than just treating the symptoms? In this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix, Nesta's policy podcast, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy sits down with some of the country’s leading experts on policy and government. Rather than just rehearsing the problems facing Burnham, they stress-test the big ideas that should shape his agenda, discuss the policy solutions he should actually pursue, and map out the steps he should take to get started in his first 100 days. In this episode, Ravi Gurumurthy and Hugo Harper, director of our healthy life mission, break down the biggest drivers of ill health, the societal and economic costs at play - and the practical fixes Andy Burnham should focus on first. Our duo set out an evidence-led blueprint for making prevention the foundation of the UK’s health system, exploring outcome-based regulation for major food retailers, smarter tax incentives to reduce alcohol harm, the strategic rollout of weight-loss medications (GLP-1s) and licensing prescription e-cigarettes to accelerate the decline in smoking. Liked the episode? Rate, review, subscribe - and share with your network. We are a UK charity and our work is enabled by a financial endowment. Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833. To find out more or connect with us, check out our website and socials: Website: nesta.org.uk Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/nestauk.bsky.social Facebook:facebook.com/nesta.uk Instagram: instagram.com/nesta_uk/hl=en LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nesta
S2 · E3
July 28 · 39 min
How Andy Burnham can build a sovereign digital state, with Mallory Durran | Episode 3: Andy Burnham's first 100 days
The UK spends billions renting back access to its own data from private vendors, leaving crucial public information locked away in disconnected systems. That fragmentation holds back public service reform, stifles innovation and hampers economic growth. If new Prime Minister Andy Burnham wants to transform the UK from a passive tech tenant into a sovereign digital architect, reforming our digital infrastructure is non-negotiable. So where should he begin? In this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix, Nesta's policy podcast, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy sits down with some of the country’s leading experts on policy and government. Rather than just rehearsing the problems facing Burnham, they'll stress-test the big ideas that should shape his agenda, discuss the policy solutions he should actually pursue, and map out the steps he should take to get started in his first 100 days. In this episode, Ravi is joined by Nesta's director of applied research methods, Mallory Durran, to explore how government can take back control of our digital public infrastructure. They unpack why adopting common digital standards across government could reduce costs, improve services and end dependence on a handful of technology suppliers; how applying the principles behind Open Banking to healthcare could accelerate medical research, improve patient care and help grow the UK's health tech sector; and why attracting and retaining world-class technical talent should be treated as a national priority for effective government. Liked the episode? Rate, review, subscribe - and share with your network. We are a UK charity and our work is enabled by a financial endowment. Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833. To find out more or connect with us, check out our website and socials: Website: nesta.org.uk Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/nestauk.bsky.social Facebook:facebook.com/nesta.uk Instagram: instagram.com/nesta_uk/hl=en LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nesta
S1 · E7
June 29 · 41 min
How to fix our broken food system
Right now in the UK, around two-thirds of all adults are living with excess weight and obesity. This is not just a crisis for adults - more than one in 5 primary school-aged children in England are now living with it. A year ago, the government set out a ‘moonshot’ to end the obesity epidemic in the 10 Year Health Plan for England. However, successive governments have announced almost 700 initiatives to tackle obesity in the last 30 years - in that time, rates have doubled. So why has nothing worked and what would it actually take to turn the tide? In this episode of the Policy Fix podcast from Nesta, host Joe Owen is joined by Dr Dolly van Tulleken, an obesity and food policy expert and visiting researcher at Cambridge University, and Hugo Harper, director of Nesta’s Healthy Life Mission, which aims to halve obesity in the UK by 2030. Together they unpack the food environment that shapes what we eat, why so many policies get watered down or delayed and what the evidence really says works. They dig into the junk food advertising ban and its loopholes, the sugar tax, GLP-1 weight loss drugs, the new healthy food standard and the lessons from tobacco control. The conclusion is hopeful: with the right mix of solutions, halving obesity is possible. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for more on the policy problems that shape our lives, and how to fix them.
S1 · E6
June 9 · 42 min
How to settle the UK’s place in Europe
Brexit was supposed to be “done”. Yet in 2026, Britain’s place in Europe is right back at the top of the political agenda While Keir Starmer’s government has promised a pragmatic relationship “reset,” figures like Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting are already looking further ahead towards considering a full rejoin. In a more fragile world order, with greater geopolitical insecurity, the discussion on where we sit in Europe has never been more pertinent. In the latest episode of the Policy Fix podcast, host Joe Owen sits down with Professor Anand Menon, director of UK in a Changing Europe and Tim Leunig, chief economist at Nesta They weigh the economic cost of being outside the EU, estimated by the best academic work at six to eight per cent of GDP, and ask whether the government’s strategy of selective alignment and sectoral deals adds up to a new phase or more of the same. The conversation covers free movement and the single market, the customs union, the politics of immigration and cost of living, why the EU has little incentive to make life easy for the UK, and whether rejoining is realistic given the current political climate.
S1 · E5
May 19 · 42 min
How to make the UK a world leader in public sector AI
The UK has no shortage of AI strategies, summits and action plans. But a stack of policy papers doesn't retrain a civil servant, fix a legacy data system, or scale a pilot beyond a single department. The real challenge is execution. In this episode of Policy Fix, Nesta's podcast on the ideas and reforms that matter, host Joe Owen is joined by two people who know what it actually takes to get things done inside government: James Kuht, former member of the Prime Minister's Data Science Team at No.10 and now CEO of AI workforce company Pair, and Mallory Durran, who led the government's Incubator for AI and now heads Nesta's Applied Research and Methods team. Together they argue that the UK is at a genuine inflection point but risks squandering it by mistaking activity for progress. They explore what separates real transformation from efficiency theatre: the internal barriers of skills, culture and creaking infrastructure; the pressures of Big Tech dependency and procurement inertia; and the question of whether the public sector has the risk appetite to actually innovate. The UK does have real strategic advantages. This episode makes the case for what they are and how to build on them. But it ends with an honest question: are the reforms being discussed genuinely equal to the scale of the opportunity? You will come away with actionable insights on bridging the implementation gap, building national AI capability beyond running pilots, and understanding the concrete reforms needed to turn policy ambition into operational reality. What we cover: - Why AI success in government comes down to senior leadership clarity, not technology - The internal barriers blocking scale: skills, culture and legacy infrastructure - How to manage AI risk by investing in workforce experimentation - Whether the UK can compete with Big Tech or is inevitably dependent on it - The bold bets that could genuinely transform health and education outcomes - What departments need to switch off to make space for AI to deliver Guests: James Kuht, CEO, Pair | Former Prime Minister's Data Science Team, No.10 Downing Street Mallory Durran, Head of Applied Research and Methods, Nesta | Former Director, Government Incubator for AI Chapters: 00:00 "The magic can really start to happen" 01:14 Introduction 02:38 Where does AI sit on the hype spectrum? 05:07 How big is the prize for public services? 07:27 AI in action: planning data and the Extract tool 11:51 The biggest barriers to AI adoption in government 15:01 Why government needs tech-native leaders 17:25 Real risk vs perceived risk in the public sector 20:37 Experimentation as a risk management strategy 23:31 What breaks when you try to scale an AI pilot? 25:46 The funding problem: how government scales tech 28:06 Can government compete for AI talent? 32:11 Insource or outsource? Getting AI capability right 34:01 What would prove the government is serious about AI? 37:04 The unglamorous reforms that will actually matter 39:22 Practical advice: where to start with AI tomorrow 42:14 Outro
S1 · E4
April 20 · 41 min
How to make this the last ever UK energy crisis
The UK is headed for another energy crisis. The war in Iran has choked energy markets and will be felt as another hit for inflation weary consumers and for the UK's beleagured economy. What should government do now? And how can it act to make sure that it doesn't waste the crisis? In this episode of Policy Fix, host Joe Owen sits down with Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy and director of Nesta's sustainable future mission, Madeleine Gabriel to untangle the acute effects of this latest energy shock from more long running challenges in the UK's energy economy. They explore: Why the UK is so exposed to energy shocks How this crisis differs from the gas spike caused by the invasion by Russia of Ukraine What the government should and shouldn't do to support consumers on rising bills How to make electricity cheaper What do to about North Sea Oil How to run a massive energy saving campaign If you're interested or work in energy policy, climate change, or economics, this episode is essential listening. Nesta is a politically impartial research and innovation charity designing, testing, and scaling solutions to society's biggest problems. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction and teaser 01:11 Welcome and episode overview 02:30 How the war in Iran is affecting energy markets 03:57 Is the UK more exposed than other countries? 04:35 How this crisis compares to the 2022 Ukraine gas spike 07:00 Lessons from 2022: what should government do now? 09:42 When and how should government intervene? 13:05 Supporting households: targeted vs general subsidies 16:27 Turbocharging electrification through the crisis 22:16 Making the electricity-to-gas price ratio work 23:26 How to pay for it all 25:19 The North Sea oil debate 29:17 What households can do for themselves 32:08 The case for a national energy-saving campaign 33:43 The politics of decarbonisation 37:11 Closing thoughts: what should Keir Starmer prioritise?
S1 · E3
April 2 · 42 min
How to make social media safer for children
One in five children aged 3–5 already owns a smartphone and 95% of 13–15 year-olds have a social media profile. Is the UK's Online Safety Act failing to protect them and is a blanket ban on social media the answer? In this episode of Policy Fix, host Joe Owen sits down with Tony Curzon Price, economist and policy fellow at Nesta, and Hannah Perry, Director at Demos, to untangle one of the most urgent policy debates of our time: how do we regulate social media for children without doing more harm than good? They explore: Why the Online Safety Act has 'barely touched the sides' and what went wrong The evidence base for social media harm, from Jonathan Haidt's correlations to natural experiments tracking Facebook's campus rollout Why Australia's age-based ban may push kids toward riskier, less regulated spaces The case for product regulation - treating social media like a dangerous car that should be made safer, rather than trying to ban driving Tony's bold proposal: a BBC Club Kids social network, launched by 2028 Hannah's vision for community-rooted digital spaces and epistemic sovereignty What the government consultation should actually deliver, including bringing AI chatbots inside the scope of the Online Safety Act If you work in policy, edtech, child welfare, or digital regulation or if you're a parent trying to make sense of a system that feels broken this episode is essential listening. Note that this episode was recorded before the recent judgement against Meta and YouTube in the US. Nesta is a politically impartial research and innovation charity designing, testing, and scaling solutions to society's biggest problems. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Episode Chapters 00:00 What’s coming up: "A full-time job for parents": the social media treadmill 01:09 Welcome to Policy Fix. Introducing Joe, Tony Curzon Price & Hannah Perry 02:01 Setting the scene: is this a moral panic, or something genuinely different? 03:43 The stats: 1 in 5 toddlers has a phone; 95% of teens on social media 04:03 Evidence of harm. Child deaths, compulsive scrolling & displaced real-world activity 05:01 The causality debate: what Jonathan Haidt's research actually shows 06:30 The Facebook campus study — a natural experiment pointing to causality 07:33 The willingness-to-pay study: users know they're trapped and want out 08:25 How did we get here? The attention-harvesting business model explained 10:13 The algorithm arms race. Sarah Wynn-Williams and the Facebook whistleblower revelations 11:26 From Father Coughlin to Facebook: what radio history tells us about regulating media 13:23 Why the Online Safety Act has barely touched the sides 15:35 Why has this crisis bubbled back up the agenda now? 17:43 Should we ban social media for children? Tony makes the case against 19:05 The upside of social media why a blanket ban risks throwing the baby out with the bathwater 21:16 Hannah on the ban: 50% of parents would evade it, and it breaks trust with kids 23:34 Are "cuter" regulatory solutions also doomed to fail? 23:50 Tony's alternative: a public service construction of a good platform 26:44 Hannah's vision. BBC charter renewal, epistemic sovereignty & community digital spaces 29:31 What should the BBC practically do in the upcoming charter renewal? 32:26 The wider policy toolkit: no silver bullet, but an array of solutions 34:45 Tony on family-level solutions, network monitoring without surveillance 37:53 Australia's ban evaluation: is it reducing family conflict? 38:22 The BBC's new role in media literacy and cultural norm shift 39:05 What to watch for after the consultation closes 39:27 Hannah's ask: include AI chatbots in the Online Safety Act 40:08 Tony's ask: the BBC must become the platform, not feed it 41:52 One thing for Keir Starmer. Tony on cyberspace experimentation 42:49 Hannah's closing call: strengthen the Online Safety Act with safety-by-design 43:14 Sign-off
S1 · E2
March 17 · 52 min
How to fix the way government works
Successive governments have promised to reform the British state. Most have left it harder to navigate than they found it. So what would genuinely fixing the way government works actually look like? In this episode of The Policy Fix, Jill Rutter (Senior Fellow, Institute for Government) and Andrew Greenway (founder of A Bit Digital and former senior civil servant) join host Joe Owen to examine why Whitehall struggles to deliver: the civil service’s misaligned incentives, the gap between policy and delivery, and why Labour’s mission-driven government ran out of steam. They also explore what the rare successes GDS, the vaccine taskforce, Brexit, Covid actually have in common, and what it would take to replicate that more broadly. They end with a quickfire question: if Keir Starmer called you tomorrow and said he wanted to move fast and break things, what’s the one thing you’d tell him to break? Frank, expert and full of practical insight, this is the state reform conversation that Whitehall needs to be having. The Policy Fix is produced by Nesta. Timecodes: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:53 Do we have a government delivery problem? 00:06:18 What happened to Labour's mission-driven government? 00:12:07 Why do politicians struggle to get things done? 00:15:52 Has governing fundamentally changed? 00:22:12 What the Government Digital Service (GDS) got right 00:27:24 The “project” model: lessons from the Olympics 00:30:23 The policy vs delivery divide in Whitehall 00:34:06 Brexit and Covid: what government can do well 00:39:41 Do we need a wholesale review of the British state? 00:43:15 Structural reform: does No. 10 need more power? 00:48:31 What would you break? The final question
S1 · E1
March 12 · 45 min
How to reform the UK's tax system
The UK tax system has been described by experts as irrational, a mess and a nightmare. But what would genuinely reforming it look like - and why have successive chancellors ducked it for so long? In this first episode of The Policy Fix, Tim Leunig (chief economist, Nesta) and Helen Miller (director, Institute for Fiscal Studies) break down the biggest structural problems in Britain’s tax system: the distortions created by how we tax employment versus self-employment versus dividends; the £80bn cost of VAT exemptions and why a flapjack is legally different from a muesli bar; why stamp duty is almost universally agreed to be a bad tax - and why it still exists; and whether wealth taxes are a serious policy option or an idea that sounds better than it works. They also debate what a reforming Chancellor should actually do: go big and bold, or chip away incrementally? And they end with one policy each that they’d push through if they were Prime Minister for a day. Sharp, evidence-based and surprisingly entertaining - this is UK tax policy for people who want to understand the real arguments. The Policy Fix is produced by Nesta. Timecodes: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:40 What's wrong with the UK tax system? 00:03:55 Why have chancellors avoided reform for so long? 00:10:11 The biggest structural problem: income, NI & dividends 00:13:12 The VAT chaos: flapjacks, gingerbread men & £80bn in exemptions 00:16:00 How to actually reform: what should a Chancellor do first? 00:22:49 Stamp duty & property tax: the case for abolition 00:27:04 Wealth taxes: effective policy or zombie idea? 00:31:44 Quick wins, capital gains & green/vehicle taxes 00:35:10 Political bravery: are politicians or the system to blame? 00:39:49 Expert commissions vs. the Chancellor acting now 00:43:42 One policy to transform the UK economy
S1 · E1
March 9 · 48 sec
The Policy Fix | Trailer
Something’s coming 🎙️ We’re stepping into the studio to tackle the UK’s biggest challenges - not just to debate the problems, but to find the fixes. Make sure you subscribe to this brand new podcast from, Nesta.

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