Ed Owen

Political strategist for @ThinkLabour. Non-resident fellow at @ACEurope & @ThirdWayTweet & founder @NoCowsPod. Ex-UK Govt spad, always @mancity 🇬🇧🇺🇸🇩🇪

[Ed Owen @Ed_Owen]

Great to see this report on unshackling the state now out from the fantastic Millie Wood. It’s also got a foreword from my former boss!

[ThinkLabour @ThinkLabour]

If the state is lame, voters have no good reason to support social democracy.

Government has become too good at process - and too bad at delivery.

Our new report, The Lame Leviathan, argues that decades of rules, consultations and legal checks have made it harder for governments to get things done.
If Labour wants to govern well, we need less focus on process and restore the power to act.

The full report can be found here:
https://t.co/vaxSGILYt7

[ThinkLabour @ThinkLabour]

People often assume they know what Labour members think. We decided to ask them.

The results might surprise you. Labour members back higher defence spending in an increasingly uncertain world and support reducing welfare spending.

Read more about what our polling found, and what ThinkLabour has been working on, in this piece from The Guardian.
https://t.co/b3mlIa4jJr

[Ed Owen @Ed_Owen]

Life comes at you fast. So delighted for @alisonp_journo. Our time working together was hugely rewarding but far too short. But she will be a fantastic asset for @andyburnham. I'm looking forward to running with her baton to support, inspire and challenge the new @UKLabour govt

[ThinkLabour @ThinkLabour]

A statement regarding our CEO.

[No Sacred Cows @NoCowsPod]

As Andy Burnham prepares for power, @ThinkLabour's @ChristabelCoops joins the herd to look at Labour's electoral challenges and what he should do differently to ensure the party wins a second term. Out everywhere now. With @Ed_Owen @MarkDavies67 @BenLucas_.

[Ed Owen @Ed_Owen]

Enjoyed speaking to @soph_husk for this piece on the 2nd anniversary of @UKLabour’s GE victory in 2024 and hopes for the future with @andyburnham in No.10 https://t.co/iGdBuz2QM1

[No Sacred Cows @NoCowsPod]

Can Britain achieve net zero without sacrificing energy security, economic growth and public support? Ahead of Thursday's by-election we look at the politics of energy with former No 10 advisor Nick Butler. Out now everywhere! @AnnaCMcShane @BenLucas_ @MarkDavies67 @Ed_Owen

[ThinkLabour @ThinkLabour]

A new national insurance for Britain.

The two feelings shaping Britain today are unfairness and insecurity.

Millions worry about their future in an AI-driven economy. Families fear catastrophic care costs. Too many people feel the system is no longer there for them when they need it most.

Our new report argues for a new social contract: a welfare state built on contribution, security and shared stake. One that supports those most in need while giving everyone confidence that the state will be there when times get tough.

If we want to rebuild faith in public services, strengthen communities and create a fairer future, we need a system that works for everyone.

Read the report here - https://t.co/VhHI6CPtrQ

[ThinkLabour @ThinkLabour]

This builds upon our recent report, Who is Labour For?

Which examines what electoral coalition is needed for Labour to win at the next election.

Read the full report here https://t.co/CWflQVlnoc

[Ed Owen @Ed_Owen]

@steverichards14 @adamboultonTABB @YouTube I love this, Steve. Three big political heavyweights

[ThinkLabour @ThinkLabour]

Read this Labour List piece from our new Chair, Lord Nick Forbes. Where he sets out ThinkLabour's new role in the the current political environment.

He highlights the trade-offs behind delivery and says Britain’s challenges require serious thinking, not slogans.

Read more here: https://t.co/VQS8CeXJNK

[Ed Owen @Ed_Owen]

A hero of mine in the 1980s and a critical figure in saving the Labour Party

[Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot]

New- Roy Hattersley, the veteran Labour politician, has died aged 93.

In a tribute, Neil Kinnock calls him “a socialist of deep conviction, a dedicated democrat who believed that liberty should be unqualified by anything but responsibility and never by background or fortune.”

[Ed Owen @Ed_Owen]

@stephenpollard Many thx @stephenpollard . Better late than never!

[Al Carns @AlistairCarns]

Britain spent a decade choosing to be smaller in the world.

Right now the rules on communications, energy and trade are being rewritten. By China. By Russia. By countries that take their own security seriously. We need to be at that table. That's a choice we must make.

Strong countries get cheap energy. Weak countries pay whatever the strong ones decide.

[Al Carns @AlistairCarns]

The next war won't be won by armies, navies or air forces alone.

It'll be won by the country whose 19 year olds can code, whose factories can build drones in weeks not years, and whose grid stays on when someone tries to switch it off.

Industry. Society. Economy. That's the fight now.

We're not ready. And we're not being honest about what getting ready will cost.

[Ed Owen @Ed_Owen]

We don’t often agree but on this @ElbridgeColby is right

[Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby @USWPColby]

The United Kingdom has an extraordinarily proud military history. It commands our respect. There is again a great need for more British military strength in this critical time. We urge the UK to meet that need with urgency, scale, and determination. 1/

[ThinkLabour @ThinkLabour]

What a fantastic evening at the ThinkLabour launch party!

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate the start of this new chapter. It was great to see so many friends, colleagues and new faces in the room.

Special thanks to @AlistairCarns and @LucyMPowell for their thoughtful contributions and support.

Excited for what comes next at ThinkLabour.

[Ed Owen @Ed_Owen]

OK so yes it's another essay on Labour's future. But this one from @1jamesHowat at @ThinkLabour is worth a read. Brave and challenging but honest about the trade offs we need if we want a more prosperous, resilient and fairer Britain

[ThinkLabour @ThinkLabour]

What should Labour’s political economy look like in an age of rapid technological change?

Today, ThinkLabour launches Progressive Dynamism by our Director of Policy, James Howat.

The report argues that Labour must embrace technological innovation as the engine of growth, while building the skills, infrastructure and institutions needed to spread its benefits across the country.

A stronger state, deeper technological capabilities, and a renewed focus on regional growth can help deliver a more prosperous Britain.

Read the report: https://t.co/aQbWi6Ywhy

[No Sacred Cows @NoCowsPod]

We get into the conversation with @Ed_Owen @BenLucas_ @AnnaCMcShane and @MarkDavies67 about security, sovereignty, leadership and the choices Britain may no longer be able to avoid. Join us over on Substack or wherever you get your pods.

[Fraser Nelson @FraserNelson]

It's not just the exploitation of a tragedy.

JD Vance's picture of Britain - where migrants have led to a crime surge - is the opposite of the truth.

https://t.co/y5El5FUj7v