Research areas

Neil O'Brien in the news

 

5th August 2010

John McTernan v Neil O'Brien: Can Iain Duncan Smith fix Britain's welfare problem?

Neil goes head to head with John McTernan on welfare reforms being led by Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith.

 

3rd August 2010

Give the falling property market a push

Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien writes for the Financial Times on the British property market.

 

28th July 2010

A greener, cheaper energy policy

Neil discusses climate and energy policy, and the findings and launch of the latest Policy Exchange report Greener, Cheaper for Conservative Home.

 

20th July 2010

The Business: Labour's economic legacy

Neil features in The Guardian's The Business podcast commenting on the Labour Party's economic legacy.

 

19th July 2010

Yes, we can bring law and order to the Wild West Web

Neil comments in the Daily Mail on the Facebook tribute to Raoul Moat.


19th July 2010

Throwing money at poverty is no cure for it

Neil writes in the Telegraph on the problems with the previous Government's approach to poverty and suggests a new approach for the Coalition.

 

14th July 2010

Scots should forget about flying the flag and fix their country

Neil writes for the Daily Telegraph on why Scotland should focus more on its problems rather than on constitutional change and devolution, following the release of latest report The Devolution Distraction.

 

8th July 2010

Should we care about inequality - or poverty?

Neil blogs for the Daily Telegraph on the debate over poverty and inequality, including findings from a critique of The Spirit Level in Policy Exchange's latest report Beware False Prophets.

 

2nd July 2010

Unemployment can still fall, even as the state shrinks

Neil writes on the Telegraph's blog about shrinking the public sector.

 

23rd June 2010

Neil O'Brien on The World Tonight

Neil speaks on The World Tonight about the measures taken in the recent Budget to cut government spending.

 

22nd June 2010

This Budget is only a start: our debts will still be nearly three times higher than in 2007

Neil writes for the Daily Telegraph on the spending reductions outlined in the emergency budget.

 

21st June 2010

Neil O'Brien on 'How to Save £100 Billion - Live'

Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien features on Channel 4 Dispatches programme, How to Save £100 Billion - Live.

 

19th June 2010

George's bloodbath budget

Neil is quoted on the News of the World Politics Blog on public spending cuts and the need to reduce the public sector pay bill.

 

18th June 2010

Neil O'Brien speaks to Victoria Derbyshire

Neil speaks to Victoria Derbyshire about the findings of Controlling Public Spending on the differences in pay and conditions between the public and private sectors.

 

18th June 2010

How Public Sector Staff Earn 30% More In Nine Fewer Years

Neil is quoted in the Express discussing the need to bring down the public sector pay bill, as highlighted by Policy Exchange report Controlling Public Spending.

 

18th June 2010

Public/Private Sector Pay Gap Widens

Neil is quoted in a Sky News article on the need to lower the public sector pay bill and proposals contained in the latest Policy Exchange report Controlling Public Spending.


18th June 2010

Public sector pay, conditions outstrip private sector, report says

Neil is quoted in the Daily Telegraph discussing the need to bring down the public sector pay bill, as highlighted by Policy Exchange report Controlling Public Spending.


18th June 2010

Public sector workers work nine years less

Neil is quoted in an article on the thisismoney website discussing public sector pay versus the private sector and proposals to lower the public sector paybill, as highlighted by the report Controlling Public Spending.


18th June 2010

The TUC are wrong: public sector workers are now far better paid for the same jobs

Neil writes on the Telegraph's blog on the findings of the latest Policy Exchange report Controlling Public Spending into pay and staffing costs in the public sector.

16th June 2010

£50bn a year in welfare benefits is handed to the middle class

The Daily Mail reports on Policy Exchange findings and quotes Neil saying "We're wasting billions on a merry-goround that taxes people and then gives them their own money back in the form of benefits."


16th June 2010

Just by sounding serious about the deficit, the new government has saved us £6.6 billion

Neil writes on Conservativehome about how the government's stance on debt reduction has saved the country £6.6 billion on debt interest payments.


9th June 2010

Will the government cut back middle class welfare? Let's hope so.

Neil comments on the activities of the Treasury at ConservativeHome


8th June 2010

Are old people winning the 'generation clash'? And is there even a clash?

Neil writes on the Telegraph's blog.


8th June 2010

Public Service Review: Central Government

Neil writes for publicservice.co.uk on the options open to the coalition as they face a debt forecasted to rise to £776.6bn by the end of this financial year.

 

16th June 2010

£50bn a year in welfare benefits is handed to the middle class

The Daily Mail reports on Policy Exchange findings and quotes Neil saying "We're wasting billions on a merry-goround that taxes people and then gives them their own money back in the form of benefits."


3rd June 2010

After the killings in Cumbria, what should we do about guns?

Following the recent shootings in Cumbria, Neil examines gun crime in the UK and what can be done to combat it.


28th May 2010

Coalition government - how to hold it all together

Neil examines the stability of the Liberal Conservative coalition on Public Service.co.uk


23rd May 2010

Britain's new political elite

In their article on the influential figures surrounding the new government the Times includes former and current Policy Exchange Directors Nick Boles and Neil O'Brien.


18th May 2010

The next big political battle will be about the cost of living

Neil writes on the Telegraph's blog on how the cost of living is rising, in part because of Britain's ageing infrastructure which will cost £500 billion over the next decade.


15th May 2010

Neil O'Brien on the Today Programme

Neil speaks on the Today Programme on ways to reform and make savings from the benefits system.


10th May 2010

Could a "rainbow coalition" cope with our massive debt crisis?

Neil writes on ConservativeHome dismissing the idea that a rainbow coalition would be able to tackle the deficit.


7th May 2010

Do the Liberal Democrats and Tories agree enough on policy for a 'change coalition'?

Writing on the Telegraph's blog Neil examines whether Conservative and Liberal Democrat policies are similar enough to enable them to form a coalition.


27th April 2010

A dishonest debate about cuts

Writing in the Telegraph's blog, Neil criticises all the main parties for their unwillingness to make clear their spending plans.


14th April 2010

Payment by results will offer a chance to slash reoffending rates

Writing on the Telegraph's blog Neil comments on the Conservative Party's plans to introduce payment by results in order to reduce reoffending.


9th April 2010

Why slashed spending doesn't have to mean worse public services

Neil writes in a Telegraph blog commenting on the media's coverage of tax and spending issues.


7th April 2010

The truth about the budget deficit

Allister Heath of City A.M. cites Policy Exchange's latest publication The Cost of Inaction which shows that cutting state borrowing can lead to higher growth when borrowing is high.


26th March 2010

Neil O'Brien on Newsnight

Neil speaks on Newsnight advocating a cut in employer's National Insurance Contributions as recommended by our report Taxation, Growth and Employment.


14th March 2010

Hamish McRae: So you think we live in a two-tier system now? It will get a lot worse

Neil is quoted in the Independent discussing findings from Policy Exchange publication The Renewal of Government that the public sector has been performing poorly despite increasing pay compared to the private sector.


10th March 2010

Unions must learn that public services are there to serve the public

Neil O'Brien writes in the Telegraph about new Policy Exchange publication The Renewal of Government which, among other things, shows that the public sector is costly and inefficient.


10th March 2010

Public sector pay has risen 15% more than private since Labour came to power


Neil O'Brien talks to the Daily Mail about proposals from new Policy Exchange publication The Renewal of Government advocating reform of the public sector to more closely mirror the private sector.


10th March 2010

Brown to announce pay freeze amid fears over UK's credit rating


The Telegraph quotes Neil referencing findings from new Policy Exchange publication The Renewal of Government that poorly performing public sector workers are getting better pay than more productive private sector workers.


9th March 2010

Budget date of 24 March starts countdown for 6 May election


The Guardian quotes Neil on research from new Policy Exchange publication The Renewal of Government which shows that despite productivity falling in the public sector, pay has risen by far more than the private sector where productivity has increased.


8th March 2010

Foot's triumph: The bloated, wasteful, debt-ridden policies that so obsessed the former Labour leader are once again wrecking Britain

Neil O'Brien writes in the Daily Mail about the financial and political crisis Britain is currently in and draws comparisons with the 1970's.


7th March 2010

Think tank: Slackers find a safe haven in the public sector

Neil criticises poor public sector performance in the Times.


11th February 2010

The Cameroons are fleshing out the agenda which may come to define them

Peter Hoskin writes on the Spectator's blog about the post-bureaucratic age, citing previous collaborative work with Neil O'Brien


27th January 2010

We invaded Afghanistan - can't we pay to rebuild it?

Neil writes for the Telegraph


19th January 2010

Child poverty targets are diverting policymakers from the causes to the symptoms of poverty

Neil writes for the Conservative Home Blog


14th January 2010

A case for Radical Reform of Public Sector Broadcasting

Neil writes for Platform 10 Blog on our report, Changing the Channel which suggests that the BBC should undergo a radical overhaul.


14th January 2010

BBC needs a cultural change, and a funding cut

Neil writes for the Daily Telegraph on our report, Changing the Channel which suggests that the BBC should undergo a radical overhaul.


6th January 2010

Little Platoons Online

Neil writes in the Spectator on David Cameron's idea of the 'Post Bureaucratic Age'


15th December 2009

Neil O'Brien on Newsnight

Neil is featured on Newsnight commenting on the war in Afghanistan


15th December 2009

Defence: is it even worse than we thought?

Neil writes for the Conservative Home Blog


15th December 2009

Neil talks to BBC Radio 4's Today Programme about 'mutalism'

Listen to Neil's comments at 2 hours and 55 minutes.


13th December 2009

How should the Conservatives counter Labour's 'Tories will increase VAt and cut inheritance tax' attack?

Neil is quoted on the Conservative Home Blog.


9th December 2009

A whole batch of Brownies

Neil writes on the Spectator's Coffee House blog about the pre-Budget Report.


22nd November 2009

Only growth and reform can save Britain (and the Conservatives)

Conservative Home references Neil O'Brien on the level of government debt


21st November 2009

Sir Hugh Orde is wrong about elected police chiefs

Neil O'Brien writes about elected police chiefs in The Telegraph


20th November 2009

Off the scale and off the rails

Neil O'Brien writes on the ever increasing problem of government debt for Conservative Home


10th November 2009

The One Thousand - Politics

The Evening Standard lists Neil as the 27th most influential person in UK politics


8th November 2009

Voters call to slash bloated BBC budget

Neil talks about government spending


2nd October 2009

Meet the new Tory establishment

Neil is profiled as one of the country's most influential Conservative-linked figures


13th September 2009

Westminster House: Public Service Poll

Neil talks to BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour about public services


12th September 2009

Labour Blow as Tories "more trusted"

The News of the World quotes Neil O'Brien on an opinion poll.


27th August 2009

GCSE Results: A simple solution to grade inflation.

Neil writes for the Daily Telegraph.


26th August 2009

Debate: Does Britain need the Equality Bill

Neil O'Brien and the Solicitor General Vera Baird MP debate the Equality Bill


8th August 2009

Brown's debt hits us all for £26,000

The Sun quotes Neil O'Brien on the state of the Government's finances.


4th August

Cameron 'must achieve balance'

Neil talks to BBC Radio 4's Today programme.


1st August

Britain 'could return to crippling 1970s strikes'

Neil talks to the Daily Telegraph.


4th July 2009

BoE Committee considers expanding quantitative easing to £150bn

Neil is quoted in the Telegraph


19th June 2009

Getting Byrned

Neil responds to Liam Bryne over his Telegraph article in the Spectator.


19th June 2009

Tory plans to cut inheritance tax send the wrong message

Neil writes for the Telegraph Comment section


9th June 2009

Prospect of Cameron election victory sends chill through Europe

Neil is quoted in the Irish Times


20 May 2009

What future for MPs' expenses?

Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien comments on the MP's expenses scandal.


20 January 2009

It's Like Thatcher Revolution Never Happened.

Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien covers the challenges facing Ken Clarke, as he is appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise & Reform.


1 October 2008

Cameron's speech: putting the family first.

Policy Exchange Director Neil O’Brien writes on the emerging policy themes from the Conservative Party Conference 2008 in The Guardian.


26 September 2008

What can they be thinking?

The Guardian reports on the recent work of Policy Exchange.


16 September 2008 Policy Exchange Press Release:

New Director of Policy Exchange.

Neil O'Brien has been appointed the new Director of Policy Exchange.


5 March 2008

Accepting the Lisbon Treaty without a referendum would be dishonest
Neil argues that as the Lisbon Treaty does not differ much from the failed EU Constitution any attempt to approve it without a referendum would be dishonest.