Neil O'Brien

  • Director, 2008-2013
Neil O'Brien

Biography

Neil O’Brien is now a Special Adviser to George Osborne at the Treasury.

Neil led Policy Exchange for five years, cementing the think tank's position as the leading policy organisation in the UK.

Prior to joining Policy Exchange, Neil was director of Open Europe, a cross-party think tank working for free market reform in Europe.

Neil grew up in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, and took a first in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, at Christ Church, Oxford. His interests include economic reform and social policy.

Authored Publications

Edited Publications

  • Northern Lights: Public policy and the geography of political attitudes in Britain today

    27 April 2012

    Is there a north-south divide political divide? A major study into public attitudes – Northern Lights – examines the new political and social geography of England. The research finds that the way people vote is less and less determined by their social class, and more by how they think the government is performing and their attitudes to controversial issues like migration and crime.

  • At a Rate of Knots: Improving public transport on the River Thames

    06 January 2010

    At a Rate of Knots argues that we can make much more of the river Thames for very little cost, producing a new, integrated and expanded service which will offer a great new option for many of London’s commuters. The river is a core part of London’s identity yet it is cut off from its transport network. This report sets out how to correct this.

Related Publications

  • Northern Lights: Public policy and the geography of political attitudes in Britain today

    27 April 2012

    Is there a north-south divide political divide? A major study into public attitudes – Northern Lights – examines the new political and social geography of England. The research finds that the way people vote is less and less determined by their social class, and more by how they think the government is performing and their attitudes to controversial issues like migration and crime.

  • The Renewal of Government: A Manifesto for whoever wins the next election

    10 March 2010

    The Renewal of Government is a short analysis of the many issues facing Britain today. It recommends a root-and-branch reform of public policy, and shows in detail how to implement it.

  • At a Rate of Knots: Improving public transport on the River Thames

    06 January 2010

    At a Rate of Knots argues that we can make much more of the river Thames for very little cost, producing a new, integrated and expanded service which will offer a great new option for many of London’s commuters. The river is a core part of London’s identity yet it is cut off from its transport network. This report sets out how to correct this.

  • Default ThumbTax and Spending: Views of the British Public

    01 October 2009

    This report surveyed a 3,000 strong sample of the British population on their attitudes towards multiple aspects of tax and spending.

  • Default ThumbControlling public spending: the scale of the challenge

    03 June 2009

    Government spending is growing far more quickly than in other countries, and faster than in previous recessions. This report finds that the surge in spending is not being driven by the recession.

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Related Events

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Related News

  • North and south are worlds apart

    13 April 2013

    Writing in The Financial Times, Janan Ganesh cites findings from Policy Exchange report Northern Lights, in a piece exploring ways to tackle the North-South divide. The article also cites former Policy Exchange Director Neil O’Brien’s work on encouraging economic growth in the North, including introducing successful academy chains to improve education and skills.

  • A Tale of Two Londons

    13 March 2013

    Comments made by Neil O’Brien, former Director of Policy Exchange, last year on London being a country within a country were cited in a piece discussing property prices in London for Vanity Fair.

  • The New Power List: 100 people to watch in 2013

    07 January 2013

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien is named one of 100 influential people to watch in 2013 by The Times.

  • Austerity hits home in the North East of England

    28 December 2012

    In an article addressing the impact of austerity in the North, The Spectator cites the recent cover piece for The Spectator by Policy Exchange's Director, Neil O'Brien, on the North-South divide.

  • The Conservatives' northern year

    21 December 2012

    The Guardian's Northerner blog includes the appointment of Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien as Special Adviser to George Osborne as one of the Conservatives' moves to appeal to the North.

  • A season of dolour and dole

    15 December 2012

    The Economist cite the recent appointment of Neil O'Brien, Director of Policy Exchange, as a Special Adviser to George Osborne in an article discussing the impact of the Autumn Statement.

  • Huddersfield-born Policy Exchange director to help Tories woo northern voters

    10 December 2012

    The recent appointment of Neil O'Brien, Director of Policy Exchange, as a Special Adviser to George Osborne, is cited by The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. The article notes Neil's recent work on why the Conservative party needs to do more to appeal to Northern voters.

  • Prosperity across the South is hiding a recession in much of Britain

    04 December 2012

    The Daily Telegraph's Ed Conway references the recent appointment of Policy Exchange's Director, Neil O'Brien, as a Special Adviser to George Osborne, noting that one of Neil's main areas of interest is tackling the North/South divide.

  • Vicky Sargent’s blogwatch 13: going for growth

    04 December 2012

    Writing for The Information Daily, Vicky Sargent notes the appointment of Neil O'Brien, Policy Exchange's Director, as a Special Adviser to George Osborne. The article cites Neil's recent cover piece for The Spectator on why politicians have failed to close the North/South gap.

  • The Tory madrassa and proof that freedom comes at a price

    03 December 2012

    Hugh Muir notes the recent appointment of Neil O'Brien, Director of Policy Exchange, as a Special Adviser to George Osborne in his diary in The Guardian.

  • Self-help can beat grand gestures

    03 December 2012

    The Financial Times reports on the appointment of Neil O'Brien, Director of Policy Exchange, to be a Special Adviser to George Osborne. The article also cites Neil's recent cover piece in The Spectator on the failure to close the North/South divide.

  • UKIP is now the 'second party of the North': Farage declare victory as panicked Tories hire new guru who warns northern voters feel 'ignored'

    30 November 2012

    The Daily Mail notes the appointment of Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien, as a new Special Adviser to George Osborne, quoting comments from his recent cover piece for The Spectator on the North/South divide.

  • George Osborne hires thinktank boss to attract new voters

    30 November 2012

    The Guardian's Nick Watt argues that the recent appointment of Neil O'Brien, Director at Policy Exchange, as a Special Adviser to George Osborne is sending a clear message to the Conservatives that they need to reach out to more voters in the North and in urban areas, citing Neil's previous work on this issue.

  • George Osborne hires thinktank chief who said the Tories had to win the North

    30 November 2012

    The Daily Telegraph's Chris Hope covers Policy Exchange's Director Neil O'Brien's appointment as a Special Adviser to George Osborne, citing Neil's repeated calls for the Conservatives to do more to appeal to urban voters in the North.

  • George Osborne appoints Neil O'Brien as new adviser and opens door to a more blue collar, northern conservatism

    30 November 2012

    ConservativeHome's Tim Montgomerie writes praising Chancellor George Osborne's hiring of Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien's, citing Neil's Northern background and the focus of his previous work as being beneficial to help the country out of its current problems.

  • O'Brien is Osborne's new special adviser

    30 November 2012

    Public Service cite the appointment of Policy Exchange Director, Neil O'Brien, as a new Special Adviser to George Osborne.

  • George Osborne hires head of leading centre-right think tank to push through new Tory agenda

    30 November 2012

    In an piece discussing Policy Exchange's Director Neil O'Brien's appointment as a Special Adviser to George Osborne, The Spectator cites Policy Exchange report Northern Lights as one of the most important pieces of work on the challenges facing the Conservative party.

  • Neil O'Brien appointed special adviser to Osborne

    30 November 2012

    In an article on the recent appointment of Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien to become a Special Adviser to George Osborne, The New Statesman cites Neil as "one of the most innovative conservative thinkers of his generation."

  • Not the big state. Not the small state. But the affordable state.

    29 November 2012

    Policy Exchange's Director Neil O'Brien's blog on thinking big to achieve smaller government is cited in a ConservativeHome article discussing how George Osborne should address spending cuts in the upcoming spending review. 

  • Government online data ignored by 'armchair auditors'

    09 November 2012

    BBC News cites Neil O'Brien, Policy Exchange's Director, speaking about the benefits of sharing government data online as set out in Policy Exchange report The Big Data Opportunity. The report shows the public sector could save between £16 billion and £33 billion annually by analysing and sharing data.

  • London's 1000 most influential people 2012: Innovators, Thinkers

    08 November 2012

    Neil O'Brien, Policy Exchange's Director, has been named as one of the Evening Standard’s most influential thinkers in the paper’s list of “London's 1000 most influential people 2012”.

  • Investing to improve economic outcomes in the UK

    16 October 2012

    Ethos Journal cites comments from Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien in an article on ways to improve economic outcomes in the UK. Neil argues that we should spend less on welfare and more on education to tackle the roots of poverty.

  • Hooray for Boris, a one-man opposition

    09 October 2012

    Writing in The Financial Times, Dennis MacShane MP cites findings from recent Guardian article by Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien urging the Conservative Party to do more to appeal to voters in the North.

  • Recommended reading for Ed Miliband

    09 October 2012

    Writing in The Guardian, Frank Field MP cites comments from Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien's recent article in The Guardian urging the Prime Minister to adopt Blue Collar modernisation to appeal to more voters in the Midlands and the North of England. Frank suggests that Labour should take note of this method in the South.

  • Neil O'Brien on Newsnight

    09 October 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien appears on Newsnight arguing that the Conservatives need to figure out how to expand on the popular support their policies on crime and welfare have with policies that will appeal to and help those on low incomes.

  • My 2020 vision for a Boris Johnson Cabinet

    08 October 2012

    Writing in The Times, Tim Montgomerie argues that Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien could become a future Cabinet Minister in his vision of what the government could look like in 2020. Former PXer Jesse Norman also obtains a Cabinet post.

  • Tories still 'party of the rich', think tank says

    06 October 2012

    The Daily Telegraph cites Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien discussing the need to implement renewal in the Coservative Party to win votes in the North. Neil argues that David Cameron needs to adopt Blue Collar modernisation to attract more voters from urban areas.

  • Conservatives still party of the rich, says No 10's top thinktank

    05 October 2012

    The Guardian cites Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien's comments from an article he wrote for the paper urging the Conservative Party to do more to appeal to voters in the Midlands and the North. Neil argues that the Tory Party must try and shake off its reputation as the party of the rich.

  • Neil O'Brien on the Today programme

    05 October 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien appears on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme to discuss Bigger and Quieter: The right answer for aviation. Neil argues that proposals will see a reduction in noise pollution to levels under that currently around Heathrow, while allowing expansion of the airport westward to accommodate 4 runways.

  • We still don't have enough friends in the North

    14 September 2012

    ConservativeHome's Tim Montgomerie cites Policy Exchange's report Northern Lights, which argues that Conservatives must appeal to voters in the North if they are to win a majority in the elections. The report shows that Northerners do support key Tory values on crime, immigration, tax and human rights.

  • The great divide

    14 September 2012

    The Economist cites findings from Policy Exchange's report Northern Lights which show that Conservatives need to focus on voters in the North and the Midlands if they are to secure a win in the elections.

  • 17 days to save the economy

    11 September 2012

    Policy Exchange's Director Neil O'Brien is quoted in The Times as part of a spread looking at which policies could deliver growth over the next few years. Neil sets out ideas on house building, local infrastructure investment and a stable tax environment.

  • Neil on Newsnight

    07 September 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien appears on Newsnight setting out options for the government on how to help ease the cost of living for the public. Neil singles out environmental policy as an area where savings can be made for consumers and also advocates smarter use of current public spending.

  • Ending Expensive Social Tenancies on Newsnight

    20 August 2012

    Ending Expensive Social Tenancies, Policy Exchange's latest report which advocates selling expensive council homes and reinvesting the proceeds in new social homes, is covered in Newsnight's opening package and is debated by the Green party's Jenny Jones and Conservative London councillor Harry Phibbs.

  • Neil O'Brien on the Today programme

    20 August 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien appears on BBC Radio 4's Today programme alongside Karen Buck MP to discuss the recommendation from new report Ending Expensive Social Tenancies that expensive social housing should be sold to fund greater numbers of affordable social housing.

  • Council Houses: Call For Sale To Raise £4.5bn

    20 August 2012

    Sky News covers Policy Exchange's new report Ending Expensive Social Tenancies. Report author Alex Morton is quoted criticising expensive social properties for driving up waiting lists and Neil O'Brien is interviewed summarising the report's findings.

  • Neil O'Brien on the Today programme

    13 August 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien appears on the Today programme discussing the impact of the Olympic Games. He posits that it may have a lasting impact on the British people's belief in our ability to pull off big projects and how it may affect future levels of voluntarism.

  • Neil O'Brien on Night Waves

    10 July 2012

    Director of Policy Exchange Neil O'Brien appears on BBC Radio 3 on Night Waves discussing how London is different from the rest of the country.

  • Neil O'Brien on Any Questions?

    06 July 2012

    Policy Exchange Director appears on the Any Questions? panel discussing subjects including bankers' bonuses, defence cuts, and the ordination of women as bishops in the Church of England.

  • Downing St seeks consensus on exams

    22 June 2012

    The Financial Times reports rumours that Policy Exchange's Director Neil O'Brien will be asked to be deputy chairman of the new Social Mobility Commission.

  • Has HS2 run out of steam?

    22 June 2012

    The Guardian's Northerner blog cites the finding from Policy Exchange report Northern Lights that a majority of people in the North are unethusiastic about HS2. Director Neil O'Brien is quoted pointing out that this is understandable, as the first tranche of construction on HS2 will only go between London and Birmingham - failing to benefit those in the North at all.

  • Neil O'Brien on Radio Five Live

    21 June 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien takes part in a discussion on BBC Radio 5 Live on Michael Gove's proposals to replace GCSEs with O Levels and CSEs. He argues that the reforms make sense, with the current system forcing children to take an academic education where they may respond better to a more vocational education.

  • If compassion is no longer about how much money governments spend, Labour stops winning elections

    14 June 2012

    Tim Montgomerie, Editor of ConservativeHome, quotes Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien's analysis of what's wrong with the Child Poverty Target and how it should be changed.

  • Tories move child poverty target

    13 June 2012

    The Guardian quotes Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien from his blog post on why and how we should change the child poverty target.

  • Jill Kirby: It's time to scrap the child poverty target, and replace it with broader measures

    29 May 2012

    ConservativeHome cites Policy Exchange's lasting opposition to the current format of the Child Poverty Target - starting with 2009 report Poverty of Ambition - and our calls for a more intelligent, qualitative, approach to tackling child poverty.

  • Neil O'Brien on the Today Programme

    26 May 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien discusses social mobility on Radio 4's Today Programme. He argues that British society is more mobile than it is given credit for, and that politicians need to be clear on what they are trying to achieve with social mobility.

  • Neil O'Brien on Radio Five Live

    21 May 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien discusses social mobility with Hazel Blears on BBC Radio Five Live. He argues that the most important barrier to social mobility is differences in education, even before children have reached school.

  • Neil O'Brien on Newsnight

    18 May 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien speaks on Newsnight about how the increasing cost of living has pushed childcare centre stage as a political issue.

  • How do the Conservatives regain the trust of northern England?

    03 May 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien is quoted by The Guardian's Northerner blog citing findings from report Northern Lights that the Conservatives could use to appeal to Northern voters.

  • Neil O'Brien on The View from 22

    03 May 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien talks to The Spectator's James Forsyth on their podcast The View from 22 about our report Northern Lights. Neil highlights the problems for the Conservatives in the urban North and Labour in the rural South and the increasing divide between the public and politicians.

  • Can elected mayors square the vicious circle?

    01 May 2012

    Telegraph columnist Robert Colvile refers to the finding from Policy Exchange report Northern Lights that there is increasingly an anti-politics attitude among voters, to the extent that voters refuse to believe politicians have kept their promises even when they have demonstrably done so.

  • What do the voters really want? Tony Blair

    01 May 2012

    Telegraph columnist Robert Colvile extensively covers Policy Exchange's report and launch event Northern Lights: Public policy and the geography of political attitudes in Britain today.

  • Tricolour Britain

    30 April 2012

    Spectator Editor Fraser Nelson blogs on Policy Exchange's new report on the public's political and policy views - Northern Lights - highlighting the 10 findings he considers to be the most important. He cites Director Neil O'Brien's observation that Tories do so badly in cities that only two Tory MPs have premiership football teams in their constituency.

  • Neil O'Brien on the Today Programme

    30 April 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien appears to the Today programme to discuss the findings of latest report Northern Lights. Neil reveals that the main concern by far for British citizens is the cost of living and that their perceptions of their local area are most affected by the local unemployment rate.

  • Energy bills, fuel duty and tax top voters' concerns

    30 April 2012

    The Independent covers Policy Exchange's latest report Northern Lights, highlighting the finding that the cost of living is by far the most pressing concern to voters. Director Neil O'Brien is quoted pointing out that neither of the two main political parties are successfully appealing to ordinary people.

  • Politicians ‘out of touch with ordinary voters’

    30 April 2012

    The Yorkshire Post references findings from Policy Exchange report Northern Lights that the cost of living is the main concern of voters, rather than whatever the latest issue is in the Westminster bubble. Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien is quoted stressing the need to address these issues and pointing out that the main political parties are singularly failing to appeal to ordinary working people.

  • North-South divide over local pay plan

    30 April 2012

    The Northern Echo cites a range of findings from Policy Exchange report Northern Lights on where Labour and the Conservatives are strongest around the country along with a comparison of Northern-Southern policy views. Director Neil O'Brien is quoted highlighting the fact that the Tories don't have a problem in the North in general so much as they have a problem in Northern cities specifically.

  • Poll Shock 82% Think David Cameron Is Out Of Touch

    29 April 2012

    The Sunday Express cites polling figures from Policy Exchange report Northern Lights which show a growing disconnect between politicians and the public. They quote Director Neil O'Brien revealing the report's findings that voters want more female, minority and working class MPs and MPs not drawn from the political class.

  • Outsourcing the state: A less uniform approach

    26 April 2012

    The Financial Times quotes Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien predicting that private companies are going to have a much greater role in delivering public services by 2015, to the extent that it will be "less about private versus public but about how best to manage different sorts of markets in public services".

  • It’s never been so easy for the rich to get richer

    24 April 2012

    Ahead of his discussion at Policy Exchange on 'The New Few', Ferdinand Mount writes in The Evening Standard on the growing gulf between the very rich and the rest of society. He cites Neil O'Brien's Spectator article in which he highlights how London's political class live a world apart from deprived areas of the country.

  • Building a Conservative Majority (16): More political firepower for ministers

    17 April 2012

    ConservativeHome's Tim Montgomerie quotes Neil O'Brien's FT piece calling for more special advisers in Downing Street to help detect and prevent political disasters and help ministers get a grip on their departments.

  • Neil O'Brien on Newsnight

    16 April 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien appears on Newsnight advocating a stronger political operation from the Number 10 policy unit which has become too dominated by impartial civil servants.

  • Neil O'Brien on The Daily Politics

    16 April 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien is interviewed on The Daily Politics backing the government’s decision to re-assess people claiming Disability Living Allowance, arguing that a whole industry had sprung up to advise people how to fraudulently claim meaning that those most in need of support were not receiving enough help.

  • Neil O'Brien on The View from 22

    12 April 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien discusses the topic of his cover story in The Spectator - the growing financial, cultural and political gulf between London and the rest of the country - in The Spectator's first ever podcast.

  • Neil O'Brien on Newsnight

    02 April 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien appears on Newsnight discussing the issue of reassessing people claiming incapacity benefit, stressing the mental health benefits of not being stuck on incapacity benefit dependency and the fact that money saved goes toward the most needy claimants.

  • There could be an rash of by-elections this autumn. What surprises might they throw up?

    30 March 2012

    Neil O'Brien, Policy Exchange's Director, speculates what the results of a potential rash of by-elections in the wake of local mayoral and PCC elections could mean.

  • Who taxed all the pies?

    28 March 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien debates the levying of VAT on hot pies on Channel 4 News. Neil argues that the charge helps bring consistency to the VAT system and that the real argument over 'pastygate' is about the cost of living.

  • Neil O'Brien on the Today Programme

    23 March 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien appeared on the Today programme to debate the Child Poverty Target, making the case from Tackling the Causes of Poverty that we need to focus on the causes of poverty, rather than just income.

  • Neil O'Brien on Channel 4 News

    20 March 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien appears on Channel 4 News highlighting how slower economic growth has created a politics that ‘pinches at both ends of the spectrum’ – people wish to see the rich pay more, and are angry at those claiming benefit who could otherwise work.

  • Default ThumbCompassionate Conservatives find it's time to think again

    06 March 2012

    The Guardian highlights Policy Exchange's 10th birthday, calling us the most influential thinktank in Britain, and citing our past successes as well as our future policy plans such as ending national pay bargaining and moving child poverty measures to a 'causes of poverty' target.

  • Is it over for 'vote Blue, go Green' as guru exits?

    04 March 2012

    The Independent on Sunday claims that recommendations from Policy Exchange's report Cities for Growth for implementing a more flexible planning system and allowing local people to have more of a say in planning decisions are being considered by the Treasury. Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien is also quoted pressing for an increase in the provision of affordable housing to improve growth of the UK's economy.

  • Neil O'Brien on Woman's Hour

    27 February 2012

    Neil O'Brien appears on Woman's Hour discussing the rising costs of childcare and argues that although government regulations have focused on improving quality they have also restricted parents choices of cheaper childcare.

  • Neil O'Brien on Newsnight

    21 February 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien appears on Newsnight ahead of the release of our latest report Social Enterprise Schools highlighting the urgency of creating new school places and advocating the use of schools run as social enterprises as a way of doing so.

  • Labour must face up to Cameron's popularity

    21 February 2012

    In the New Statesman Director of Policy Exchange Neil O'Brien is quoted from his Total Politics Interview, specifically his identification of voters in the north and midlands as crucial to the outcome of the next general election.

  • Neil O'Brien on the Today Programme

    20 February 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien debates with YouGov President Peter Kellner on the Today programme how radical the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill actually are, pointing out that many of the changes have been taking place already over the last two decades.

  • Neil O'Brien on Newsnight

    16 February 2012

    Neil O'Brien appeared on Newsnight defending the fairness of conditional welfare and advocating a more personally tailored system for jobseekers in a debate with Will Straw of the IPPR.

  • Is second language English an issue for children?

    11 February 2012

    Following on from his blog on the same subject, Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien is interviewed alongside the IPPR's Matt Cavanagh by the Today programme on how well immigrants are integrating into British life.

  • "Unemployment is the root of all social evil"

    10 February 2012

    John Rentoul praises Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien's answers in his Total Politics interview, specifically Neil's identification of unemployment as the UK's biggest social problem.

  • The director of Policy Exchange says fairness can't be measured on a chart

    24 January 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien is interviewed for Total Politics. Neil cites the findings from our report Just Deserts? on the public's conception of fairness and shows how relevant recommendations from Making Housing Affordable are to this view.

  • Neil O'Brien on the Today Programme

    14 December 2011

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien takes part in a debate on the Today Programme on unemployment in the UK, making the case from report Personalised Welfare for more specifically tailored job-search support for jobseekers.

  • Thinking by numbers

    14 September 2011

    In an interview with Civil Service Live Network Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien gives his views on a wide range of areas in need of reform, from public sector IT usage to hiring practices in the civil service.

  • Neil O'Brien on the Today Programme

    07 June 2011

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien features on the Today Programme to discuss the prospect of failing universities and calling for greater transparency in university finances.

  • Director Neil O'Brien on The Today Programme

    07 February 2011

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien features on The Today Programme to argue that the case from latest report Bringing Rights Back Home that the government should consider withdrawing Britain from the European Court of Human Rights.

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Related Blogs

  • The great divide

    29 November 2012

    Neil O'Brien, Policy Exchange's Director, discusses the failure to close the North/South divide, arguing that both Westminster politicians and Northern council leaders fail to understand the nature of the problems the North faces. He makes recommendations which would help boost the Northern economy, including welcoming successful academy chains, local pay bargaining and planning reform.

  • Margaret Thatcher, uber-moderniser

    20 November 2012

    Neil O'Brien, Director at Policy Exchange, shows how faded memories have meant that Margaret Thatcher's modernising moves, such as trying to appeal to minority, female and naturally anti-Tory voters, have been forgotten.

  • Why the Government is right to want to improve the poverty target

    15 November 2012

    Policy Exchange's Director, Neil O'Brien, argues that the government's announcement to include additional factors to the child poverty target reflects a recommendation set out in 2011 Policy Exchange report Tackling the Causes of Poverty, which suggested replacing the income-based child poverty target with a set of multi-dimensional causal indicators, including unemployment and education.

  • The north's economy needs a radical new approach if it's going to catch up with the south

    13 November 2012

    Neil O'Brien, Director of Policy Exchange, argues that the North's economy needs a radical new approach to catch up with the South. Neil shows how previous Policy Exchange research on local pay bargaining and planning reform could attract private sector investment and jobs.

  • Is Britain 'coming apart' as cultural inequality increases?

    09 November 2012

    Neil O'Brien, Policy Exchange's Director, discusses cultural inequality, arguing that there are huge changes going on in Britain that the political and media bubble is not aware of.

  • Unlike America we don't elect a President. So let's never have presidential style debates again.

    07 November 2012

    Neil O'Brien, Policy Exchange's Director, argues against the import of US election style leader debates in Britain. Having given in to the presidential debate format for the 2010 elections, the UK should not continue the practice in 2015, he argues.

  • The remarkable rise of mental illness in Britain

    30 October 2012

    Neil O'Brien, Policy Exchange's Director, discusses the dramatic increase in mental illness in Britain, arguing that it is one of the biggest challenges facing the welfare state, and one which is only now starting to be explored.

  • The Conservatives can be the new workers' party

    05 October 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien argues that the Prime Minister must ignore calls from some of his backbenchers to lurch to the right and instead focus on building a narrative that focuses on Blue Collar modernisation. He says that the Tories must start appealing to low income earners and ethnic minority voters.

  • The challenge for the Tories is to find their own version of Blairism

    04 October 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien argues that the challenge facing the Tories is to find their own version of Blairism. Neil suggests that the Conservatives need to do more to win over voters in the North and in the Midlands, and argues that the Tories need to show they are not just a party for the rich.

  • Scottish Labour tries to start an honest conversation about public spending

    26 September 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien argues in support of new Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont's drive to address public spending in Scotland and end the 'something for nothing culture'.

  • 'Concreting over the countryside'? Actually we're building less than ever

    07 September 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien argues that the government needs to adopt a fresh approach to the housing problem, stressing that stringent planning regulations are preventing empty offices and buildings being converted into residential properties.

  • 'Predistribution' is an interesting idea. But what exactly is Ed Miliband going to do about it?

    06 September 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien examines the concept of 'predistribution' and how it could be implemented in the real world. Neil suggests that tying predistribution to housing would be an effective start in helping the poor.

  • No one has a right to live in Kensington at taxpayers' expense: it's time to start recycling social housing

    20 August 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien writes advocating recommendations from new report Ending Expensive Social Tenancies that expensive social housing should be sold and the proceeds used to build more social housing.

  • The Olympics teach us (among other things) that Britain isn't meritocratic enough

    09 August 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien draws six lessons from the Olympic Games, including that Britain actually can successfully conduct big projects, should focus on 'victory through specialisation' and embrace elitism and meritocracy.

  • Is London sucking the life out of Yorkshire?

    01 August 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien looks at the problems facing Yorkshire and gives examples on how it could improve itself to counteract the gravitational pull of London on graduates and industry. Suggestions include growing Leeds using lessons from Manchester, luring the best academy school chains, reforming the planning system and changing national pay bargaining to a more local level.

  • Can we make the economy grow faster?

    26 July 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien calls for reform of the planning system to boost the economy. He argues that reforms suggested in report Cities for Growth and More Homes: Fewer Empty Buildings would create a more flexible planning system, reduce the cost of housing, and provide a huge boost to the economy.

  • What is Milibandism?

    04 July 2012

    In the New Statesman Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien examines what policies Ed Miliband might implement if he were to be elected as Prime Minister.

  • Is there really a 'couple penalty' in the benefits system?

    18 June 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien examines whether there is a 'couple penalty' in the benefits system. He argues that the different situations of couples involved and the different assumptions made by people on how much living as a couple or as two single people costs. He argues that the perverse incentives offered to couples by the social housing system - which are explored in report Making Housing Affordable - are a bigger problem.

  • Cameron is in need of political firepower

    16 April 2012

    Neil O'Brien, Policy Exchange's Director, endorses increasing the number of special advisers in order for the government to manage the civil service better. He also notes that the Conservatives' “blue-collar modernisation” is faltering and makes various suggestions from previous Policy Exchange reports for helping the 'Strivers'.

  • Budget 2012: Osborne is right about the planning system, but will he really change it?

    21 March 2012

    Following the announcement in the Budget that the government will allow the creation of more Garden Cities (as recommended in Policy Exchange report Cities for Growth), Director Neil O'Brien writes outlining the advantages of such Cities, and calls for the Chancellor to make radical reforms to the wider planning system.

  • If we want smaller government, we will have to think big

    09 March 2012

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien sets out 12 big things the government can do to reduce public expenditure by helping growth, making government more efficient and reducing dependency on the state. He draws on recommendations from a plethora of Policy Exchange reports.

  • We need three big reforms to get Britain growing

    05 August 2011

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien provides a series of proposals for saving money and boosting economic growth, including proposals from several Policy Exchange reports such as reintroducing conditionality into welfare (No Rights Without Responsibility) and renewing the 'right to buy' programme (Making Housing Affordable).

  • Let people vote on the fate of the green belt

    04 July 2011

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien writes in his Telegraph blog making the case set out in Making Housing Affordable that individual planning decisions should be voted on by the people they directly affect and developers should be allowed to offer incentives for people to vote for new developments.

  • How Not to Run Environmental Policy

    10 March 2011

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien writes in The Wall Street Journal, citing findings from report Carbon Omissions that, rather than actually reducing carbon emissions, Europe has effectively been offshoring them to China.

  • Big Government in America, Small Government in Britain and Germany?

    14 February 2011

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien comments in his Telegraph blog on figures released by the IMF which predict that government spending levels in the United States will surpass those of both Britain and Germany.

  • What Cameron Can Teach Obama

    27 January 2011

    Policy Exchange Director Neil O'Brien writes in The Wall Street Journal that Britain is ahead of the U.S. in the debate about how to get control over government spending.

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Related Press Release

  • George Osborne appoints Neil O’Brien as Special Adviser

    30 November 2012

    Neil O’Brien has been appointed Special Adviser to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne. O’Brien will remain at Policy Exchange to hand over to his successor, but will step down from front line duties as Director of Policy Exchange with immediate effect. David Skelton will become Acting Director while the think tank looks for a replacement for O’Brien.