The Policy Fix
Policy Fix is a podcast that moves beyond political headlines to focus on what works and how to make it happen. Hosted by Nesta, the UK's innovation foundation, it explores bold ideas and radical thinking on policy. Each episode brings together Britain's smartest minds to solve problems, not just debate them. The show aims to drive the country forward with evidence-based solutions.
Episodes
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
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
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
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 i
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 Gurumur
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 Gurumur
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 t
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 initiativ
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
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
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'
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 urge
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
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: th
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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