The PF blog is regularly updated with topical postings on public service issues from our high-profile independent commentators and the Public Finance editorial team. Go to the PF blog
John Appleby l Read John’s posts
John Appleby is chief economist at the King’s Fund. He has researched and published widely on many aspects of health service policy. John has worked as an economist for the NHS, and as a senior lecturer and visiting professor in economics. He is an adviser to the Northern Ireland government on implementation of his review of health and social care services.
Melissa Benn l Read Melissa’s posts
Melissa Benn is an award-winning writer, journalist and campaigner. She has written five fiction and non-fiction books, and writes for the Guardian and several other publications on social and political issues. She is a regular public speaker and broadcaster.
Steve Freer l Read Steve’s posts
Steve Freer has been CIPFA’s chief executive since 2000. Previously he worked in senior public finance roles in several local authorities, and in management consultancy. Steve is a board member of the Centre for Public Scrutiny and the Local Government Leadership Centre. He is also an adviser to the International Federation of Accountants.
Mark Hellowell l Read Mark’s posts
Mark Hellowell is a lecturer in health systems and public policy organisation at the University of Edinburgh. His special interest is public private partnerships, and he has been an adviser to the Treasury select committee’s inquiry into the private finance initiative. Mark has published and broadcast widely on these issues.
Peter Hetherington l Read Peter’s posts
Peter Hetherington writes on community affairs and regeneration. He is the former regional affairs and northern editor of the Guardian, and is a board trustee of the Town and Country Planning Association. He recently led its work on Connecting Local Economies, supported by the LGA.
Judy Hirst l Read Judy’s posts
Judy Hirst is deputy editor of Public Finance magazine and publicfinance.co.uk. She has written extensively on public and social policy issues, for the Guardian, the New Statesman, Community Care and other publications. You can email her at editorial@publicfinance.co.uk.
Guy Lodge l Read Guy’s posts
Guy Lodge is an associate director of the Institute for Public Policy Research. His areas of expertise include political and democratic reform, the civil service and Britishness. Guy is a visiting research fellow at Oxford University. He was an advisor to the Flanagan review of policing, and co-authored Brown at 10 with Anthony Seldon.
Ian Mulheirn l Read Ian’s posts
Ian Mulheirn has been director of the Social Market Foundation since 2008. He is a former economic advisor at HM Treasury where he worked on child poverty, savings & investment, welfare to work and higher education funding. Ian is currently a specialist advisor to the House of Commons work and pensions select committee.
Vivienne Russell l Read Vivienne’s posts
Vivienne Russell is news editor at Public Finance magazine and public.finance.co.uk. Before joining Public Finance she reported on health policy for a website aimed at health professionals and worked as a researcher at the House of Commons. You can email her at editorial@publicfinance.co.uk.
Conor Ryan l Read Conor’s posts
Conor Ryan is a writer and consultant. He was senior special adviser to David Blunkett from 1993-2001 and Tony Blair’s senior education adviser from 2005-07. He blogs at Conor’s Commentary and has written a number of books on educational issues.
Colin Talbot l Read Colin’s posts
Colin Talbot is a professor at the University of Manchester Business School, and an adviser to the Treasury select committe. He writes and comments widely on public management reform. Colin has worked with numerous national and international public sector organisations, as an adviser, consultant and researcher. He blogs at Whitehall Watch.
Mike Thatcher l Read Mike’s posts
Mike Thatcher has been the editor of Public Finance magazine and publicfinance.co.uk since 2000. He previously had senior editorial roles on business publications covering the worlds of HR and printing. Before that, he was an economic analyst, working in the City. You can email him at editorial@publicfinance.co.uk.
John Tizard l Read John’s posts
John Tizard is director of the Centre for Public Service Partnerships, which he established at the University of Birmingham, before it partnered with the Local Government Information Unit in 2010. He has been a senior executive at the Capita Group, a senior director at Scope, a county councillor and council leader. He is a non-executive director of the Social Investment Business.
Tony Travers l Read Tony’s posts
Tony Travers is director of a research centre at LSE, undertaking projects about councils, public finance and urban government. He has been a member of the Audit Commission, a King’s Fund associate and advisor to a number of Commons committees. Tony writes and broadcasts extensively on public finance, local government and policy issues.
Heather Wakefield l Read Heather’s posts
Heather Wakefield is head of the Local Government Service Group of the UK’s largest public service trade union Unison, representing over 700,000 of the union’s 1.4 million members. She was previously a researcher and regional official for the union, and a women’s rights officer for NCCL (Liberty). Heather is a regular commentator on local government and women’s issues.
