Sophie Metcalfe | Institute for Government

Working to make government more effective

Sophie is a researcher working in the Institute for Government’s policy making team. Her research specialises in why chronic policy problems persist, and lessons from past UK governments’ major policymaking success stories.

She previously worked as an executive assistant at Resolution Foundation, a think tank specialising in improving living standards for low- to middle-income households. She has an MPhil in Geography, specialising in the impact of post-2010 budget cuts on UK prison services.

16 JAN 2024 Report chapter

Whitehall Monitor 2024: Methodology

The methodology underpinning the analysis in Whitehall Monitor 2024.

16 JAN 2024 Report chapter

Whitehall Monitor 2024: Conclusion

The key lessons to take from Whitehall Monitor 2024.

16 JAN 2024 Report chapter

Whitehall Monitor 2024: Part 2

Recommendations for civil service reform covering the workforce, ministers, the centre of government, policy making, digital and AI, and resilience.

17 JUL 2023 Comment

Same-sex marriage legislation shows that policy can lead public opinion

Same-sex marriage legislation, passed 10 years ago today, was a masterclass in building consensus for a contentious policy.

21 APR 2023 Comment

Ministers’ fear of nanny statism is constraining effective government action on obesity

Political squeamishness and incoherent policymaking are preventing progress against the government’s obesity targets, argues Sophie Metcalfe.

17 APR 2023 Report

Tackling obesity

Government squeamishness on tackling obesity will mean higher taxes and lower productivity.

27 JAN 2023 Comment

The government needs to implement long-term policies that tackle obesity

Arguments over ‘cakegate’ should not distract from the government binning or delaying its key policies for tackling obesity.

14 NOV 2022 Explainer

Sugar tax

The soft drinks industry levy (SDIL), or ‘sugar tax’, is a levy applied to UK-produced or imported soft drinks containing added sugar.