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, Nesta's policy podcast, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy sits down with some of the country’s leading experts on policy and government. Rather than just rehearsing the problems facing Burnham, they stress-test the big ideas that should shape his agenda, discuss the policy solutions he should actually pursue and map out the steps he should take to get started in his first 100 days.

In this episode, Ravi Gurumurthy is joined by economist and Nesta policy fellow Tony Curzon Price to explore how a new government can give the public more control over essential services without returning to old models of nationalisation.

They discuss why traditional regulation has often failed to deliver better outcomes and how government could take a more active role in shaping markets - from energy and water to digital services.

The conversation also explores how better use of data could give people more control online and why creating a stronger public digital infrastructure could help build fairer markets.

Listen now to discover the practical steps Andy Burnham could take in his first 100 days to rebuild trust, improve public services and rethink the role of government.

Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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Tony Curzon Price, policy adviser, Nesta

Tony Curzon Price is a policy adviser at Nesta. He is an economist. In the public sector, he has worked in the No 10 Policy Unit, the Cabinet Office, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the CMA and the Competition Commission. Previously, he was editor-in-chief of OpenDemocracy, and he founded and led a venture-backed California-based silicon design business. He is a non-executive director of the UK's energy regulator, OFGEM.

Ravi Gurumurthy, group chief executive officer, Nesta

Ravi Gurumurthy is group chief executive officer, joining Nesta as chief executive in December 2019. Nesta’s mission is to design, test and scale solutions to society's biggest challenges, from sustainability and health to educational inequality.

Ravi also leads the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT), often known as the ‘Nudge Unit’. BIT has grown from a small team in No 10 Downing Street to a 250-person global social purpose consultancy and a subsidiary of Nesta.

Prior to joining Nesta, Ravi co-founded and led the Airbel Innovation Lab at the International Rescue Committee. He was responsible for designing new products and services for people affected by crises in over 40 countries.

Ravi worked in the UK government from 1999 to 2013. He was an adviser and speechwriter to Foreign Secretary David Miliband, leading the creation of Every Child Matters and the Children Act 2004, and the world’s first legally binding climate legislation.

Ravi has held a number of non-executive roles, including lead non-executive director for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.