Policy & Strategy @IslingtonBC // formerly Researcher @Demos // Chair of @WCWonks (she/her)

Joined November 2021
13 Photos and videos
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
The British public is being gaslit about Angela Rayner newstatesman.com/uncategoriz…
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Precisely this: “Instead of criminalising peaceful demonstrators, the Government should be focusing on taking immediate and unequivocal action to put a stop to Israel’s genocide and ending any risk of UK complicity in it.”
9 Aug 2025
🚨HAPPENING NOW: Hundreds arrested in Parliament Square in protest organised by Defend Our Juries The arrest of otherwise peaceful protesters is a violation of the UK’s international obligations to protect the rights of freedom of expression and assembly. The protesters in Parliament Square were not inciting violence and it is entirely disproportionate to the point of absurdity to be treating them as terrorists. Instead of criminalising peaceful demonstrators, the Government should be focusing on taking immediate and unequivocal action to put a stop to Israel’s genocide and ending any risk of UK complicity in it.
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
I've been leading @Demos's Future Public Services Taskforce for the past year. On Wednesday we launched our blueprint for public service reform alongside @Georgia_Gould, Cabinet Office Minister for public sector reform. Quick thread on our proposals... 1/
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Its Live - Our New Kickstarter 'Wish We Were Here' stories of working class fantastic spaces - support our artists and our collective here kickstarter.com/projects/loc…
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
6 Sep 2024
*Sighs* *Opens mental draw marked 'New Labour's responsibility for Grenfell'* Begins thread...
5 Sep 2024
Tragedies like Grenfell cannot be completely avoided, says Sir Tony Blair trib.al/dqLel5y
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Today’s Grenfell Inquiry report highlights the devastating impacts of decades of austerity and deregulation. We need real action to ensure this never happens again. And we need justice for the 72 people killed. Those responsible must be held to account.
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
👇absolutely true. We covered some of this in episode 5 of our podcast series including @CourtSteph13 speaking about being a working class policy/researcher @Demos (yes they exist but are few in numbers). Listen to the full episode here: shows.acast.com/class-divide…
State school alumni are an asset for employers because (inter alia) their social circle is much more representative of society*: they're much less prone to bubblethink. * & would be even more so if schools adopted @suttontrust's Fair Admissions Pledge: x.com/suttontrust/status/176…
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
29 May 2024
Big day for @Demos, as our Public Services Taskforce publishes its vision for reform. Whoever wins the next election needs a new vision for public services. We think Liberated Public Services could be it. demos.co.uk/research/liberat… Quick thread... 1/
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
28 Feb 2024
🚨REVEALED: For weeks we've captivated audiences with this trailer for a new drama about the harsh realities of temporary housing. Here's the twist: this isn't drama, it’s real life. At least 34 children have died in temporary accommodation since 2019.
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Does anyone think this is a good idea?
🚨 TNT Sports will be the new home of the Emirates FA Cup from 2025/26 ⚽️ Watch more games than ever before from the world’s oldest national football competition 🏆 @EmiratesFACup | @discoveryplusUK
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Fantastic to see real, impactful change happening in Brighton - @DivideClass no doubt hugely significant in driving this forward!
The Children, Young People, and Schools committee of @BrightonHoveCC has voted to approve the creation of a new priority group - children eligible for free school meals - in the secondary school admissions process in the city. We believe this is the first time this has happened.
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
"Many Britons are still unaware of the fact that weapons that are used to murder Palestinians are manufactured in anonymous, nondescript sites in towns and cities across the country." I wrote about @Workers4Pal 's blockades and arms exports to Israel theguardian.com/commentisfre…
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Great to see this out in the world today! Since I worked on this with @ADOBrien88 I’ve moved into local government and can confirm (with no bias at all, ofc) that our hypothesis is correct Shifting power into the hands of communities is vital to rebuild trust!
11 Dec 2023
Fixing the relationship between #people, #power and #places is fundamental to tackle regional inequality and restore trust in politics. ✅ Our new report, with @nesta_uk, identifies the key schools of thought on how best to achieve this. Read here ⬇️ demos.co.uk/research/power-a…
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Three schools of thought on English devolution. From a new report by @nesta_uk @Demos @ADOBrien88 @CourtSteph13 demos.co.uk/wp-content/uploa…
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The work I did with @AndrewDSPhil on skills was some of my favourite during my time @Demos - so pleased to see it expanding & urge anyone with relevant expertise or ideas to get involved with this ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Excited to say that we're starting a new @Demos project looking at the future of Youth Hubs, funded by @YF_Foundation - and we want to hear from you! Please fill in our Call for Evidence and send it on to your networks: forms.gle/J5E3HhTkp8XHDHgB6
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
21 Nov 2023
Interesting findings - but inheritance tax being seen as unfair is not the same as it being unpopular If we ask people which taxes they want cut, suddenly IHT seems more popular. Why? A 🧵
21 Nov 2023
Is inheritance tax really as unpopular as people say? Thanks to the generosity of @wethinkpolling, we've exclusive new polling evidence. Thread:
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Today marks #ClassPayGapDay2023 when people from working-class backgrounds effectively work for free from now until the end of the year. Typically those from w-c backgrounds can be paid an average of nearly £7k less for the same work. It's unfair and it doesn't have to happen
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
13 Nov 2023
Only 14% of people would choose an inheritance tax cut in their top 3 tax cuts Most people prefer to cut taxes they actually pay like income tax, council tax and VAT But cutting IHT isn't meant to be a policy for most people, it's used for political games - at a £7bn cost!
I: Hunt considers pre-Christmas tax cuts to lift Tory gloom #TomorrowsPapersToday
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