Ryan Swift
@RyanSwift93
Research Fellow at @IPPRNorth @IPPR - work on democracy, devolution, regional identity | PhD from @POLISatLeeds on the politics of Northernness
PhD thesis submitted. Nice start to the new year 🎉

"Young people in the North are being hit twice as hard due to regional inequalities." Read @RyanSwift93 column in @yorkshirepost about how deep geographical disparities are harming children in the North of England. yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion/c…
The announcement on votes at 16 was welcome but as we set out in our @IPPRNorth State of the North report there’s a need to go further to empower young people in our democracy at the local, regional + national levels I’ve written about this here yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion/c…
Great to see our @IPPRNorth State of the North findings on regional inequalities in culture funding being picked up by the @yorkshirepost who highlight the important role that culture can play socially and economically across the region. yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion/c…
“Funding and policy making for culture needs to devolve" We are grateful to esteemed culture expert @ProfKatyShaw for welcoming our State of the North 2025 report ⤵️
Great to have @KiMcGuinness backing our State of the North report and its call for fairer culture funding for the North and more devolved powers for culture.
“Too much power is held in London, and by unelected quangos, where decision makers hold the future of Northern arts in their hands" We have united with North East Mayor and Chair of The Great North @KiMcGuinness to call out our regional culture chasm ⤵️
Lowering the voting age to 16 will equalise youth political rights across the UK but comes with some significant policy challenges. Read my thoughts on @ConversationUK theconversation.com/uk-to-lower-vo… @electoralreform @ElectoralCommUK @Shoutout_UK @mhclg @DCMS @educationgovuk @UKYouth
Great to see our @ahrcpress #CreativeCommunities research profiled by the 2025 State of the North report 👀 Cultural Chasm between SE & the rest of 🇬🇧 can only be closed by cultural #devolution & mandating ALBs to reorientate and work regionally with & within Mayoral areas
🚨 Today we publish State of the North 2025 🚨 The North gets just half as much arts and culture funding per person as London. We reveal the impact this & other regional divides have on young people, and what must change 👇 ippr.org/articles/the-k…
Cultural funding must become fairer across the country 🎭 @RyanSwift93 spoke to Capital FM Yorkshire about today’s State of the North research ⤵️
“Too much power is held in London, and by unelected quangos, where decision makers hold the future of Northern arts in their hands" We have united with North East Mayor and Chair of The Great North @KiMcGuinness to call out our regional culture chasm ⤵️
TODAY @IPPRNorth has published our annual State of the North report. This year - at a pivotal moment for young people - we've been looking at young northerners' starting baseline, opportunity for a good life, and chance to be heard. ippr.org/articles/the-k…
🚨 Today we publish State of the North 2025 🚨 The North gets just half as much arts and culture funding per person as London. We reveal the impact this & other regional divides have on young people, and what must change 👇 ippr.org/articles/the-k…
A really welcome announcement from the government earlier this week on fairer funding for local government. I was pleased to comment on it. gov.uk/government/new…
