Richard Jones
@richardaljones.bsky.social
Emeritus Professor of Materials Physics and Innovation Policy, University of Manchester. Science & innovation policy, regional economic growth, polymer physics.
www.softmachines.org
www.softmachines.org
Pinned
Richard Jones
@richardaljones.bsky.social
· Dec 27
The Year in Soft Machines – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
softmachines.org
End of year overview of posts on my blog Soft Machines.
Featuring
-the UK's economic stagnation
-why the UK's new nuclear build programme failed
-good & bad reasons for growing UK manufacturing
-scenarios for the future of AI
-Moore's law
-university/R&D policy for hard times
softmachines.org?p=3218
Featuring
-the UK's economic stagnation
-why the UK's new nuclear build programme failed
-good & bad reasons for growing UK manufacturing
-scenarios for the future of AI
-Moore's law
-university/R&D policy for hard times
softmachines.org?p=3218
I don’t think this headline is a fair reflection of my piece, which argued that some RD&I funding at the innovation end should be devolved, while funding for discovery science & national priorities should be retained by UKRI.
Full piece here:
softmachines.org?p=3364
Full piece here:
softmachines.org?p=3364
October 2, 2026 at 4:43 PM
I don’t think this headline is a fair reflection of my piece, which argued that some RD&I funding at the innovation end should be devolved, while funding for discovery science & national priorities should be retained by UKRI.
Full piece here:
softmachines.org?p=3364
Full piece here:
softmachines.org?p=3364
Reposted by Richard Jones
What does govt's plan to "rewire the state" & shift power & funding to local leaders mean for research, development & innovation spending?
I summarise the rationale for devolution of RD&I funding, & identify potential pitfalls, before outlining some tentative principles
softmachines.org?p=3364
I summarise the rationale for devolution of RD&I funding, & identify potential pitfalls, before outlining some tentative principles
softmachines.org?p=3364
On the devolution of Research, Development and Innovation funding: some tentative principles – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
softmachines.org
October 1, 2026 at 1:02 PM
What does govt's plan to "rewire the state" & shift power & funding to local leaders mean for research, development & innovation spending?
I summarise the rationale for devolution of RD&I funding, & identify potential pitfalls, before outlining some tentative principles
softmachines.org?p=3364
I summarise the rationale for devolution of RD&I funding, & identify potential pitfalls, before outlining some tentative principles
softmachines.org?p=3364
What does govt's plan to "rewire the state" & shift power & funding to local leaders mean for research, development & innovation spending?
I summarise the rationale for devolution of RD&I funding, & identify potential pitfalls, before outlining some tentative principles
softmachines.org?p=3364
I summarise the rationale for devolution of RD&I funding, & identify potential pitfalls, before outlining some tentative principles
softmachines.org?p=3364
On the devolution of Research, Development and Innovation funding: some tentative principles – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
softmachines.org
October 1, 2026 at 1:02 PM
What does govt's plan to "rewire the state" & shift power & funding to local leaders mean for research, development & innovation spending?
I summarise the rationale for devolution of RD&I funding, & identify potential pitfalls, before outlining some tentative principles
softmachines.org?p=3364
I summarise the rationale for devolution of RD&I funding, & identify potential pitfalls, before outlining some tentative principles
softmachines.org?p=3364
Reposted by Richard Jones
We don't measure the most important part of the economy in official statistics.
Every economist and policymaker should be concerned about this:
Every economist and policymaker should be concerned about this:
JUST PUBLISHED – UK productivity: why is the frontier economy invisible to policy-makers?
by @paulswinney.bsky.social
buff.ly/vXY9tn0
by @paulswinney.bsky.social
buff.ly/vXY9tn0
UK productivity: why is the frontier economy invisible to policy-makers? - Economics Observatory
The most productive, fastest-growing and most heavily invested part of the UK economy is invisible in the data that policy-makers use for decisions. A new classification of frontier firms reveals the…
buff.ly
September 28, 2026 at 10:23 AM
We don't measure the most important part of the economy in official statistics.
Every economist and policymaker should be concerned about this:
Every economist and policymaker should be concerned about this:
Reposted by Richard Jones
"R&D, place, and developing regional innovation systems: some lessons from Greater Manchester".
I gave a talk with this title at Imperial College's Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance last Tuesday - a summary, and the slides, can be found here:
softmachines.org?p=3350
I gave a talk with this title at Imperial College's Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance last Tuesday - a summary, and the slides, can be found here:
softmachines.org?p=3350
R&D, place, and developing regional innovation systems: some lessons from Greater Manchester – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
softmachines.org
September 18, 2026 at 1:49 PM
"R&D, place, and developing regional innovation systems: some lessons from Greater Manchester".
I gave a talk with this title at Imperial College's Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance last Tuesday - a summary, and the slides, can be found here:
softmachines.org?p=3350
I gave a talk with this title at Imperial College's Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance last Tuesday - a summary, and the slides, can be found here:
softmachines.org?p=3350
"R&D, place, and developing regional innovation systems: some lessons from Greater Manchester".
I gave a talk with this title at Imperial College's Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance last Tuesday - a summary, and the slides, can be found here:
softmachines.org?p=3350
I gave a talk with this title at Imperial College's Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance last Tuesday - a summary, and the slides, can be found here:
softmachines.org?p=3350
R&D, place, and developing regional innovation systems: some lessons from Greater Manchester – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
softmachines.org
September 18, 2026 at 1:49 PM
"R&D, place, and developing regional innovation systems: some lessons from Greater Manchester".
I gave a talk with this title at Imperial College's Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance last Tuesday - a summary, and the slides, can be found here:
softmachines.org?p=3350
I gave a talk with this title at Imperial College's Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance last Tuesday - a summary, and the slides, can be found here:
softmachines.org?p=3350
Reposted by Richard Jones
Agreed. Other than small refs to ITER, it is a very US-skewed article. No mention of STEP/Culham, First Light et al or the strong German sector (Proxima etc). The article points out the issue of pilot/commercialisation but doesn't then discuss the leading pilot projects outside of the US.
September 16, 2026 at 8:51 AM
Agreed. Other than small refs to ITER, it is a very US-skewed article. No mention of STEP/Culham, First Light et al or the strong German sector (Proxima etc). The article points out the issue of pilot/commercialisation but doesn't then discuss the leading pilot projects outside of the US.
Good to see FT covering the new wave of fusion energy start-ups, with expert commentary from Princeton's Steve Cowley, but a major omission not to mention the UK's STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) project, with goal of putting electricity on the grid by 2040
www.ft.com/content/ef51...
www.ft.com/content/ef51...
Nuclear fusion’s moment of truth
Start-ups are attracting record investments. Some scientists think their timelines are far too optimistic
www.ft.com
September 16, 2026 at 8:31 AM
Good to see FT covering the new wave of fusion energy start-ups, with expert commentary from Princeton's Steve Cowley, but a major omission not to mention the UK's STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) project, with goal of putting electricity on the grid by 2040
www.ft.com/content/ef51...
www.ft.com/content/ef51...
Reposted by Richard Jones
In the Economist today:
“The false lure of factories: British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom”
I’m quoted in the piece, & my views are fairly represented.
But imo the piece spends too much time on soft targets
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
“The false lure of factories: British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom”
I’m quoted in the piece, & my views are fairly represented.
But imo the piece spends too much time on soft targets
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom
It’s a poor way to achieve economic growth
www.economist.com
August 28, 2026 at 1:14 PM
In the Economist today:
“The false lure of factories: British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom”
I’m quoted in the piece, & my views are fairly represented.
But imo the piece spends too much time on soft targets
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
“The false lure of factories: British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom”
I’m quoted in the piece, & my views are fairly represented.
But imo the piece spends too much time on soft targets
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
In the Economist today:
“The false lure of factories: British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom”
I’m quoted in the piece, & my views are fairly represented.
But imo the piece spends too much time on soft targets
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
“The false lure of factories: British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom”
I’m quoted in the piece, & my views are fairly represented.
But imo the piece spends too much time on soft targets
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom
It’s a poor way to achieve economic growth
www.economist.com
August 28, 2026 at 1:14 PM
In the Economist today:
“The false lure of factories: British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom”
I’m quoted in the piece, & my views are fairly represented.
But imo the piece spends too much time on soft targets
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
“The false lure of factories: British politicians want a manufacturing jobs boom”
I’m quoted in the piece, & my views are fairly represented.
But imo the piece spends too much time on soft targets
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
A long interview with me by Ollie Barrett on Cylch - Alumni Wales, covering my scientific career, my thoughts on industrial policy and regional economic growth, my Welsh roots, and (inevitably) my take on Andy Burnham’s plans for growth in every postcode.
substack.com/inbox/post/2...
substack.com/inbox/post/2...
Finding Burnhamism: The Scales of Industrial Policy
An interview with Richard Jones, former Vice-President of Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at the University of Manchester
substack.com
August 26, 2026 at 10:25 AM
A long interview with me by Ollie Barrett on Cylch - Alumni Wales, covering my scientific career, my thoughts on industrial policy and regional economic growth, my Welsh roots, and (inevitably) my take on Andy Burnham’s plans for growth in every postcode.
substack.com/inbox/post/2...
substack.com/inbox/post/2...
Useful emphasis on how strong the Kings X innovation ecosystem is now in this piece by Michael Spence.
Lesson here is that the UK can do place-based, innovation-led industrial policy very well when it tries - we should try it in some other places too.
www.ft.com/content/d302...
Lesson here is that the UK can do place-based, innovation-led industrial policy very well when it tries - we should try it in some other places too.
www.ft.com/content/d302...
Don’t mess up London’s knowledge economy
Oxford, Cambridge and Manchester are seen as innovation powerhouses but there’s a city we don’t mention
www.ft.com
August 20, 2026 at 7:18 PM
Useful emphasis on how strong the Kings X innovation ecosystem is now in this piece by Michael Spence.
Lesson here is that the UK can do place-based, innovation-led industrial policy very well when it tries - we should try it in some other places too.
www.ft.com/content/d302...
Lesson here is that the UK can do place-based, innovation-led industrial policy very well when it tries - we should try it in some other places too.
www.ft.com/content/d302...
Nice work on self-assembly of fibrinogen at air-water interfaces, relevant to clot formation. From the excellent Pharmacy Dept at @manchester.ac.uk
Great to see neutron reflectivity in the FT - my favourite technique for studying macromolecules at interfaces!
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Great to see neutron reflectivity in the FT - my favourite technique for studying macromolecules at interfaces!
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Blood clot discovery upends consensus about how wounds heal
Proteins stack up in layers like sheets of paper to start to form clots, scientists find
giftarticle.ft.com
August 20, 2026 at 10:12 AM
Nice work on self-assembly of fibrinogen at air-water interfaces, relevant to clot formation. From the excellent Pharmacy Dept at @manchester.ac.uk
Great to see neutron reflectivity in the FT - my favourite technique for studying macromolecules at interfaces!
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Great to see neutron reflectivity in the FT - my favourite technique for studying macromolecules at interfaces!
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Reposted by Richard Jones
Just finished M. John Harrison's new novel "The End of Everything". The brilliant writing compels one to read on to find out what's going on (which one never fully does). I guess it's a Singularity novel, in the way "Sunken Land" is a Brexit novel, but, similarly, much more than that.
July 28, 2026 at 9:46 AM
Just finished M. John Harrison's new novel "The End of Everything". The brilliant writing compels one to read on to find out what's going on (which one never fully does). I guess it's a Singularity novel, in the way "Sunken Land" is a Brexit novel, but, similarly, much more than that.
Reposted by Richard Jones
(6/6)
Can we build new institutions that create more porosity, more interaction between science progress and technological advance, perhaps through new kinds of public/private partnerships?
More in my blogpost:
Moving beyond the dichotomy between pure and applied science
softmachines.org?p=3328
Can we build new institutions that create more porosity, more interaction between science progress and technological advance, perhaps through new kinds of public/private partnerships?
More in my blogpost:
Moving beyond the dichotomy between pure and applied science
softmachines.org?p=3328
Moving beyond the dichotomy between pure and applied science – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
softmachines.org
July 28, 2026 at 7:03 AM
(6/6)
Can we build new institutions that create more porosity, more interaction between science progress and technological advance, perhaps through new kinds of public/private partnerships?
More in my blogpost:
Moving beyond the dichotomy between pure and applied science
softmachines.org?p=3328
Can we build new institutions that create more porosity, more interaction between science progress and technological advance, perhaps through new kinds of public/private partnerships?
More in my blogpost:
Moving beyond the dichotomy between pure and applied science
softmachines.org?p=3328
Just finished M. John Harrison's new novel "The End of Everything". The brilliant writing compels one to read on to find out what's going on (which one never fully does). I guess it's a Singularity novel, in the way "Sunken Land" is a Brexit novel, but, similarly, much more than that.
July 28, 2026 at 9:46 AM
Just finished M. John Harrison's new novel "The End of Everything". The brilliant writing compels one to read on to find out what's going on (which one never fully does). I guess it's a Singularity novel, in the way "Sunken Land" is a Brexit novel, but, similarly, much more than that.
(1/6)
Changes at UKRI, the dissolution of DSIT and move of science to the business department lead to fears that UK science is being pushed in a more applied direction.
But the line between science and technology is fuzzier than many think...
Changes at UKRI, the dissolution of DSIT and move of science to the business department lead to fears that UK science is being pushed in a more applied direction.
But the line between science and technology is fuzzier than many think...
July 28, 2026 at 7:03 AM
(1/6)
Changes at UKRI, the dissolution of DSIT and move of science to the business department lead to fears that UK science is being pushed in a more applied direction.
But the line between science and technology is fuzzier than many think...
Changes at UKRI, the dissolution of DSIT and move of science to the business department lead to fears that UK science is being pushed in a more applied direction.
But the line between science and technology is fuzzier than many think...
Seems to me that one curious feature of the short-lived Department of Science, Innovation & Technology was that its junior ministers - Lord Vallance & Kanishka Narayan - were much more prominent than its last 2 Secretaries of State.
Michelle Donelan, though, was prominent for all the wrong reasons
Michelle Donelan, though, was prominent for all the wrong reasons
July 21, 2026 at 11:09 AM
Seems to me that one curious feature of the short-lived Department of Science, Innovation & Technology was that its junior ministers - Lord Vallance & Kanishka Narayan - were much more prominent than its last 2 Secretaries of State.
Michelle Donelan, though, was prominent for all the wrong reasons
Michelle Donelan, though, was prominent for all the wrong reasons
Reposted by Richard Jones
Anyone trying to work out what ‘reindustrialisation’ means (including which sectors) and how the skills system and devolution might support it, should read this speech from Andy Burnham a few months ago (given while still GM Mayor).
www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/mayor-s...
www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/mayor-s...
Home
Devolving control of skills and technical education can unleash the economic potential of the North
www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
July 19, 2026 at 8:26 AM
Anyone trying to work out what ‘reindustrialisation’ means (including which sectors) and how the skills system and devolution might support it, should read this speech from Andy Burnham a few months ago (given while still GM Mayor).
www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/mayor-s...
www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/mayor-s...
Thanks, @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social, for the mentions!
More on my perspective on Burnham's economic plans:
"Five glosses on Andy Burnham’s big speech"
softmachines.org?p=3324
and
"Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation"
softmachines.org?p=3305
More on my perspective on Burnham's economic plans:
"Five glosses on Andy Burnham’s big speech"
softmachines.org?p=3324
and
"Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation"
softmachines.org?p=3305
July 17, 2026 at 1:28 PM
Thanks, @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social, for the mentions!
More on my perspective on Burnham's economic plans:
"Five glosses on Andy Burnham’s big speech"
softmachines.org?p=3324
and
"Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation"
softmachines.org?p=3305
More on my perspective on Burnham's economic plans:
"Five glosses on Andy Burnham’s big speech"
softmachines.org?p=3324
and
"Andy Burnham, Manchesterism, and Reindustrialisation"
softmachines.org?p=3305
Reposted by Richard Jones
Reposted by Richard Jones
Really good piece on Andy Burnham's speech, including further reading, by @richardaljones.bsky.social:
Five glosses on Andy Burnham’s big speech – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
softmachines.org
July 9, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Really good piece on Andy Burnham's speech, including further reading, by @richardaljones.bsky.social:
Reposted by Richard Jones
In 1998 and 1999, four of Britain's regions and nations voted for devolution. Since then, all have overperformed the rest of the country economically. Even Wales.
.
Also a bit of a rant about how there's more than one big city in Britain.
tomforth.co.uk/agglomeratio...
.
Also a bit of a rant about how there's more than one big city in Britain.
tomforth.co.uk/agglomeratio...
July 7, 2026 at 8:22 AM
In 1998 and 1999, four of Britain's regions and nations voted for devolution. Since then, all have overperformed the rest of the country economically. Even Wales.
.
Also a bit of a rant about how there's more than one big city in Britain.
tomforth.co.uk/agglomeratio...
.
Also a bit of a rant about how there's more than one big city in Britain.
tomforth.co.uk/agglomeratio...
Reposted by Richard Jones
Some commentary from me on Andy Burnham's big economics speech, focusing on his theory of local economic growth, the role of universities, innovation and skills.
With some history of what's behind this policy agenda
softmachines.org?p=3324
With some history of what's behind this policy agenda
softmachines.org?p=3324
Five glosses on Andy Burnham’s big speech – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
softmachines.org
July 2, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Some commentary from me on Andy Burnham's big economics speech, focusing on his theory of local economic growth, the role of universities, innovation and skills.
With some history of what's behind this policy agenda
softmachines.org?p=3324
With some history of what's behind this policy agenda
softmachines.org?p=3324
Some commentary from me on Andy Burnham's big economics speech, focusing on his theory of local economic growth, the role of universities, innovation and skills.
With some history of what's behind this policy agenda
softmachines.org?p=3324
With some history of what's behind this policy agenda
softmachines.org?p=3324
Five glosses on Andy Burnham’s big speech – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
softmachines.org
July 2, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Some commentary from me on Andy Burnham's big economics speech, focusing on his theory of local economic growth, the role of universities, innovation and skills.
With some history of what's behind this policy agenda
softmachines.org?p=3324
With some history of what's behind this policy agenda
softmachines.org?p=3324