Colin Talbot

Colin Talbot (born 1952) is a British political scientist. In 2013, he is a professor at the University of Manchester and holds the Chair of Government in the School of Social Sciences. He has also been an adviser to UK Parliamentary Committees on HM Treasury and on Public Administration.

Life and career

Colin Talbot has had an unconventional career, leaving school at 16 and working in various jobs before enrolling for an economics and social sciences degree course at Manchester University at the age of 21. He did not obtain a degree, instead became involved in student politics at Manchester University at the time. He subsequently obtained an MSc from London South Bank University and a PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Talbot held posts at British Telecom and at Local Government departments in London. In 1990 he joined London South Bank University as a senior lecturer. In 1995, he was appointed as Chair in Public Policy and Management at University of Glamorgan, followed by appointments at University of Nottingham and University of Manchester.

He is one of the founders of the Herbert Simon Institute, named after Herbert A. Simon.[1][2]

Colin Talbot is the director of Policy@Manchester[3] and in September 2013 he founded Manchester Policy Blogs[4] at The University of Manchester.

Parliamentary advisor

Colin Talbot has acted as advisor and consultant to public organisations in the UK and internationally. He has given evidence to parliamentary committees on performance and public spending issues for the Treasury, on Public Administration and Welsh Affairs committees. He is a Specialist Adviser to the Treasury Committee.

Talbot is particularly critical of the power of HM Treasury, as a government department, in contrast to other departments including the Cabinet Office, or the Prime Minister's Office. He also criticises the lack of a legal or constitutional basis of UK government departments.

Work

References

  1. "Herbert Simon Institute launched" (PDF). Update. Centre for Public Policy and Management, Manchester Business School. Summer 2007. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  2. "About us". Herbert Simon Institute, Manchester Business School. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  3. "About". Policy@Manchester,. Retrieved 12 Dec 2013.
  4. "Blog". Policy@Manchester,. Retrieved 11 Dec 2013.
  5. "Theories of Performance". The University of Manchester,. Retrieved 5 Feb 2014.

External links