Change partners

There's nothing like the experiences of post-communist Europe to put British worries into perspective. Asked how the Economic and Social Research Council's new Whitehall Programme will fare should some event like a change of government possibly change their agenda, ESRC chief executive Ron Amann pointed to the obstacles overcome in his earlier incarnation as panel chairman for its East-West programme. "During the life of the programme a number of countries disappeared and one or two of the academics we were co-operating with became heads of state". After all that advising on how to deal with a Blair administration should be simple.