Colin Thain is a political scientist and political economist who has been researching on the role of economic institutions and economic policy making for more than twenty-five years. He is best known for his work on the UK Treasury. His current research project looks at the Treasury as a whole since the advent of New Labour in 1997. He has extensive links with senior Civil Servants in Whitehall and leading politicians and policy advisers.
Colin became Head of Department of POLSIS in October 2009, having spent earlier periods in his career at the Universities of Ulster and Exeter.
Other professional appointments
Member of the Political Studies Association, British International Studies Association, American Political Studies Association, International Political Studies Association, and Institute for Fiscal Studies. Also a member of the Royal Commonwealth Society
Thain, C. (2010), 'Budget reform in the United Kingdom – the rocky rock to “controlled discretion”’ in Wanna et al (eds), The Reality of Budget Reform: Counting the Consequences in 11 Advanced Democracies. .Edward Elgar,
Thain, C. (2009) ‘A very peculiar British Crisis? Institutions, ideas and policy responses to the credit crunch’, British Politics, 4, 4, pp 434-449.
Thain, C. (2004) ‘Treasury rules ok? The further evolution of a British institution’, British Journal of Politics and International Relations, Vol 6, pp 123-30
Thain, C. and Wright. M. (1995) The Treasury and Whitehall: Planning and Controlling Public Spending. Oxford, Clarendon Pres