INSIDE BRIEFING with Institute for Government

When you put a load of ministers and MPs in a conference centre for four days, without enough sleep, and very little natural light, something unexpected ? at least for the government ? always happens. So what ? and who ? should we be keeping an eye on as the Conservatives decamp to Manchester for their annual conference? Will Suella Braverman ? or maybe Liz Truss ? create a storm on the fringe? What should Keir Starmer be worried about as he watches on from afar? And is this really a sink or swim conference for Rishi Sunak?   The Spectator?s political correspondent James Heale and Robert Colville, director of the Centre for Policy Studies, join the podcast team for a special party conference preview podcast.   Hannah White presents. With Cath Haddon.   Produced by Milo Hynes.

Rishi Sunak has ripped up the UK's net zero plan - but did the prime minister's emissions statement make sense and will it win him votes? Daily Telegraph political editor Ben Riley-Smith, the author of a new book on the last 13 years of Conservative government, is this week's podcast guest.  Liz Truss returned to the political fray with a big speech at the IfG on Monday - with the former PM mounting a defence for her doomed mini-budget. Is anyone convinced? PLUS: The tumultuous last 8 years in British politics have stretched the UK constitution to - and sometimes beyond - breaking point. How can it be strengthened? The author of a new IfG report sets out a plan. Hannah White presents. With Jill Rutter and Jack Pannell. Produced by Milo Hynes.

The podcast team dissect Rishi Sunak's appearance at the G20 summit in India - and Daily Mirror political editor John Stevens reveals what it's really like to join the prime minister on the plane for a foreign trip. Westminster has been rocked by a spy scandal - but should MPs really be that surprised? Plus: Is central government set up to deliver the government's 'levelling up' pledge - or Labour's plans for 'real life levelling up'? A new IfG report has the answers - and passes judgment. Hannah White presents. With Alex Thomas and Rebecca McKee. Produced by Milo Hynes.

Keir Starmer has reshuffled his team of shadow ministers. So who?s up? Who?s down? Is this the march of the Blairites? And what does the reshuffle reveal about Starmer?s plans for the general election campaign ? or for government should Labour win? The Guardian?s Aletha Adu joins the IfG podcast team to run the rule over the new shadow cabinet.   The concrete crisis in schools has placed education secretary Gillian Keegan under pressure ? with the education secretary?s comments also landing her in hot water. So who is to blame, how has the government handled the fall-out, and how could the problem be fixed?   PLUS: A very bad week for Birmingham City Council. So why are city councils running out of money? What does it mean for the people who live there? And how can the government make sure this doesn?t happen again?   Hannah White presents. With Nick Davies and Sam Freedman.   Produced by Milo Hynes.

There is no job quite like that of a government minister ? and no training manual for how to do it. So what happens on the first day in the job? How can ministers manager the demands on their time? Are particular skills needed to get the best out of civil servants? Is there a trick to working with Number 10? What is the best way to handle a multi-billion pound departmental budget? And how can ministers master the art of navigating parliament? In this special six-part series from the Institute for Government, former ministers and civil servants reveal what it is really like to hold ministerial office and how to do the job well. You will hear all about the challenges, confusion, decisions and drama of a job which really is like no other.  Presented by Tim Durrant, with Grant Dalton. Produced by Milo Hynes.

Summer is nearly over. Parliament is set to return. And the Inside Briefing team is back to take stock of the last few months ? and look ahead to what a lively couple of months might bring.   Ben Wallace is out, Grant Shapps is the new defence secretary, and Claire Coutinho has become the youngest member of the cabinet. But what does Rishi Sunak?s mini-reshuffle tell us about his priorities for government ? and is there a better way to go about appointing government ministers?   What should we look out for at the party conference season? How is the economy faring and are tax cuts at all likely? And what stage of the Nando?s spice scale is politics going to hit this autumn?   Hannah White presents. With Joe Owen, Cath Haddon and Tom Pope. Produced by Milo Hynes.

There is no job quite like that of a government minister ? and no training manual for how to do it. So what happens on the first day in the job? How can ministers manager the demands on their time? Are particular skills needed to get the best out of civil servants? Is there a trick to working with Number 10? What is the best way to handle a multi-billion pound departmental budget? And how can ministers master the art of navigating parliament? In this special six-part series from the Institute for Government, former ministers and civil servants reveal what it is really like to hold ministerial office and how to do the job well. You will hear all about the challenges, confusion, decisions and drama of a job which really is like no other.  Presented by Tim Durrant, with Grant Dalton. Produced by Milo Hynes.

There is no job quite like that of a government minister ? and no training manual for how to do it. So what happens on the first day in the job? How can ministers manager the demands on their time? Are particular skills needed to get the best out of civil servants? Is there a trick to working with Number 10? What is the best way to handle a multi-billion pound departmental budget? And how can ministers master the art of navigating parliament? In this special six-part series from the Institute for Government, former ministers and civil servants reveal what it is really like to hold ministerial office and how to do the job well. You will hear all about the challenges, confusion, decisions and drama of a job which really is like no other. Presented by Tim Durrant, with Dr Nicola Blacklaws. Produced by Milo Hynes.

There is no job quite like that of a government minister ? and no training manual for how to do it. So what happens on the first day in the job? How can ministers manager the demands on their time? Are particular skills needed to get the best out of civil servants? Is there a trick to working with Number 10? What is the best way to handle a multi-billion pound departmental budget? And how can ministers master the art of navigating parliament? In this special six-part series from the Institute for Government, former ministers and civil servants reveal what it is really like to hold ministerial office and how to do the job well. You will hear all about the challenges, confusion, decisions and drama of a job which really is like no other. Presented by Tim Durrant, with Dr Nicola Blacklaws. Produced by Milo Hynes.

There is no job quite like that of a government minister ? and no training manual for how to do it. So what happens on the first day in the job? How can ministers manager the demands on their time? Are particular skills needed to get the best out of civil servants? Is there a trick to working with Number 10? W hat is the best way to handle a multi-billion pound departmental budget? And how can ministers master the art of navigating parliament? In this special six-part series from the Institute for Government, former ministers and civil servants reveal what it is really like to hold ministerial office and how to do the job well. You will hear all about the challenges, confusion, decisions and drama of a job which really is like no other. Presented by Tim Durrant, with Beatrice Barr. Produced by Milo Hynes

There is no job quite like that of a government minister ? and no training manual for how to do it. So what happens on the first day in the job? How can ministers manager the demands on their time? Are particular skills needed to get the best out of civil servants? Is there a trick to working with Number 10? What is the best way to handle a multi-billion pound departmental budget? And how can ministers master the art of navigating parliament? In this special six-part series from the Institute for Government, former ministers and civil servants reveal what it is really like to hold ministerial office and how to do the job well. You will hear all about the challenges, confusion, decisions and drama of a job which really is like no other. Presented by Tim Durrant, with Beatrice Barr. Produced by Milo Hynes.

Some MPs are rarely seen in the Commons. Others can?t seem to stay away from the chamber. So what happens in those 45 days when the Palace of Westminster shuts up shop?  This week on the podcast, former Attorney General Dominic Grieve and Labour peer Baroness Armstrong join Cath Haddon and Alice Lilly of the IFG to reveal just how switched off parliamentarians can be on their summer break.  Stay tuned to the Inside Briefing feed for more podcasts during the summer recess, including a 6-part series on what it?s like to be a government minister. Produced by Alex Rees at Podmasters for the Institute of Government

After two years of ethical scandals, the government finally published its plans to clean up standards just before parliament went into recess. We?ll dive into the detail to find out what Sunak will be changing and how the rules around ministers, civil servants and other government employees are upheld ? and what isn?t going to change after all. We?ll be joined by Fleur Anderson MP, John Penrose MP and Dr Susan Hawley from Spotlight on Corruption to look at the government?s proposals, how they compare with the various independent reviews into government ethics, find out where the gaps are and ask what else might need to change in the future.

By-elections are rarely like buses, but this time three have arrived at once. The Conservatives lost Somerset and Frome and Selby, but held on to Boris Johnson?s old seat in Uxbridge? by a hair?s breadth.   As parliament prepares to shut up for summer, the podcast team discuss a night that produced plenty of food for thought in government and the opposition - and not forgetting the by-election experts, the Lib Dems.  Will Jennings, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Southampton also joins us after a busy night of polling.  With Alex Thomas, Giles Wilkes and Cath Haddon.  Produced by Podmasters.

Rishi Sunak pledged to lead a government of integrity after the high-profile scandals of the Boris Johnson era, but Angela Rayner says only a Labour government would restore trust in politics. The podcast team, with guest Rachel Wearmouth of the New Statesman, review the Labour deputy leader?s big speech at the IfG ? and examine whether she has come up with a workable plan.   Plus:   Simon says what exactly? What did we learn from a rare public appearance by embattled cabinet secretary Simon Case.   What follows first past the post? A new IfG report looks at the knock-on implications of changing the UK?s electoral system.   Mastering the Art of the Devolution Deal. How Westminster ? and local government ? can make a success of giving away power.   Catherine Haddon presents.   With Alex Thomas, Jack Pannell and Peter Hourston.   Produced by Podmasters.

It's Evidence Week in the House of Commons and on Inside Briefing, we?re interrogating just how effective Parliament actually is at scrutinising and testing policy. We?re joined by Tracey Brown, director of Sense about Science, the independent charity that promotes the public interest in sound science and evidence. We?ll also hear from former Chancellor Sajid Javid, whose big idea for a more effective Parliament is half the MPs? on twice the pay.  And, as Rishi Sunak skips out on PMQs once again, we ask if the Prime Minister himself is scrutinised enough.  Alex Thomas presents, with Cath Haddon and Alice Lilley.  Produced by Alex Rees.

Thames Water struggles to stay afloat. But who is to blame, will the taps dry up, and what solutions are there? ConservativeHome?s Henry Hill joins the podcast team to discuss the latest headache for the PM. And are there any good chaps left in politics anymore? Boris Johnson?s new job as a newspaper columnist has caused controversy ? so perhaps it is time to overhaul the rules for jobs after government. Plus, does Rishi Sunak actually believe in the Net Zero agenda? A new report by the Climate Change Committee is far from impressed with the government?s efforts to drive down emissions. Tim Durrant presents, with Jill Rutter and Alex Thomas. Produced by Milo Hynes

The prime minister has been trying to fend off a barrage of bad economic news - but what can he actually do about stubbornly high inflation, rising interest rates, and a predicted surge in mortgage payments? The Guardian?s City Editor Anna Isaac joins the podcast team to see what options - if any - Sunak has available. Whatever the cause might be for the UK?s economic woes, don?t mention the ?B? word. Ok, whisper it: is Brexit to blame? As the seventh anniversary of the 2016 referendum result passes, the podcast team check in on how leaving the EU has worked out for the UK PLUS: Is there a way out of the political stalemate in Northern Ireland? Hannah White presents. With Jess Sargeant and Giles Wilkes. Produced by Milo Hynes.

The Privileges Committee has delivered its verdict on Boris Johnson, with the former PM lashing out after the committee found he had lied to Parliament. Sam Freedman joins the podcast team to ask what the damning conclusions ? and a recommended 90-day suspension from Parliament which Johnson has avoided by quitting as an MP ? means for the former prime minister and the Conservative Party. Plus, from an inquiry that is over to one that has just got going. The Covid Inquiry has held its first public hearings, and some big-name witnesses are booked in for next week. And: Is the NHS in a death spiral? A new IfG report examines why more money and extra staff has failed to turn around declining performance levels in hospitals. Hannah White presents, with Emma Norris and Cath Haddon.

As the Covid inquiry gets underway, the Financial Times? Chris Cook joins the IfG podcast to examine whether public inquiries can actually make any difference ? and look ahead to the potential twists and turns ? and witnesses ? that await inquiry chair Baroness Hallett and her team.   Rishi Sunak?s No10 predecessors are notably vocal, and a batch of former Labour leaders still have plenty to say. Should we welcome the contribution of former party leaders or are they just a source of irritation?   PLUS: Relocation, relocation! Has the government?s plan to relocate parts of the civil service to Darlington been a success ? and is it actually making any difference to its levelling up mission? A new IfG report reveals the answers.   Hannah White presents. With Emma Norris and Jordan Urban.   Producer by Milo Hynes.

Westminster watchers are used to the long tails of public inquiries. Baroness Hallett?s investigation of the pandemic will be no different, with hers due to take evidence until 2026.  Her first big hurdle is the cache of government WhatsApps that have long been withheld by Number 10. With a legal challenge looming, what do the messages contain that has pushed their publication to the deadline?  Former advisor to Sajid Javid, Salma Shah, and the Independent?s Paul Waugh join Catherine Haddon and Tim Durrant to discuss the unprecedented scale of the Inquiry.  Plus, with an election not far off, Rishi Sunak is in search of his own strategy, as he attempts to clean up the messes his predecessors left behind. Can he activate the machinery of Whitehall in time to make his own mark on Number 10? Produced by Andrew Harrison and Alex Rees of Podmasters for the IFG

It has been quite some week for the home secretary. From a row over her handling of a speeding ticket to a row over the latest release of net migration stats, Suella Braverman has hardly been out of the headlines. Sunday Times deputy political editor Harry Yorke, the journalist who broke the speeding story, joins the podcast team to pass judgment on Braverman?s performance.     Why does the Home Office always seem to lurch from crisis to crisis ? and what can be done to fix it? A new IfG report lays bare the department?s institutional and cultural problems.   Boris Johnson is back in the news too ? so what exactly is his bust-up about lawyers, WhatsApp messages and Covid rules all about?   And is a deteriorating relationship between ministers and civil servants a reason to allow more political appointments into the civil service? A new report sets out the IfG view.   Emma Norris presents.   With Cath Haddon, Alex Thomas, Tim Durrant and Rhys Clyne.   Produced by Milo Hynes.

How does our system of government work? Why does it sometimes fail? And what can be done to fix it? Join the IfG podcast team ? and political commentator and author Ian Dunt ? for a journey through the corridors of power to discover where Westminster goes wrong. Are MPs doing the job their constituents need ? and good government requires? Is No10 really the right building to house the centre of UK government? How much power does a prime minister actually wield? And has the relationship between civil servants and ministers ever been this bad? All this and more on this week?s wide-ranging, thought-provoking and problem-solving Inside Briefing. Hannah White presents. With Alex Thomas and Cath Haddon

Does Rishi Sunak have a strategy for restoring the Conservatives' electoral prospects after the bruising local elections? Tim Bale, author of The Conservative Party After Brexit: Turmoil and Transformation, joins the podcast team to make sense of the prime minister's battles over boats and bust-ups around Brexit. Meanwhile Westminster is abuzz about the possibility of no party winning a majority at the next election, possible pacts and coalitions. But are people asking the right questions about what a hung Parliament might mean for how government works? Plus: Does devolving power from Westminster guarantee regional economic growth? A new IfG report reveals the answers, and its author Tom Pope joins the podcast to explain what works - and what doesn't. Hannah White presents. With Giles Wilkes and Cath Haddon. Produced by Milo Hynes 

Big wins for Labour. Big losses for the Conservatives. But just how much should we read into this week?s local election results? The Guardian?s Rafael Behr joins the podcast team to crunch the numbers and examine what the votes mean for Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer.    The Labour leader is reported to have delayed plans for shadow cabinet reshuffle until the autumn ? but is that the right call? A new IfG paper, which analyses the transitions of 1997 and 2010, sets out the steps Starmer should take to ensure his shadow team is best prepared for government ? should Labour win the next general election.   And how can we all stay engaged with politics without getting enraged? What steps can we take to survive the toxicity of British politics? Rafael Behr explains why his new book can help.   Presented by Emma Norris.   With Cath Haddon, Peter Hourston and Grant Dalton.

Dominic Raab?s exit from government hasn?t drawn a line under the simmering tensions between ministers and civil servants. So have expectations of behaviour changed or has snowflakery broken out in Whitehall? The IfG podcast team asks what this all means for the future of the civil service. The Foreign Office is trying to manage another tricky evacuation of UK nationals from an increasingly dangerous situation ? so how well is it responding to the crisis in Sudan? And why did the Treasury end up creating a ?tug of war? at the heart of government during the Covid pandemic? A major new IfG report reveals all. Hannah White presents. With Cath Haddon, Alex Thomas, Tim Durrant and Gemma Tetlow. Produced by Milo Hynes.

Do you remember being told to stay at home? Or becoming very familiar with the word ?furlough?? How about all those assurances that the Government was following the science? And were you persuaded when ministers urged you to Eat Out to Help Out? The Treasury was at the heart of the Government?s response to the pandemic, rapidly designing and rolling our policies designed to protect jobs, support people and help businesses through an extraordinary ? and unprecedented ? time. But it was also wary of sharing its analysis, wary of external advice, and reluctant to work openly with other Government departments. To mark the publication of a major new IfG report into the Treasury?s Covid response, Financial Times economics editor Chris Giles joins this special episode of Inside Briefing for a deep dive into how the UK?s finance ministry performed during the pandemic ? and asks what lessons needs to be learned.  Presented by the IfG?s Emma Norris with Gemma Tetlow and Olly Bartrum.

Dominic Raab has resigned. The report into whether or not he bullied civil servants finally landed on the prime minister?s desk ? so what should we make of Adam Tolley?s findings? Is Rishi Sunak?s response adequate? And what will Dominic Raab?s stinging resignation letter mean for tensions between ministers and civil servants?  It had already been a lively week for the prime minister, with a big speech on maths education and some awkward headlines over declaring and registering interests. But did Sunak?s speech add up? And how significant was his slip up? Plus: Why can?t government ever come up with plan to tackling this country?s obesity problem? Hannah White presents, with Jill Rutter, Alex Thomas, Sam Freedman and Sophie Metcalfe.  Produced by Milo Hynes.

From unsolved pay disputes to record backlogs, abandoned social care reforms and now accusations of sexual harassment of female surgeons, finding a good news story about health and care services in the U.K. is nigh on impossible. So just how bad is the crisis facing the NHS? Who, or what, can be blamed for the pile-up of problems? And is there any way that Rishi Sunak - or maybe Keir Starmer - can fix the crisis? In this special episode of Inside Briefing, Nick Davies is joined by IfG senior fellow Jill Rutter, Rachel Sylvester, who chairs the Times' Health Commission, and Rachel Wolf, founding partner at Public First, co-author of the 2019 Conservative manifesto, and now also co-author of an upcoming report on NHS productivity in partnership with the Institute and the Health Foundation. Presented by Nick Davies. Produced by Milo Hynes.

Delays at the Dover border mean holidaymakers are getting hot under the collar ? while the heat is on the government to fix the problem. The FT's Peter Foster joins us to explore whether the long queues are just an inevitable Brexit non-benefit. Also, the government appears to have ditched any plans (and a manifesto promise) to reform social care. So why is this policy challenge proving beyond the wit of ministers? And teachers have rejected a pay offer from the government. Just how distant is a deal to end public sector strikes? PLUS: In praise of politicians, and politics. This weekend is the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. How was the historic deal reached, what is its legacy, and what might happen next in Northern Ireland? Hannah White presents, with Jill Rutter, Jess Sargeant and Stuart Hoddinott. Produced by Milo Hynes.

The 10 April marks 25 years since the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement was signed, paving the way for peace in Northern Ireland and the restoration of devolved government. The agreement was a triumph of political leadership, endorsed overwhelmingly by the public in votes in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.  This special podcast episode brings together some of the key people who worked behind the scenes to make a deal happen ? the officials working in the UK, Northern Ireland, Irish governments ? to look back on how the historic agreement was reached, discuss the challenges in supporting the peace process, and reflect on what has been achieved. Presented by Jill Rutter Produced by Podmasters

Humza Yousaf is Scotland?s new first minister ? but following the Nicola Sturgeon era is no easy task. The Sunday Mail?s Hannah Rodger joins the podcast team to weigh up the challenge ahead for Yousaf, and ask what the SNP?s change at the top means for the Scottish political landscape.   Is Rishi Sunak really that much of a Green Day fan? As parliament rises for recess, Inside Briefing turns its attention to Westminster to issue an Easter report card for Rishi Sunak.   PLUS: Panic on the streets of Paris! The Institut Montaigne?s Georgina Wright drops in to the IfG to give us the lowdown on the problems facing Emmanuel Macron.   Hannah White presents. With Emma Norris and Akash Paun   Produced by Neil Bowerman.

Leaving the BBC has given Emily Maitlis the freedom to say what she really thinks, and the co-host of The News Agents podcast doesn?t hold back in this special edition of Inside Briefing.   In a wide-ranging and frank discussion with Hannah White, the former Newsnight presenter discusses the media?s role in holding politicians to account, the recent travails of her former employer, and whether government ministers should really by taking part in broadcast interviews conducted by MPs of the same party.   Produced by Neil Bowerman.

The decision to go to war in Iraq ? 20 years ago this week - remains both the most controversial and consequential American and British foreign policy of the last quarter of a century. Just over a year after the war began, Robin Butler, a former cabinet secretary, published his Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction - better known as the Butler Review. The weapons were never found, and the debate about the decision to go to war has never ended. To mark the 20th anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, to look back at the key findings of his report, and to ask how government has changed since - and whether lessons have been learned, Catherine Haddon speaks to Lord Butler for this special episode of Inside Briefing. Presented by Cath Haddon, produced by Alex Rees

The Guardian?s political editor Pippa Crerar, who led the way in the reporting of partygate, joins the IfG podcast team to weigh up Boris Johnson?s Privileges Committee hearing. How did the former prime minister perform when quizzed about whether he deliberately misled the Commons? What might the committee decide to do next? And what was it like for Crerar to be the journalist at the centre of one of the biggest political stories of recent years?   And while Johnson fought for his political future, in another part of the Palace of Westminster Rishi Sunak was celebrating as MPs ? Johnson and Liz Truss not included ? backed his Stormont Brake. So is Brexit finally done? Will power-sharing return in Northern Ireland? And what does the vote mean for Sunak?s standing?   Presented by Catherine Haddon. With Hannah White and Jill Rutter.   Produced by Candice McKenzie

Jeremy Hunt hands a pensions tax break to the better off and free childcare to families. There?s £9bn of allowances to business ? but little mention of public services and only vague assurances about falling living standards. What?s in the small print? Plus, Boris Johnson comes up before the Privileges Committee next week. Will it be a day of reckoning for the former PM? Henry Hill, Deputy Editor of Conservative Home, is our special guest. ?By the standards of past budgets this is a success in that the Government hasn?t fallen over and gone on fire.? ? Henry Hill ?This economic situation hurts everyone?s living standards. Whatever is in the budget, people are going to feel that they?re just not getting better off.? ? Giles Wilkes Presented by Hannah White with Jill Rutter, Olly Bartrum and Giles Wilkes. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.  www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

The Illegal Migration Bill is the latest government attempt to deter asylum seekers from making their way to the UK by irregular routes. But has Rishi Sunak come up with some substance to match his ?stop the boats? slogan? How does the government intend its plan to work ? and how likely is it to succeed? Will the legislation prove popular or polarising? And is the row about Gary Lineker and Match of the Day no more than a distraction? The IfG?s Emma Norris and Rhys Clyne are joined by Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, and Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory, for a deep dive into the government?s asylum plan.  Presented by Emma Norris. Produced by Candice McKenzie

Channel 4?s political editor Gary Gibbon joins the IfG podcast team to examine whether the government?s controversial new asylum bill will actually work, and whether the politics of promising to stop the boats will win the Conservatives support ? and pose a headache for Labour.   Boris Johnson wants to knight his father. So is it time for Rishi Sunak to do away with the increasingly farcical tradition of prime ministerial resignation honours?   And talking of abolitions, why do governments so often seek to abolish public bodies ? and why does it so often go wrong? A new IfG report has the answers.   Hannah White presents. With Alex Thomas, Rhys Clyne and Grant Dalton.   Produced by Candice McKenzie

To mark International Women?s Day, IfG director Hannah White is joined by Polly Curtis, director of Demos, and Charlotte Pickles, director of Reform, to record a fascinating episode of Inside Briefing. What is it like to be a woman in public life, working in government, parliament, the civil service ? and for a think tank? What are the barriers that women face entering and working in these professions? What more could be done to bring more women into politics and policy-facing roles ? think tanks included? And why does diversity of thought matters when designing policy?  Presented by Hannah White. Produced by Candice McKenzie

Will Sunak?s new deal with the EU solve the vexed issue of a customs border in the Irish Sea? Can the ?Windsor Framework? finally bring the rancorous Brexit debate to an end? How will it work? What about the ?Stormont Brake?? And what?s in the small print?  To examine the Windsor Framework the IfG?s Jill Rutter and Jess Sergeant are joined by special guests Georgie Wright of the Institute Montaigne, John Campbell of BBC Northern Ireland and Sam McBride of the Belfast Telegraph.  ?This deal gives business most of what it was asking for.? ? John Campbell ?We can?t be certain of how the deal will work but it?s a hell of a lot better than the previous one.? ? Sam McBride ?There?s trust for Sunak in the EU that just wasn?t there for Boris Johnson.? ? Georgie Wright ?You do have to ask, how much are UK products really going to diverge from EU standards in future?? ? John Campbell Presented by Jill Rutter with Jess Sargeant. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.  www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

With Sue Gray making headlines again, the IfG podcast team are joined by former Conservative MP Sir David Lidington to make sense of a big Whitehall and Westminster career move and ask what it might mean for Labour and the civil service.   Plus: What do Matt Hancock's WhatsApp messages tell us about how government works ? and how it didn't during the pandemic? How did Rishi Sunak come up with a Brexit deal that seems to please everyone ? except maybe Boris Johnson and the DUP ? and is the Windsor Framework actually any good? And why doesn't the centre of government seem to work very well? The IfG is launching a new Commission to examine the problem ? and come up with solutions. Presented by Hannah White. With Alex Thomas, Jill Rutter and Tim Durrant Produced by Candice McKenzie

Russia invaded Ukraine one year ago. Peter Ricketts, the UK?s former national security adviser, joins the IfG podcast to reflect on how the war has changed Europe ? and changed UK government ? and what might happen next.   At the time of recording there was still no Brexit breakthrough, but just how close are we to a deal on the Northern Ireland protocol and what could it look like?   And with Jeremy Hunt?s Budget just a few weeks away, a new IfG report takes stock of performances across nine key public services. The report?s author joins the podcast to reveal where the problems are ? and how they might be solved.   Hannah White presents With Alex Thomas, Jess Sargeant and Matthew Fright Produced by Candice McKenzie 

Who had ?Nicola Sturgeon quits? on their 2023 bingo card? Not us. We look at the pressures behind the First Minister?s resignation and what her departure means for Scottish independence. Plus, as Yvette Cooper tells the IfG that the Government has ?broken the justice system? we ask what a Labour government could do about it. And Keir Starmer closes the door on Jeremy Corbyn. Our special guest is Jess Elgot, Deputy Political Editor at the Guardian. ?The past few months have been difficult for Sturgeon and her authority has been waning.? ? Akash Paun ?It?ll be hard to maintain the SNP?s reputation as insurgents when there are so many problems with health and eduction on Scotland.? ? Jess Elgot ?Sturgeon seems to have been very affected by the resignation of Jacinda Ardern. She saw that as a model of how to leave politics.? ? Jess Elgot ?Sunak has lost two big attack lines this week: the idea of Labour in the pocket of the SNP, and the return of Jeremy Corbyn.? ? Jess Elgot Presented by Emma Norris with Cath Haddon and Akash Paun. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

Reshuffles usually mean new faces in cabinet, not whole new departments. Can we tell our DSIT from our DESNZ? Was the PM right to act before the Raab problem is resolved? And is Lee Anderson a wise choice as Minister for the Red Wall? Paul Waugh, Chief Political Commentator at the i paper and author of the essential Waugh on Politics evening email, is our special guest. ?I?ve heard it said that it?s very noble of the Government to get Whitehall ready for Prime Minister Starmer.? ? Alex Thomas ?It?s time someone stood up for silos and institutional memory in departments. Silos are good!? ? Paul Waugh ?Reshuffles are an awful lot easier when you don?t sack anyone.? ? Alex Thomas Presented by Hannah White with Emma Norris and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.  www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

The Spectator?s Isabel Hardman joins the IfG podcast team to weigh up Rishi Sunak?s first 100 days as prime minister. What has he achieved? What is his style of leadership? And what problems are coming down the track?   In a week which saw the largest civil service strike in years, the IfG published its annual Whitehall stocktake ? so what does it tell us about morale, turnover, pay and much, much more?   And what is it really like to be a minister? What does it take to succeed? And why do so many ministerial careers end in failure? A new batch of the IfG?s Ministers Reflect interviews reveal the secrets of life on the inside.   Hannah White presents.   With Emma Norris, Rhys Clyne and Maddy Bishop   Produced by Candice McKenzie

Rishi Sunak promised to lead a government of integrity, but how big a problem will Nadhim Zahawi?s tax affairs and Boris Johnson?s loan arrangements turn out to be for the prime minister? Tortoise?s Cat Neilan joins the IfG podcast team to take a closer look at the latest standards crisis.   Talking of crises, will the government?s emergency measures help the NHS through its difficult winter? A new IfG report is far from convinced ? its author drops in on the podcast.   And how does a new minister know what to do on day 1 in the job? What do civil servants need to know about working in government? And how should people on the outside approach working with government? The new IfG Academy has the answers.   Hannah White presents.   With Tim Durrant and Stuart Hoddinott.   Produced by Candice McKenzie.

In a special live edition we welcome guest Dan Snow, author, historian and host of the History Hit podcast, to take a very long view of power and politics. What lessons should Government learn from history? Can any year rival 2022 for Cabinet chaos and Prime Ministerial turnover? Which PMs were ?broken? by the office? And who thought his party were ?the shabbiest set of dirty politicians that was ever seen?? Chair Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, closes out the IfG?s Government 2023 conference with this special podcast featuring Dan Snow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Gemma Tetlow, and Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. Find all our podcasts on the IfG?s new-look website: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/our-work/research-analysis/podcasts Presented by Hannah White with Gemma Tetlow and Giles Wilkes. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

How much money are MPs making on top of their day jobs? Who is topping up their earnings? And how much should they be paid? The IfG podcast team are joined by Sky?s deputy political editor Sam Coates, who this week has unveiled some eye-catching findings in his Westminster Accounts project.   From one pay dispute to another as strikes continue to hit public services across the country. Is the government any closer to reaching a settlement, and is anti-strike legislation really the right way to go about it?   Plus: Are we on the verge of a Brexit breakthrough ? and what would that mean for the Northern Ireland protocol and the political stalemate at Stormont?   Hannah White presents. With Alice Lilly, Nick Davies and Jess Sargeant

After that chaotic year of three prime ministers, surely 2023 will be a little calmer? But while we?ve heard optimistic start-the-year speeches from Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer, the country has been driven to a standstill by strikes across public services, the NHS is in crisis, the cost-of-living crisis shows no sign of easing ? and Boris Johnson is said to be plotting a comeback. Will Sunak?s five promises boost the Conservatives? dire poll ratings? Can Keir Starmer?s vision for government convince voters that he should be given the keys to No10. The IfG team are joined by David Runciman, former presenter of the Talking Politics podcast, to look ahead to what the next 12 months might hold in the in UK.   And how might events across the globe play into domestic politics? The war in Ukraine shows no sign of ending, while China is making increasingly threatening noises about Taiwan. Meanwhile temperatures rise and Covid cases ? in China at least ? continue to soar.   Hannah White presents, with Alex Thomas and Gemma Tetlow   Produced by Candice McKenzie

The UK Constitution is uncodified and a product of centuries of evolution, makes it hard to compare directly to the constitution of other countries. However, there are still important observations to be made from around the world. In this podcast we examine constitutional challenges and reflect on what lessons we can learn for the UK constitution. We speak to the Head of Research in the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights Professor Tarun Khaitan to discuss Narendra Modi?s approach to the Indian Constitution and his ?chipping away? at democratic institutions through amendments to the law and changes to constitutional practice We also speak to Dean of Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez Law School Isabel Aninat, academic at the university of Santiago, Chile and academic coordinator at the new constitution observatory Dr Pamela Figueroa, who discuss the 2019 protests that led to Chile writing a new constitution, and why the new draft was rejected. Finally senior editor at 444.hu Peter Erdelyi discusses the constitution in Hungary under Fidesz and Viktor Orbán. Presented by Maddy Thimont Jack with Dr Catherine Haddon and Jess Sargeant