IfG Events

AI-generated ?deepfake? audio clips of both London mayor Sadiq Khan and leader of the opposition Sir Keir Starmer have circulated on social media. A faked robocall impersonating Joe Biden was sent to voters before a primary election. The number of AI-enhanced images of politicians is increasing. In a year when over two billion people in more than 50 countries will vote in elections, the use of AI technology ? more widely accessible than ever ? and disinformation could have a major impact on trust and integrity. So what can be done to tackle this growing problem? What can political parties, government, media companies and civil society do to mitigate the risks of AI and ensure electoral integrity? And what steps can be taken ahead the elections of 2024 and then in the longer term. We were joined by an expert panel, including: ? Professor Joe Burton, Professor of International Security in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University ? Louise Edwards, Director of Regulation and Digital Transformation at the Electoral Commission ? Chris Morris, Chief Executive of Full Fact ? Simon Staffell, Director of Government Affairs at Microsoft The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Lancaster University for kindly supporting this event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The question of how to reform the House of Lords dominates discussions about the upper house, with less attention focused on its day-to-day activities. Since his election as Lord Speaker in 2021, Lord McFall of Alcluith has sought to champion its important role of revising legislation and advising the government, while ensuring the Lords remains on the path of modernisation. Lord McFall has focused on parliamentary outreach and prioritised communicating the value of the House of Lords externally, bringing the devolved parliaments and Westminster closer. He has also worked with schools and universities, and launched a podcast, to demystify the upper house.  What are public perceptions of the upper chamber and how have they changed? How has the Lords changed its ways of working? What kinds of links does it have with the devolved parliaments? And what might all of this mean for discussions about reform of the Lords? Lord McFall addressed these questions and more in a keynote speech at the Institute for Government, before taking part in a discussion with the IfG?s Director Dr Hannah White and an audience Q&A. Follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @IfGEvents and join the conversation using #lordspeaker. Lord McFall of Alcluith became Lord Speaker in 2021, having served as senior deputy speaker for five years. He entered the Lords in 2010 after spending 23 years in the Commons as Labour MP for Dumbarton and later West Dumbartonshire. There, he served as a minister in the Northern Ireland Office, a government whip, and chaired the Treasury Select Committee between 2001 and 2010, including during the global financial crisis. Before entering politics, Lord McFall worked for over a decade as a teacher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Treasury is perhaps the most powerful department in Whitehall. Its ownership of public spending means it has direct control over the money available to the rest of government, while the Treasury?s responsibility for tax policy gives it enormous influence over the finances of households and businesses. But criticism of the department?s influence on government policy is almost as old as the institution itself, with frequent complaints about the ?dead hand of the Treasury? or attacks on the department?s ?orthodoxy?. However, a recent IfG report found many of the fiercest criticisms to be overblown: many simply represent a dislike of a budget constraint. The department plays an important function in effectively managing public spending and guarding against financial disorder. It has also consistently been a champion of economic growth, though there is debate about how that is managed against its responsibility for managing government spending. While the department has clear strengths, there are clearly problems with how it functions. The Treasury often takes a short-term approach, is frequently accused of micromanaging other departments, and wields excessive influence over government policy relative to the rest of the centre. So how can these problems be addressed? How much are they due to the relative weakness of other departments or the incentives facing Treasury ministers? And just what impact does the Treasury have on government policy making? Our expert panel exploring these issues and more featured: ? James Bowler CB, Permanent Secretary of HM Treasury ? Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research at the Health Foundation and former Director of Public Spending at HM Treasury ? David Gauke, former Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions ? Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and co-author of Treasury orthodoxy, and former No 10 special adviser for industrial strategy The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fraud is the UK?s most common crime. But despite 3.5 million incidents reported in 2022/23, 40% of all reported crimes, only one in a thousand results in a charge or summons. So why is there such a huge gap between preventing, detecting and prosecuting this crime ? and what can be done to fix the problem? A wide range of organisations have responsibility for tackling fraud, including the Home Office, National Crime Agency, Serious Fraud Office, City of London Police, Metropolitan Police Service, Financial Conduct Authority and the National Cyber Security Centre. However, there are problems with coordination, capacity and capability. So what can government and others do to help prevent fraud? How can coordination among the various agencies responsible for tackling fraud be improved? And what steps could be taken to help increase detection and prosecution rates? We were joined by an expert panel, including: ? Francesca Carlesi, CEO of Revolut UK ? Adrian Searle, Director of the National Economic Crime Centre ? Nick Stapleton, Co-Presenter of BBC Scam Interceptors ? Rt Hon Emily Thornberry MP, Shadow Attorney General The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From tackling low economic growth to addressing regional inequalities, from adapting to climate change to transforming public service performance, UK government is facing substantial and urgent challenges. But without radical reform of the centre of government, whoever wins the next election will repeat the failures of previous administrations. The next prime minister must transform No.10, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury. On Monday 11 March, The Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH and The Rt Hon Gordon Brown spoke at the Institute for Government to launch the final report of the Commission on the Centre of Government. It sets out a plan ? ambitious but deliverable ? for reforming the centre of government. Over the last year the IfG?s Centre Commission has been speaking to people who have worked at the heart of government in the UK and overseas, to devolved governments, industry and civil society leaders and community leaders. Our conclusion is that the centre of government is not equipped to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Fundamental change is needed ? and it cannot wait. The first part of the event featured opening speeches from Sir John Major and Gordon Brown. This was followed by panel discussion of the core recommendations of the report. For this discussion we were delighted to be joined by: ? Baroness (Louise) Casey, a Commissioner who supported the project, and a crossbench peer and former civil servant ? Lord (Gus) O'Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service ? Sir Anthony Seldon, Deputy Chair of the Commission on the Centre of Government. The panel was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government and Chair of the Commission on the Centre of Government. This event was supported by a grant from Charities Aid Foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the general election less than a year away, the Conservatives, Labour and all other political parties are drawing up their manifestos. Scrutinised by the media and voters, manifestos can shape debate, shift the polls, and play a major part in an election campaign ? and shape what the winning part does in government. While manifestos are described as a contract between a party and the people, the reality in government is often quite different. Pledges may prove difficult to deliver in practice, with unforeseen crises and the day-to-day challenges of governing seeing commitments fall by the wayside. In a coalition or minority government, parties may have to compromise. So how do the parties develop and write their manifestos? What does a good manifesto actually look like? What are the questions that Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will be considering when signing off on their manifestos? And just how important are manifestos during ? and after ? a general election campaign? Joining us to discuss these questions and more were:  ? Andrew Fisher, former Executive Director of Policy for the Labour Party, and author of the 2017 and 2019 Labour manifestos  ? Robert Shrimsley, Chief UK Political Commentator and Executive Editor at the Financial Times ? Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First, and co-author of the 2019 Conservative manifesto The event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr Thérèse Coffey served in government under every prime minister from David Cameron to Rishi Sunak, including four years as a member of the cabinet. She led the Department for Work and Pensions through the Covid pandemic, served as deputy prime minister and heath secretary under Liz Truss, and was made environment secretary by Rishi Sunak. She left government at the November 2023 reshuffle.  Dr Coffey joined Tim Durrant, Programme Director for Ministers at the Institute for Government, to reflect on her government career and the challenges of ministerial life. What was it like serving under five different prime ministers? How did she approach running a large delivery-focused department during the pandemic? And are the pressures of ministerial office impacting too much on the lives of politicians? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Devolution to Wales is almost 25 years old. Since the first Welsh assembly elections in 1999, the powers of the devolved institutions in Cardiff have been substantially expanded ? with Welsh voters backing the historic transformation of the assembly into a law-making parliament in a 2011 referendum.  A quarter of a century since devolution began, what are the potential next steps in Wales?s unfinished constitutional journey? Set up to address this very question, the cross-party Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales, established by the Welsh government, will publish its final report in January 2024 ? a key moment in the debate on the future of Wales. The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS, the First Minister of Wales, to discuss the findings of the commission, his perspective on how devolution to Wales could be protected and strengthened, and how a future Labour government in Westminster should reform the constitution and improve relations with the devolved administrations. Mark Drakeford was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, followed by Q&A with the live and online audience.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A wide-ranging discussion on the key issues facing government ? and the economy ? as a general election draws near. On the panel: ? Claire Ainsley, Director of the Project on Center-Left Renewal and former Executive Director of Policy to Keir Starmer ? Anita Boateng, Partner at Portland Communications and former Special Adviser for the Cabinet Office, MoJ and DWP ? Sam Freedman, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government ? Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government ? Joe Owen, Director of Impact at the Institute for Government (Chair) This event was part of the Institute for Government?s Government 2024 annual conference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government, set out key findings from Performance Tracker ? the IfG?s annual stocktake of nine key public services ? ahead of a panel discussion on how public service performance can be turned around. On the panel: Stephen Bush, Associate Editor and Columnist at the Financial Times Councillor Georgia Gould, Leader of Camden Council Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, former Chancellor of the Exchequer Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government (Chair) This event was part of the Institute for Government?s Government 2024 annual conference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The IfG was delighted to welcome Rt Hon John Glen MP, Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, for a keynote speech at Government 2024, the IfG?s annual conference with Grant Thornton UK LLP. This was followed by an in conversation with Dr Hannah White OBE, Director of the IfG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The next general election is ? at most ? one year away. If Labour wins, there will, as is almost always the case in the UK, be an overnight transition of power. A party that has spent 14 years in opposition would be instantly thrown into government.   But having focused already limited resources on election campaigning, and often lacking the knowledge and experience of being in government, how can opposition parties prepare for an overnight transition? Which issues do they need to consider ahead of a possible election win? And what challenges might arise on that first day in power?   As the Institute?s research shows, proper preparation can make the difference between success and stagnation once in office. This event, the latest in the Institute for Government?s General Election programme, discussed a new IfG report ? Preparing for government: How oppositions should ready themselves for power ? which sets out how to prepare for a possible transition into government.   Joining us to the discuss the report and its findings was an expert panel, including:   Wes Ball, former Director of the Parliamentary Labour Party Baroness Fall, former Deputy Chief of Staff to David Cameron Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Lord Macpherson, former Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury (2005?16)   The event was chaired by Joe Owen, Director of Impact at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Earlier this month Lord Maude, who served as Minister for the Cabinet Office from 2010-2015, published his Independent Review of Governance and Accountability in the Civil Service. The comprehensive review saw Maude speak to former and present civil service leaders, minister and ex-ministers, former Prime Ministers, and many civil servants. Maude concludes that ?the arrangements for governance and accountability of the civil service are unclear, opaque and incomplete?, and that the centre of government has become "unwieldy, with confusion about where responsibilities lie." So what is Lord Maude?s plan to fix these problems and how would his 57 recommendations work? Ministers have reacted coolly to Maude?s plan to split the Treasury and create?an Office of Budget and Management, but is he right? What responsibilities should the Cabinet Secretary hold? And what can be done to ensure this review of the civil service succeeds when so many previous attempts have failed? To discuss these questions and more, Lord Maude joined us in conversation at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After Rishi Sunak used the recent Conservative Party Conference to pitch himself as the ?change? candidate, the Autumn Statement on 22 November was Jeremy Hunt?s first opportunity to set out the government?s new tax and spending plans. But what the Prime Minister and Chancellor can offer will in part be shaped by the new economic and fiscal forecasts they were given by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the UK?s independent fiscal watchdog. So, what does the Autumn Statement reveal about this government?s approach to economic and fiscal policy? How has the economic and fiscal outlook changed since March and how might that shape the general election campaign? Does the government have any new plans to try to boost growth and household incomes? What do the government?s public spending plans look like ? and are they plausible? To explore these questions and more, our expert panel included: ? Anoosh Chakelian, Britain Editor of the New Statesman ? Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government ? Richard Hughes, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility ? Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

High standards are crucial for maintaining public trust in the police ? but in recent years the reputation of the Metropolitan Police has been damaged by a number of scandals. Sir Mark Rowley was appointed as Met Commissioner in September 2022 with a mandate to bring in higher standards of policing, reduce crime rates, and deliver more trust in the Met Police. At this Institute for Government event, the Commissioner set out how he intends to achieve his priorities, including through changes to police structures, improved leadership, and the New Met for London plan. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. Following his brief opening remarks, the Commissioner took part in a Q&A with the in-person and online audience.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Public services were hit hard by the pandemic, which exacerbated existing performance problems and pressures on staff. High inflation and widespread strikes have since caused further disruption. Ahead of the Autumn Statement, this event brought together an expert panel to discuss: ? How does public service performance compare to pre-pandemic levels? ? How can the government recruit and retain sufficient staff to improve public service performance? ? What are the key public service challenges that will be faced by the winner of the next election? As the Institute for Government and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) publish the latest edition of Performance Tracker which features new analysis on the performance of public services, Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, presented the key findings. He was joined by Stephen Bush, Associate Editor and columnist at the Financial Times, and Baroness Morris, Chair of the Lords Public Services Committee. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government, with opening remarks by Jeffrey Matsu, Chief Economist at CIPFA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rishi Sunak has until December 2024 to call an election. While the formal starting pistol has yet to be fired, and may not be for at least a year, the long campaign has already begun. Both Sunak and Starmer are presenting themselves as the change candidate and the person to fix a country that ? they both argue ? is struggling to find its way. Kicking off the Institute's General Election programme, this event reflected on the opening pitches of the two main parties at their recent conferences. It will ask what change the country, government and political system needs, what change the voters want, and whether either party has a plan to deliver it. Joining us were: ? Kelly Beaver, Chief Executive of Ipsos in the UK and Ireland ? Lord Mandelson, Chairman of Global Counsel and former minister in the Blair and Brown governments ? Kate McCann, Political Editor at Times Radio ? Lord Willetts, President of the Resolution Foundation and former minister in the Major and Cameron governments The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To mark the publication of her new book, The Women Who Made Modern Economics, Rachel Reeves MP sat down with IfG's Chief Economist, Dr Gemma Tetlow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Twenty-five years after the Scotland Act established the devolved Scottish government and parliament, the future of devolution and Scotland?s place in the Union remain contentious issues. The SNP continues to advocate for Scottish independence. Meanwhile, the UK government has pursued a strategy of ?muscular unionism?. Scottish Labour has called for a new approach, based on greater cooperation between UK and Scottish governments, and for stronger local government within Scotland. So what does Scotland?s constitutional future hold? The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Anas Sarwar MSP, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party. How can Scottish devolution be strengthened? What might a future Labour government at Westminster mean for relations with Holyrood? And what is Sarwar?s vision for Scotland?s place in a reformed Union? To discuss these questions and more, Anas Sarwar was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, followed by Q&A with the live and online audience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Questions about standards in public life have dominated politics in recent years. As Chair of the independent Committee on Standards in Public Life since 2018, Lord Evans KCB DL has been at the heart of these debates, leading the committee?s work to define and uphold ethical standards across the public sector.    As Lord Evans reaches the end of his five-year term, he joined the Institute for Government to reflect on the work of the committee and the UK?s approach to standards in public life more broadly. He discussed how the standards landscape has changed, the challenges he anticipates, and how he would like to see public standards strengthened in future.    After his speech, Lord Evans was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Baroness Hale, former President of the Supreme Court, joins Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, and Professor Michael Kenny, Director of Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge, for an in conversation.   This event was part of the IfG and Bennett Institute's joint conference on the Future of the UK Constitution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Institute for Government welcomed Rt Hon Liz Truss MP to give a keynote speech on the economy.   A year since her government?s Growth Plan ? the September 2022 ?mini-budget? ? including a programme of tax cuts and supply side reforms, the former prime minister set out her vision for how the government could enable the UK to achieve faster economic growth.   Following her speech Liz Truss was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, the Director of the Institute for Government, before taking part in a Q&A with an invited audience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Darlington Economic Campus is rapidly establishing itself as the civil service?s flagship office outside of London ? and has been described by chancellor Jeremy Hunt as moving ?decision makers and advisers closer to the communities we serve.? So how has the Darlington Economic Campus changed the way policy is made? What difference has it made to the local area and is it contributing to the levelling up agenda? What are the factors behind the campus?s success and should it be used as a blueprint for future relocations? And what are the next steps in the government?s plan to relocate the civil servants from London? A recent IfG report has evaluated the impact of the Darlington Economic Campus on the civil service and the local area and set out recommendations for current and future relocations. At this event, which was held in Darlington, there was a welcome from Nigel Robinson from PA Consulting, and a short presentation from Jordan Urban, the report?s lead author. Baroness Penn, Treasury Lords Minister, responded to the IfG's research. An expert panel discussion followed, featuring: ? Jo Crellin, Director General, Trading Systems at the Department for Business and Trade ? Mike Hughes, Business and Commercial Editor at The Northern Echo ? Baroness Penn, Treasury Lords Minister ? Andrew Perkin, Business Growth and Investment Manager at Darlington Borough Council ? Beth Russell, Second Permanent Secretary to the Treasury   The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There has been no shortage of central government attempts to support regional development over past decades, but these have been insufficient to close the widening gaps in geographical disparities, with efforts lacking scale, coordination, data and effective oversight, and policies ultimately proving short lived. So what can be done to fix the problem? The Levelling Up White Paper proposed several reforms to 'rewire Whitehall' to ensure the goverenment delivered more effective regional policy, including the creation of a Levelling Up Advisory Council (LUAC) ? an expert group reporting to the levelling up secretary of state ? to provide insight, challenge, and advice to the government on its design and delivery of the levelling up policy agenda. This event also considered how central government can best be organised to deliver effective long-term regional policy, whether the white paper?s reforms are the right ones, what difference structures like the Advisory Council make, and what else is needed. So what progress has the government made on implementing the white paper proposals? What difference have the structures set out in the white paper made already and is the LUAC fulfilling the purpose it was set up for? What are the key challenges for a government when trying to deliver cross-cutting policy? And are the structures in place for cross-government working, between central and devolved governments, adequate to deliver regional policy effectively? To discuss these questions and more, the Institute for Government brought together an expert panel. ? Andy Haldane, Chair of the Levelling Up Advisory Council and Chief Executive of the RSA ? Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government ? Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government ? Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering and member of the Levelling Up Advisory Council The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How to restore trust in politics by strengthening standards in public life has been in the spotlight in recent years. The Labour Party has proposed a new, independent Ethics and Integrity Commission to ?stamp out corruption in government, strengthen the rules and ensure they are enforced.?   But how would that commission work in practice? If Labour forms the next government, what powers would the commission have to investigate alleged poor behaviour? How will it enforce its judgements? Who would sit on the commission and how will it work with government ministers?  To answer all these questions and set out her vision for how to make politics work better at a time of depleted trust, the Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, Labour?s Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, gave a keynote speech at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Following her speech, Angela Rayner took part in a Q&A with the in-person and online audience Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The rule of law is?a fundamental principle of a constitutional democracy ? but in recent years it has been the subject of much debate. What role should the rule of law play? What is the government?s commitment to the rule of law? And what part should public law play in solving political disputes? As Attorney General, Victoria Prentis KC MP acts at the intersection of politics and the law. She is Chief Legal Adviser to the Crown and advises the government on both domestic and international law. The Attorney General's Office oversees the Law Officers? departments, which include the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office, and the Government Legal Department, where the Attorney General was herself a government lawyer for 17 years before being elected as an MP. She gave a keynote speech at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. Following her speech, the Attorney General took part in a Q&A with the in-person and online audience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tackling climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing governments across the world. With both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer pledging to hit ambitious emissions targets and make the UK a clean energy ?superpower?, the net zero agenda will be a major issue at the next general election. So what needs to be done to switch the UK from being an economy powered by carbon to one that is near emissions free, and does the UK have a credible plan to hit its net zero targets? To explore these critical questions, and examine what government needs to do to meet its climate objectives, the Institute for Government brought together leading politicians and experts from the UK and beyond for a special net zero conference. The morning focused on whether the UK government has the right policies in place to cut emissions. And in the afternoon we examined government?s role in supporting green industries, following major subsidies announced by the US and the EU. At this session, the Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Net Zero, joined Emma Norris, IfG Deputy Director, to discuss how a Labour government would do net zero differently. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tackling climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing governments across the world. With both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer pledging to hit ambitious emissions targets and make the UK a clean energy ?superpower?, the net zero agenda will be a major issue at the next general election. So what needs to be done to switch the UK from being an economy powered by carbon to one that is near emissions free, and does the UK have a credible plan to hit its net zero targets? To explore these critical questions, and examine what government needs to do to meet its climate objectives, the Institute for Government brought together leading politicians and experts from the UK and beyond for a special net zero conference. The morning focused on whether the UK government has the right policies in place to cut emissions. And in the afternoon we examined government?s role in supporting green industries, following major subsidies announced by the US and the EU. Following a welcome from IfG Director Dr Hannah White, the Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP joined us to discuss his Independent Review of Net Zero and the government?s progress so far. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over many years Sajid Javid held some of the most senior roles in British government, serving as a secretary of state in six different departments under three different prime ministers ? including as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary. Javid, who will stand down from parliament at the next election, is now a commissioner on the Institute for Government?s Centre Commission. At this ?in conversation? event he shared his experiences at the heart of government to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses at the centre and how they could be fixed. What are the biggest problems with the centre of government? What are the tensions between No.10 and the Treasury? How does the centre work with the rest of government? And how can the priorities of a prime minister best be delivered? To discuss these questions and more, Sajid Javid was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, followed by a Q&A. The Institute for Government?s Commission on the Centre of Government is looking at why No.10, the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury do not always work as well as they should and what could be done to radically improve the centre of UK government. The Centre Commission?s purpose is to produce concrete recommendations for a confident, proactive, coherently-structured centre of government equipped to meet the challenges and take the opportunities of the 21st century and deliver for the people of the UK. The Commission will report in February 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Northern Ireland has had no ministers since October. The DUP is refusing to re-enter into power-sharing arrangements in protest over the Northern Ireland protocol; despite the new Windsor Framework agreement, the party has still not returned to Stormont. The Secretary of State has had to set a budget for Northern Ireland, and civil servants are obliged to make difficult decisions to balance the books. To discuss the ongoing governance challenges in Northern Ireland, reflect on the impact of the Windsor Framework, and set out the Northern Ireland Office?s approach to restoring power-sharing, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, the Northern Ireland Secretary, spoke at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the government taking the Covid inquiry to court to protect WhatsApp messages, the use of WhatsApp is in the spotlight. It has become fundamental to the way Westminster and Whitehall works ? but is this way of communicating good for government? It has been reported that key decisions during the pandemic were taken in WhatsApp groups ? made up of the prime minister and a handful of advisers. While some messages have been leaked, much of the content may never see the light of day ? particularly with some users setting their messages to ?disappear? within days or even hours.  So is WhatsApp changing the way decisions are made or is it just the 21st century equivalent of an informal conversation in a corridor, a bar, or on a phone? What can be done to ensure decisions taken on WhatsApp are shared and scrutinised? And how much has changed in government since the app was first launched?  To discuss all this and more, the Institute for Government brought together an expert panel: ? Dr Alice Lilly, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government ? Emily Walch, former special adviser to Vince Cable and Senior Counsel at Grayling ? Matt Warman MP, former Minister of State in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport ? Henry Zeffman, Associate Political Editor at The Times This event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Special advisers ("SpAds") play a hugely important role in government, and successful ones are key to helping a minister achieve his or her priorities. The number of SpAds has more than doubled since 2010, but the job is not well understood by the public ? or, in some cases, by special advisers themselves. So what do SpAds do on a day-to-day basis? How do they interact with ministers and the civil service? And what does it mean to be good at the job?  Building on IfG research from 2020, this event will consider how the role has evolved over recent decades. What skills and capabilities are needed to be an effective SpAd? How should potential future SpAds approach the role? And how does the UK compare with other countries in the way its political advisers operate? To explore these questions, the IfG brought together an expert panel including: Sonia Khan, Associate Director at Cicero and former special adviser to Philip Hammond and Sajid Javid Jennifer Lees-Marshment, Associate Professor at the University of Auckland, focusing on the political adviser role in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand Liz Lloyd, former Chief of Staff to Nicola Sturgeon Baroness Sally Morgan, former Director of Government Relations for Tony Blair and Chair of Ofsted  The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The government?s Levelling Up the United Kingdom white paper contained ambitious proposals to deliver a devolution deal to every area of England that wants one by 2030, but the proliferation of regional authorities and directly elected mayors across England alongside different arrangements in the devolved nations can make co-operation and co-ordination difficult. This event will consider what structures and ways of working could help support cross-government action on levelling up. How well have mayoral combined authorities (MCAs) worked with central government? Do mayoral combined authorities need a single point of contact in Whitehall or is it better to work directly with different departments? Have MCAs successfully encouraged cross-council working on levelling up? How can the UK government work more effectively with the devolved nations? To explore these questions, the IfG brought together an expert panel including: Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council Professor Francesca Gains, Professor of Public Policy at The University of Manchester Dr Jack Newman, Research Associate at The Productivity Institute and the Department of Politics at The University of Manchester Joe Rossiter, Policy and External Affairs Manager at the Institute of Welsh Affairs The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. Follow us on Twitter @ifgevents and join the conversation using #IfGlevellingup. This event was kindly supported by Policy@Manchester, The University of Manchester's policy engagement unit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In recent years, government has had to contend with multiple crises, from the Covid pandemic to major increases in energy costs. Ministers and civil servants have often had to work in crisis mode ? making major policy decisions at speed, rapidly deploying staff, and developing new systems. But the potential for further crises looms large, especially given continued international instability. And government is still dealing with the lingering effects of previous shocks, particularly Covid, on key public services. This means that government must be ready for future shocks, while managing the impact of previous ones ? and it must do all of this while continuing to deliver on day-to-day priorities.   So how can government do this? What lessons should it learn from the experience of recent crises? Is it effectively identifying and managing risk, so that it stands ready to address future shocks? And what does government need to ensure that it can still make progress on its day-to-day priorities?    To discuss these questions, the Institute for Government brought together:   Alex Chisholm, Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary for the Cabinet Office Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, whose seventh Chair's Annual Report examining these themes was published the morning of 6 June.   This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Has civil service impartiality had its day? Recent events in government, including the circumstances following Dominic Raab?s resignation as justice secretary, have at least on the surface deepened a divide between ministers and officials ? and civil service morale has dropped as the strained relationship between ministers and officials deteriorates. With Raab complaining of ?increasingly activist civil servants? and warning that it had become ?almost impossible for ministers to deliver for the British people?, there have been increasing calls to give more powers to ministers to bring their political allies into Whitehall. So has civil service impartiality had its day? Is it time to allow more political appointments into civil service roles? What would this mean for the civil service?s ability to give good advice and effectively implement government policy? What other changes would help the civil service recruit people with the skills and specialisms that ministers want and the public need? And what else can be done to restore the fractured relationship between ministers and officials? To explore these questions, the IfG bought together an expert panel including: George Eustice, Conservative MP and former Environment Secretary Ayesha Hazarika, Times Radio presenter and a former civil servant and special adviser Lord O?Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First, a former adviser at 10 Downing Street and co-author of the Conservative Party's 2019 election manifesto This event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NHS spends over £30bn a year through procurement, on critical clinical services, medicines, equipment, IT, building maintenance, catering and cleaning. But does it spend this money well? During the pandemic questions were raised about value for money and transparency.   With NHS England recently creating a new central commercial function to coordinate the work of the more than 4,000 staff working on NHS procurement and supply chain, how can the NHS make the most of its collective buying power and ensure money isn?t wasted? What lessons can be learned from NHS procurement during the pandemic? How can the NHS create more resilient supply chains? What role can procurement play in tackling health inequalities and the NHS?s commitment to reach net zero by 2045? And how can the NHS take advantage of the changes proposed in the Procurement Bill?   To answer these questions, the Institute for Government convened an expert panel including:   Jacqui Rock, Chief Commercial Officer at NHS England David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network Patrick Parkin, Partner at Burges Salmon Luella Trickett, Director, Value and Access at the Association of British HealthTech Industries   The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.   We would like to thank Burges Salmon for supporting this event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A commitment to level up the country was at the forefront of the Conservative Party?s 2019 manifesto, but how much progress can the government make on its flagship agenda with no more than 18 months remaining until the next general election? Is substantial progress on regional inequalities possible over the next few years given the broader economic circumstances? And should this and future administrations prioritise specific aspects of the agenda, such as skills? This event, which took place shortly after the 2023 local elections were held, assessed what comes next for levelling up. To explore these questions and more, our expert panel included: Debbie Abrahams MP, Member of Parliament for Oldham East and Saddleworth Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice and Vice Dean of Humanities at The University of Manchester Jennifer Williams, Northern England Correspondent at the Financial Times The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Policy@Manchester, The University of Manchester's policy engagement unit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

HM Treasury ? the UK?s economics and finance ministry ? played a crucial role in the government?s response to the Covid pandemic. While the crisis was fundamentally one of public health, shutting down the country saw the government pay the wages of around a third of the workforce and spend billions supporting businesses.  So how successful were the Treasury?s policies and how well did it work with the rest of government? What lessons should the Treasury learn from its pandemic response? How can the department be better prepared to handle future crises? And what can be done to improve how the Treasury operates in normal times? This event presented and discussed the findings of a new report from the Institute for Government which examines how the Treasury implemented labour market and business finance support schemes, delivered an unprecedented amount of support to the country at incredible speed and under huge uncertainty, and worked with other government departments during the crisis.  To explore these questions, the IfG brought together an expert panel including: Rushanara Ali MP, Member of the Treasury Select Committee Olly Bartrum, Senior Economist at the Institute for Government Prof Sir Charles Bean, former member of the Budget Responsibility Committee at the Office for Budget Responsibility (2017?21) Tracey Brown, Director of Sense about Science Sir Charles Roxburgh, former Second Permanent Secretary of HM Treasury (2016?22) The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. Follow us @IfGevents and get involved in the conversation using #IfGTreasury. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Institute for Government · Keynote speech: Stephen Flynn MP, SNP Westminster Leader The SNP has a new leader and Scotland has a new first minister. So what does the election of Humza Yousaf mean for the Scottish government ? and for the role that the SNP plays in Westminster? What does the future of the relationship between the Westminster and Holyrood governments look like and what opportunities are there for the two governments to work together? How will the SNP make the case for independence under new leadership? To explore these questions, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Stephen Flynn, the SNP?s leader in Westminster, to give a keynote speech. The event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Follow us @ifgevents and join the conversation using #IfGFlynn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We were delighted to welcome the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, to speak at the Institute for Government. Appointed as the Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) in 2018, Sir Patrick has been responsible for providing advice on topics as varied as artificial intelligence, emerging pandemic diseases and climate change ? and was a regular presence at No.10?s televised press conferences throughout the Covid crisis. With his five-year fixed-term ending in the spring, Patrick looked back at his time as Government Chief Scientific Adviser and ahead to some of the science-related challenges facing government. How can the government make best use of scientific evidence? What more can be done to place science at the heart of government decision making? The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, with an opening address from Patrick followed by a Q&A. Follow us @ifgevents and get involved in the conversation using #IfGscience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This event explored why successive governments have failed to address rising obesity and what would be needed to tackle it. Our panel explored why successive governments have failed to address rising obesity and what would be needed to tackle it. We discussed which policies work, how to build support for them and the role of government in leading change. To explore these questions and more, our expert panel included: Henry Dimbleby, founder of Leon, former government adviser and author of Ravenous: how to get ourselves and our planet into shape Sophie Metcalfe, Researcher at the Institute for Government Dr Dolly Theis, Visiting Researcher at the Cambridge University MRC Epidemiology Unit The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. Get more from the IfG: ?Register to our upcoming events: https://www.instituteforgovernment.or... ?Subscribe to our newsletter: https://bit.ly/3Wz9tQx ?Catch up on previous events at: https://www.instituteforgovernment.or... ?Listen to our podcast at: https://www.instituteforgovernment.or... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The House of Lords is back in the spotlight. Boris Johnson?s resignation honours have reignited debates about the appointment process and the ability of politicians to hand life peerages to their friends, supporters and donors. Key figures across Westminster have called for stronger independent oversight of the appointment process. Labour Leader Keir Starmer has gone further, committing to replacing the House of Lords with an elected chamber if he wins the next general election, informed by the work of former prime minister Gordon Brown?s constitutional commission. However, as past governments have discovered, how to reform the second chamber is the cause of intense disagreement. Who should replace the current membership? What should be the role of a second chamber? What are the risks involved in embarking on major constitutional change ? and are the knock-on impacts clearly understood? This event ? part of the IfG Bennett Institute Review of the UK Constitution ? will explore current proposals for reforming the House of Lords, including the newly-published Brown review, and consider how reform could be achieved. Matthew Hanney, former Special Adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society Lord Norton of Louth, Conservative Peer and Professor of Government at the University of Hull Sarah Sackman, Commissioner, Brown Commission, Labour candidate for Finchley and Golders Green The was chaired by Jess Sargeant,Senior Researcher, Institute for Government. #IfGLordsReform Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Following a turbulent two months in politics, policy and financial markets, on 17 November Jeremy Hunt presented the government?s autumn statement, alongside a new set of fiscal and economic forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The following day the IfG hosted an event to react to the chancellor?s statement. We were delighted that to be joined by Ben Chu, Economics Editor at BBC Newsnight, and Richard Hughes, Chair of the OBR, to discuss: What the new forecasts reveal about the outlook for the government, households and public services. What choices has Rishi Sunak made to help restore fiscal sustainability and credibility? Has it worked and will the government be able to deliver it all? What have the events of the past two months taught us about the importance and strength of the institutions at the heart of fiscal policy making ? including the relationship between the OBR, the Treasury and ministers? Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, and Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government, will also join Richard to discuss the prime minister's fiscal plans drawing on the 2022 edition of the IfG and CIPFA Performance Tracker. Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, chaired the panel.   #IfGautumnstatement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The public appointments system struggles to appoint candidates in a timely and efficient way. It has been dogged by controversy in recent years, from media speculation over the appointment of new chairs of Ofcom and the BBC to delays at the Charity Commission and the Competition and Markets Authority. Politicians, officials, candidates and the public have expressed frustration with the process. The Institute for Government?s report, Reforming Public Appointments, proposes a package of reforms including clearer data on the causes of delays, fewer ministerial decision points, and an expansion of regulation to include more roles. Our panel explored what the purpose of the public appointments system is, how well it is working now and what reforms might be needed: Lord Jonathan Evans, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life and former Director General of the UK Security Service Baroness Simone Finn, Former Deputy Chief of Staff at Number 10 Sue Gray, Second Permanent Secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, Chair of the Liaison Committee and former Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee William Shawcross CVO, Commissioner for Public Appointments This event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.  #IfGpublicappointments Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Halpern, the ?What Works? National Adviser since 2013 and Chief Executive of the Behavioural Insights Team, has spent nearly a decade advising ministers and other leaders in government on using evidence to make better policy. As his term as national adviser comes to an end, he spoke at the Institute for Government to look back at the successes, failures and future prospects for doing ?what works? and how it should continue to inform government practice and policy. Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and head of the civil service policy profession, joined David to reflect on good policy making, with Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government chairing the event. #IfGWhatWorks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From u-turning on budgets to sacking chancellors, spooking the markets and seeing borrowing rates climb, it has been a dramatic, chaotic and, for many people, painful start to Liz Truss?s time as prime minister. What mistakes were made in the transition between Boris Johnson?s No.10 and Truss?s administration? Why were Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng so quick to disregard the value of institutions and experience in government? How should a prime minister change course when things go wrong? And what can Jeremy Hunt do as the new chancellor to restore faith in this government?s handling of the economy? As Truss attempts to calm the markets, the public and her party, the IfG?s new director Dr Hannah White brought together an expert IfG panel to examine where the prime minister went wrong and explore the lessons that should be learned from her first 40 days in No.10 for future incoming administrations. With Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government #IfGTruss Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Michael Cockerell, the BBC broadcaster and political journalist whose award-winning political documentaries have taken viewers behind the scenes of British politics for nearly half a century. He has interviewed a dozen prime ministers from Macmillan to Johnson, and made films about leading politicians including Roy Jenkins, Enoch Powell Denis Healey, Barbara Castle, Ken Clarke and Alan Clark.   His documentary series have included the How to Be trilogy (How to Be Chancellor, How to Be Foreign Secretary and How to Be Home Secretary), The Great Offices of State and The Secret World of Whitehall. In conversation with IfG Senior Fellow Dr Catherine Haddon, Michael Cockerell discussed his memoir, Unmasking our Leaders, and share the stories and secrets ? including clips from a number of his documentaries ? of the politicians that he has met and interviewed. And with a new prime minister moving into 10 Downing Street, this event will also explore the qualities that make ? and sometimes break ? our political leaders. #IfGCockerell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's tax-slashing plan for growth stunned MPs, commentators and economists alike on Friday - and sent the value of the pound plummeting. So just how big a gamble is his vision for the economy? Does his plan for easing the cost of energy crisis add up? And how long does Liz Truss have to convince voters that her policies will deliver growth?  The IfG economics team of Tom Pope, Giles Wilkes and Olly Bartrum assembled to make sense of a huge day in Parliament. Presented by Hannah White. This is a recording of a Twitter Spaces conversation  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Dame Dr Jenny Harries OBE, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency. After serving as the UK?s deputy Chief Medical Officer during the pandemic, Dr Harries took on leadership of the new UK Health Security Agency in April 2021. In conversation with Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, she discussed her vision for the UKHSA: What role will it play in protecting the country from Covid and future pandemics? What does Dr Harries see as the main challenges and priorities for the agency? And how will Dr Harries? time as Deputy Chief Medical Officer shape her approach to leading the UKHSA? Jenny Harries is the inaugural Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency. She was previously the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England. She has served on the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and worked in a variety of public health roles in the UK and abroad. #IfGHarries Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Modelling and forecasting played a prominent role in the way policies were designed and decisions were made during the coronavirus pandemic. But the government?s handling of the crisis raised questions about how modelling - epidemiological and economic ? was used by ministers. So how should models be produced and used within government? How should they be communicated to the public? And how well equipped are ministers and officials to understand and interpret modelling when making their decisions?. This panel explored the role of modelling in the Covid pandemic, the lessons that ministers should learn, and how the UK should draw on modelling in future crises. Ben Chu, Economics Editor for Newsnight Professor Neil Ferguson, Director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London Richard Hughes, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility Ruth Kelly, Chief Analyst at the National Audit Office. The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. #IfGforecast We would like to thank The Forum, Imperial College London?s policy engagement initiative for kindly supporting this event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices