INSIDE BRIEFING with Institute for Government

Special Advisers are some of the most important yet misunderstood figures in government. They play vital roles – as the voice of their minister in the department, shaping policy agendas and managing the media. 

As a new government gets up and running and scores of new SpAds get to grips with their roles, this four part series lifts the lid on what SpAds do, how they do it, and why they’re indispensable to modern government. 

In this final episode, we look at how SpAd careers end. We start with reshuffles – what’s it like to go through a reshuffle as a SpAd, and how do you find out when one’s about to begin? We also discuss what it’s like to lose one of these jobs and how little notice you really get. 

Finally, we finish the episode and the series by asking our interviewees to reflect on their time in government. What would they do differently if they had their time again? What are they most proud of? And what advice would they give to future SpAds? 

Presented by Jack Worlidge. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Rachel Reeves has revealed a “£22bn black hole” in the public finances. So do the chancellor’s sums add up and what is her plan for balancing the books? Sonia Khan, a former Treasury special adviser, joins the IfG podcast team to discuss the changing of the ministerial guard at the Treasury and the politics of spending reviews.

Talking of spending reviews, is there a better way to go about running them? A new IfG paper has the answers. And is the civil service set up to deliver for a mission-led government? Another new IfG paper reveals 20 ways to overhaul Whitehall.

Plus: Braced for Badenoch? Poised for Patel? Time for Tugenhadt? We preview the Conservative leadership contest.

Hannah White presents, with Tom Pope and Jack Worlidge. Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Special Advisers are some of the most important yet misunderstood figures in government. They play vital roles – as the voice of their minister in the department, shaping policy agendas and managing the media. As a new government gets up and running and scores of new SpAds get to grips with their roles, this four part series lifts the lid on what SpAds do, how they do it, and why they’re indispensable to modern government. 

In the third episode, we look at how SpAds’ work extends beyond their own departments. Government is complicated, so no-one can do one of these jobs effectively without working with other departments across Whitehall. 

Most SpAds will be in regular contact with the centre – No10 and the Treasury. So how do those relationships work? How powerful is No10 in reality, and what’s it like to negotiate with the Treasury? SpAds also need to work effectively with other departments, so we discuss the importance of the cross-government SpAd network. Finally, we hear about the importance of maintaining good relations with those outside government – including Parliament, their party, and external stakeholders. 

Presented by Jack Worlidge. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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There’s only one story in town – actually, there’s only one story on the planet. And that’s Joe Biden’s decision to pull out of the presidential race – and vice president Kamala Harris’ coronation as the new Democrat candidate to face Donald Trump in November. Mark Landler of the New York Times is back on the podcast to reflect on an absolutely momentous week in US politics, what Biden’s exit means for the presidential race, and what this all means for the UK.

PLUS: What is the government’s public service inheritance – and how will public services look by the next general election if the government sticks to its spending plans? A new IfG report has the answers.

Hannah White presents, with Alex Thomas and Stuart Hoddinott. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Special Advisers are some of the most important yet misunderstood figures in government. They play vital roles – as the voice of their minister in the department, shaping policy agendas and managing the media.
As a new government gets up and running and scores of new SpAds get to grips with their roles, this four part series lifts the lid on what SpAds do, how they do it, and why they’re indispensable to modern government.
In the second episode, we’re focusing on how important relationships are to any SpAd’s job. We start by discussing the importance of trust and understanding between SpAds and their secretary of state – how is this relationship built, and why is it so critical? And what about junior ministers – how do SpAds work with them?
The link between SpAds and the civil servants they work with is also vital. We look at their links with both the secretary of state’s and their own private offices, as well as what they thought about the civil service overall, and whether anything frustrated them.

Presented by Jack Worlidge. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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The pace of British politics isn’t slowing down. A big international summit for Keir Starmer. Devastating Covid inquiry headlines. And a King’s Speech full of bills.

But all this is nothing compared to the US. President Biden – now isolating with Covid – is under pressure to withdraw from the 2024 race, and his rival Donald Trump survived, by millimetres, an assassination attempt. 

The FT’s Lucy Fisher hot-foots it from Blenheim Palace to join the podcast team to make sense of big events either side of the Atlantic.

Presented by Hannah White, with Alex Thomas and Rosa Hodgkin

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Special Advisers are some of the most important yet misunderstood figures in government. They play vital roles – as the voice of their minister in the department, shaping policy agendas and managing the media. As a new government gets up and running and scores of new SpAds get to grips with their roles, this special four-part series from the Institute for Government lifts the lid on what SpAds do, how they do it, and why they’re indispensable to modern government. 

In this first episode, we look at how SpAds are recruited, and how they found their first days in government. What surprised them, and how did they fit into the wider SpAd team in their department? 

We also ask our interviewees what their day-to-day lives were like in government, how they added value for their ministers, and finally how they dealt with crises. 

Presented by Jack Worlidge. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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The New Statesman’s Freddie Hayward joins the Inside Briefing team to reflect on Keir Starmer’s busy first week as prime minister, with the PM appointing new ministers, the government firing off press releases and policy announcements, and Rachel Reeves making her first big speech as chancellor. But Starmer is also facing his first difficult decision: how to deal with a major crisis in prisons. England and Wales are on the brink of running out of cells...

Hannah White presents, with Emma Norris, Tom Pope and Cassia Rowland. Produced by Candice McKenzie

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We hosted a special livestreamed recording of the Institute for Government podcast, as a team of IfG experts – bleary eyed but full of coffee – gathered in the podcast studio to make sense of a momentous night in British politics.

What does the general election result mean for how the UK will be governed? What decisions and duties await the prime minister over the next days and weeks? How are governments formed and what does it mean civil servants? And what are the big challenges facing the government – and how can it meet them?

Hannah White and the team shared their instant reaction, expert analysis, and essential insights.

Presented by Hannah White with Giles Wilkes, Tim Durrant and Catherine Haddon.

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We’re into the general election final countdown and all the polls point to a big Labour win for Keir Starmer. So does Rishi Sunak have any aces up his sleeve or has the general election gambling scandal confirmed many Conservatives’ fears that that their leader is a busted flush? The Guardian’s Rafael Behr joins the podcast to look back on the campaign and explore what might happen next for Labour and the Conservatives.

Who has had a good campaign and who has had a bad one? The podcast team pick their choices.

What is it the last day – and the first day – in government really like? The IfG’s Giles Wilkes and Jack Worlidge, both former government special advisers, give the inside story.

PLUS: What are the big barriers to Labour’s clean energy plan and what can Keir Starmer do to knock them down?

Presented by Emma Norris.

With Gilkes Wilkes, Jack Worlidge and Rosa Hodgkin.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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There are less than two weeks to go until the general election and the polls are showing no signs of shifting. But what do they really tell us about what voters are thinking about Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer? Which Labour or Conservative policies and promises are cutting through? What are the polls to look out for? Deltapoll’s Joe Twyman joins the podcast team to explain all.

Plus: What exactly is a supermajority? We break down the Conservative party’s warnings about what a big Labour election win would mean in Parliament. 

Presented by Hannah White with Alice Lilly. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Manifesto week of the general election campaign has seen lots of promises, plenty of policies and even more polling – but whose plans for government actually add up? Kitty Donaldson, chief political commentator of the i paper, is this week’s podcast guest as Inside Briefing weighs up what we learned from the manifesto launches – and what they mean for Rishi Sunak and for Keir Starmer.

Hannah White presents, with Alex Thomas. Produced by Milo Hynes

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We were swamped with loads of fantastic questions at our recent IfG webinar and didn’t have time to get to all of them – so, by special request, Jill Rutter, Cath Haddon and Alex Thomas have reunited in the IfG podcast studio to record this special Question Time episode of Inside Briefing. So as Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer hit the general election campaign trail, what does this frenzied time in British politics mean for the nation’s civil servants?

What happens to special advisers during general election campaigns? What should private offices be getting ready for? Why don’t we talk about purdah anymore?  And why is it important that everyone reads the IfG’s brilliant Ministers Reflect series of interviews? Produced by Candice McKenzie

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The IfG rebuttal unit kicked into gear this week after our very own Nick Davies found himself dragged into the Conservative party’s tax attack on Labour. So where did that number really come from – and what can Labour do about it? Full Fact’s Chris Morris joins the IfG podcast to look back on a very noisy TV debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer.

We’re into the manifesto countdown – but will either Labour or the Conservatives say anything about the problems piling up for whoever forms the next government? A new IfG paper, The Precarious State of the State, sets out the scale and severity of the challenges likely to dominate the next parliament.

Plus: The state of GPs’ surgeries. Another new IfG report – out on Saturday – says GPs’ surgeries are old, cramped and crumbling. So, what can be done about it?

Hannah White presents, with Nick Davies and Ben Paxton. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Was Rishi Sunak’s rain-soaked speech on the steps of No10 really only a week ago? We’ve had policy announcements, MPs stepping down, a spectacular fall from a paddle board, more MPs stepping down, Keir Starmer colliding with the Labour left, Rishi Sunak clashing with some of his ministers, Nigel Farage deciding not to stand for parliament - again. An awful lot has happened.

The Inside Briefing team examine the big policy announcements on national service and pensions, reflect on some big name MPs – most notably Michael Gove – quitting parliament, and look back on a week of awkward gaffes and bust-ups for both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer.

Hannah White presents. With Alex Thomas and Jill Rutter.

Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Rishi Sunak has braved the weather and called a general election. So, what happens now? The IfG has been bombarded with questions about what this all means for government, for parliament, for the civil service, for legislation, for candidates, for conferences, and more. And these really are the type of questions that get the IfG’s collective pulse racing. 

So, we’ve scrambled together a team of IfG experts to answer all your questions. Listen to hear Hannah White, Joe Owen, Cath Haddon and Emma Norris tell you everything you need to know. Produced by Candice McKenzie

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The wait is over! The election has been called! The countdown to July the 4th starts now. After months of speculation, and a frenzied day of drama in Westminster, the IfG podcast team are joined by Sam Freedman to make sense of Rishi Sunak’s decision and explore what happens next. 

Things could hardly have got wetter as the prime minister gave his podium address on the steps of Downing Street, with Sunak’s moment in the rain shared with whoever was playing - at an incredible volume - that familiar New Labour anthem by D:Ream.

So why has the PM called a general election? What could happen between now and the July 4th polling day? What needs to happen in Parliament first? And given Labour’s seemingly unshifting poll lead, is there really a route to victory for the Conservative party or has Sunak - as his harsher critics are saying - just given up?

Presented by Hannah White with Emma Norris and Joe Owen. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer delivered their election pitches to the public this week – the PM with a focus on security and the Labour leader with six broader commitments from tackling NHS waiting lists to small boats.

In parliament, the week started with a sobering report on the trauma that too many women face while giving birth. And on Monday evening MPs voted (narrowly) for members to be suspended from the estate if they are arrested for a violent or sexual offence

And inquiries are back: Sue Gray spoke at the Covid inquiry this week, while Westminster awaits the next session of the Post Office inquiry and the long-awaited publication of the report into the infected blood scandal.

The IfG’s Hannah White, Emma Norris and Alice Lilly are joined by special guest PoliticsHome political editor Adam Payne to discuss what it all means.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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The defection of Dover MP Natalie Elphicke shocked both the Conservatives and, it seems, most of the Labour Party. The FT’s Lucy Fisher joined the podcast team to weigh up another a big twist in the Westminster soap opera.

Meanwhile a massive government data breach has sent Whitehall into a panic. But how big is the problem, who is responsible and how can this type of thing be stopped?

Also, how to complete the half-done job of English devolution? A new IfG report has a plan.

Plus: Who really runs Whitehall? Another IfG report reveals everything you need to do know about the country’s top civil servants.

Hannah White presents.

With Cath Haddon, Matthew Fright and Jordan Urban.

Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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The Conservatives take a pounding in the local elections and Labour are taking councils in former Brexit heartlands. But there’s a crumb of Tory comfort in Ben Houchen’s victory in the Tees Valley mayoral election – and Labour fail to take key target Harlow. As results continue to roll in, what do the last votes before the General Election mean for Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer?

Plus we are approaching a cliff-edge moment on departmental budgeting… good job there’s an IfG paper for that. Emma Norris, Akash Paun and Ben Paxton are joined by our special guest, political journalist Rachel Wearmouth, for this week’s pod.

Presented by Emma Norris. Audio production by Alex Rees. A Podmasters Production for the IfG.

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Rishi Sunak’s flagship Rwanda Act is finally on the statute book, and the prime minister has promised that – “no ifs, no buts” – flights will be taking off by the summer. So how much of a triumph is his for Sunak – and what legal challenges could still derail his asylum plan? Political journalist Zoe Grunewald joins the podcast team to weigh up an eventful week for the PM.

We’re just days away from a set of crucial local elections. Who is standing and where? What are the contests we need to look out for? And what could it all mean for Sunak and Keir Starmer?

Plus: Rising energy bills and rising raw sewage has put regulators like Ofgem and Ofwat in the spotlight, but is parliament doing enough to properly scrutinise the role that over 100 regulators play? A new IfG report has the answers.

Hannah White presents.

With Jill Rutter, Akash Paun and Matthew Gill

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Liz Truss is back, with her new book providing journalists with all sorts of extraordinary insights into her retrospective arguments about why her premiership collapsed. But what legacy has Truss left the Conservatives in the polls and what does this tell us about how voters view the party? Polling expert Will Jennings joins the podcast team to take a deep dive into the current state of the polls, how polling works and what the forthcoming election might mean for trust in our politics.

Plus: The prime minister’s flagship smoking ban has passed its first parliamentary hurdle, but also exposed some fundamental philosophical divisions within the Conservative Party. What does the bill tell us about political debate and long-term policy making? And what can we take from it about how willing political parties are to use prevention to tackle public health challenges?

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Is the Foreign Office still a department built to deliver the UK’s global priorities in the 21st century or is it out of date in the way it looks and works? Is David Cameron’s comeback as foreign secretary turning out to be a surprise success and what has it meant for the UK’s diplomatic clout? And just how complicated is the civil job of servants when they are asked to work on controversial government foreign policy – particularly when it relates to military action or weapons sales.

Former ambassador and No10 adviser Tom Fletcher, the co-author of new headline-making report into the future of UK international affairs, joins the podcast team to explore the UK’s status in the world, what it can achieve on the global stage, and what David Cameron's return to government has meant for the Foreign Office.

Emma Norris presents, with Alex Thomas and Tim Durrant. Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Is China really launching cyberattacks on British politicians and institutions? If so, then how serious is the threat – and what can the government do about it? Ciaran Martin, the first chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, joins the podcast team to discuss.

Two more ministers have quit the government – and announced that they will step down from Parliament. So how dangerous is this exodus for Rishi Sunak, and how has the PM reshuffled his pack?

PLUS: Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner launched Labour’s local government campaign with a new plan for devolving power across England. So how will it work – and will it succeed?

Hannah White presents, with Cath Haddon, Tom Pope, and Sachin Savur. Produced by Candice McKenzie

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The Spectator’s Isabel Hardman joins the IfG podcast team to discuss Conservative party plots – and weigh up just how much trouble Rishi Sunak is in. Rachel Reeves has been making headlines with a major speech on the economy. So what did the shadow chancellor say, and does Labour have a plausible plan? Plus: Who wants to be a member of a men-only private members’ club?

Hannah White presents, with Jill Rutter and Giles Wilkes. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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A general election is getting closer – and whoever forms the next government needs to be prepared. The campaign will dominate time and resources, but the job of being in government begins almost as soon as the votes have been counted. Preparing for Power, a special six-part series from the Institute for Government, takes you behind the scenes to find out how our politicians, their advisers and officials block out the noise of a general election campaign to get ready for what comes next.

Episode 6 explores the first days, weeks and months of a new government. What is like to be at a prime minister’s side as they enter No.10 for the first time? Can a new minister ever be properly prepared for the sudden task of running a huge government department? And what is it like to be a civil servant welcoming a brand new political team into office? We speak to the people who have been at the heart of government as a new government is formed, including Ed Balls, Jonathan Powell, Gus O'Donnell, Harriet Harman, Polly Mackenzie and Nick Macpherson.

The concluding part of Preparing for Power reveals what actually happens on a prime minister’s first day, explores what it is like for civil servants as a whole new team of politicians – and their advisers – take charge, and shares key lessons for making the most of going into government.

Presented by Emma Norris. Produced by Milo Hynes

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A weak No.10 Downing Street compulsively micro-manages. The Cabinet Office is bloated and unwieldy. The Treasury dominates decision-making. And prime ministers often find that the levers of power aren’t working.

So what is going wrong with the centre of government? What can be done to fix it? And, as a general election approaches, what difference would a re-designed centre mean for either Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer?

A new Institute for Government report – the result of a year-long commission on the centre of government – has examined the problem and come up with some radical recommendations for reform. The report was launched was this week, at an event featuring two former prime ministers: Sir John Major and Gordon Brown. So on this special edition of Inside Briefing, the IfG team – with special guest Sally Morgan, Tony Blair’s former political secretary – take a deep dive into the heart of government.

Hannah White presents, with Alex Thomas and Jordan Urban. Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Jeremy Hunt’s budget was a massive day in Westminster – and a big moment for the country. But what difference did it really make to the government’s fortunes – and to people’s pockets? Straight after crunching the numbers, studying the forecasts and making sense – or trying to – of the chancellor’s statement, the IfG public finances team gathered in the studio to record a special livestreamed episode of Inside Briefing. 

What have we learned from the chancellor’s big announcements and what choices did he make? What did the new OBR forecasts show about the UK’s economic prospects? What did it mean for public services? How did Labour respond? And how might this budget shape the battles on the economy at the next general election – and when that election might be held?

Presented by Gemma Tetlow with Giles Wilkes, Jill Rutter and Olly Bartrum. Produced by Milo Hynes and Neil Bowerman

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A general election is getting closer – and whoever forms the next government needs to be prepared. The campaign will dominate time and resources, but the job of being in government begins almost as soon as the votes have been counted. Preparing for Power, a special six-part series from the Institute for Government, takes you behind the scenes to find out how our politicians, their advisers and officials block out the noise of a general election campaign to get ready for what follows once the votes are counted.

Episode 5 explores the role that manifestos play in – and after – an election campaign. How do political parties write their manifestos? What does a good manifesto look like? What are the questions that Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will be considering when signing off on their manifestos for the 2024 general election? And how hard is it to deliver manifesto promises once a government is formed?

Packed with insight and revelations from key figures behind past manifestos – including Oliver Letwin, Jonathan Powell and Polly Mackenzie – and former civil servants who were asked to turn manifesto pledges into workable policy, this episode of Preparing for Power reveals the inside story of this key part of a general election campaign.

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Tom Baldwin joins the Inside Briefing team on the day his long-awaited biography of Keir Starmer is published. So what does the book reveal about the man who wants to be the next prime minister? How did Starmer’s upbringing – and his complicated relationship with his father – shape the politician he became? Do the book’s revelations give us a sense of what will define the general election showdown between Starmer and Rishi Sunak? And can political biographies affect how people think about politicians – and will this one answer the questions ask about the Labour leader?

Plus: Lee Anderson is making headlines and political parties are accusing each other of Islamophobia and antisemitism. So why is the use of divisive political language getting worse – and what can be done it about it?

And: Does it matter if Jeremy Hunt uses the Budget to say he has met his fiscal rules? A new IfG report accuses politicians of gaming the rules with “worse than fiction” spending plans. Its author joins the podcast to explain the problem – and set out a solution.

Hannah White presents, with Cath Haddon, Tim Durrant and Olly Bartrum. Produced by Candice McKenzie

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A general election is getting closer – and whoever forms the next government needs to be prepared. The campaign will dominate time and resources, but the job of being in government begins almost as soon as the votes have been counted. Preparing for Power, a special six-part series from the Institute for Government, takes you behind the scenes to find out how our politicians, their advisers and officials block out the noise of a general election campaign to get ready for what comes after.

Episode 4 explores how the governing party prepares for an election while continuing to govern, with ministers, civil servants and special advisers – including Oliver Letwin, Harriet Harman, Gus O'Donnell, Polly Mackenzie and Nick Macpherson – revealing how they approached the work of government during an election campaign.


How does a governing party balance a gruelling campaign alongside running the country? What are the advantages of being the party in power as the election approaches? And how can a governing party make the most of those final months before polling day? Veterans of the 2010 and 2015 elections share their stories. Produced by Milo Hynes

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Wednesday night’s debate on Gaza saw chaotic – and unedifying – scenes in Commons which brought parliament into disrepute. ConservativeHome’s Henry Hill joins the podcast team to make sense of what happened and to weigh up how much trouble Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is in.

From trouble in parliament to problems with government, the IfG’s Commission on the Centre of Government will publish its final report on March 11. The podcast team set the scene – and explain why the winner of the next general election needs to radically redesign the centre of power.

PLUS: Kemi Badenoch vs The Post Office.  The business secretary has knocked Rishi Sunak out of the headlines, but will this help her chances of succeeding him if a vacancy were to arise?

Hannah White presents, with Alex Thomas. Produced by Candice McKenzie

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A general election is getting closer – and whoever forms the next government will need to prepare for the possibility of power. Thecampaign will dominate time and resources, but the job of being in government begins almost as soon as the votes have been counted. Preparing for Power, a special six-part series from the Institute for Government, takes you behind the scenes to find out how our politicians, their advisers and officials block out the noise of a general election campaign to get ready for being in government.

 Episode 3 explores how opposition parties prepare for a potential transition of government, with ministers, civil servants and advisors, including Jonathan Powell, Harriet Harman, Gus O’Donnell and Oliver Letwin, revealing how they got ready for the possibility of a change of government.

How does an opposition develop policies that would actually work once they are in office? How can shadow teams ready themselves for taking over departments? What is the role of the chief of staff in these preparations? And what lessons could the approaches of Tony Blair and David Cameron provide for opposition parties preparing for the possibility of being in government?

Veterans of the 1997 and 2010 transitions share their recollections – and their advice forKeir Starmer’s Labour party as a general election approaches.

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A double by-election battering for the government has made this a very bad week for Rishi Sunak. The loss of Kingswood and Wellingborough to Labour followed the news that the UK has fallen into recession. Conservative backbenchers are restless. And the polls are showing no signs shifting. Chris Cook of the Financial Times joins the podcast team to explore just how much trouble the prime minister is in – and what he can do to turn things around as a general election approaches.

While the week ended on a high for Keir Starmer, it has not been a happy time for the Labour leader. Far from it. The selection - and then slow

rejection - of Labour’s candidate in the Rochdale by-election has put Starmer under pressure – and left Labour without a candidate. So who is to blame for this clumsy handling of an increasingly embarrassing situation?

Gemma Tetlow presents with Catherine Haddon and Giles Wilkes. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Whoever forms the next government will need to be prepared. The job begins almost as soon as the votes have been counted. Preparing for Power, a special six-part series from the Institute for Government, takes you behind the scenes to find out how our politicians, their advisers and officials block out the noise of a general election campaign to get ready for being in government.

Episode 2 explores how the civil service prepare for a potential transition of government, with five former permanent secretaries revealing how they readied themselves and their departments for a potential change in their political bosses.

How does Whitehall prepare for a change in the party in power? What can civil servants do to get ready for a hung parliament? And how do they continue to serve the current government while these preparations are going on? In this episode of preparing for power, we speak to former senior civil servants to discover how they prepared for that all important election result and its aftermath, hear their secrets, and work out the lessons for 2024.

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The King’s health has dominated the news this week, but the prime minister has been making controversial headlines with his televised bet with Piers Morgan and a major PMQs bust-up with Keir Starmer. It hasn't been an easy couple of days for the Labour leader either, with Starmer dropping his £28bn green pledge – but will voters notice? Plus: How can we fix the NHS? This week sees the publication of the Times Health Commission. Its chair, Rachel Sylvester, is this week’s guest.

Hannah White presents, with Cath Haddon and Stuart Hoddinott. Produced by Candice McKenzie  

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Whoever forms the next government will need to be prepared. The job begins almost as soon as the votes have been counted.  So what is it like to go from opposition to government overnight? How do civil servants get ready for the possibility of a transition of power or a hung parliament? And what is it like for a governing party to continue in power after a bruising campaign?

In this six-part series, the Institute for Government takes you behind the scenes to find out how our politicians, their advisers and officials block out the noise of a general election campaign to get ready for being in government. We’ll be speaking to former ministers, special advisors and senior civil servants to discover how they prepared for that all important election result and its aftermath, to hear their secrets, and to work out the lessons for 2024.

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A deal to restore government in Northern Ireland has finally been struck and Stormont is set to return. So what was the decisive factor? Who are the big winners? And what are the chances of this deal actually holding? Peter Foster of the Financial Times joins the IfG team to reflect on a historic week.

It is four years since the UK left the EU – so how has life outside the Single Market and the Customs Union been working out? With new border checks set to be introduced in 2024, the pod team review the state of Brexit.

Plus: Just how transparent is government – and what could it to do show a willingness to open up rather than cover up? 

Presented by Emma Norris with Jill Rutter, Tim Durrant and Sachin Savur. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Simon Clarke has called for Rishi Sunak to go. A former No10 special adviser has said the Conservatives won’t win the election with Sunak at the helm. And an endless supply of new polling keeps painting an awkward picture for the PM’s prospects. So just how much trouble is Sunak in? The Times’ Geri Scott joins the podcast team to make sense of the latest chapter in the Conservative party psychodrama.

Plus: Everything you need to know about the civil service. The IfG’s annual stocktake into the size, shape and performance of Whitehall is out this week. And, is the Treasury guilty of orthodox thinking? A new IfG report tests out the complaints of Liz Truss and her allies.

Hannah White presents, with Giles Wilkes and Rhys Clyne. Produced by Milo Hynes.

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Rishi Sunak’s controversial Rwanda legislation has made its way through the House of Commons, but at what cost to his authority? Peter Ricketts, the UK’s first national security adviser, joins the podcast team to discuss Sunak’s battles with his MPs, his looming battles with the House of Lords, and his ongoing battles to get any flights off the ground.

Plus, Sunak has authorised his first military action as PM, with the UK joining airstrikes against Houthi rebels. So what happens next? And is the UK – and the rest of the world – ready for the possibility of Donald Trump returning to the White House?

Hannah White presents. With Alice Lilly and Jill Rutter. Produced by Milo Hynes

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The Post Office scandal has been described by Rishi Sunak as one of greatest miscarriages of justice in UK history – so who is responsible, and is the government’s response the right one? Adam Boulton, former political editor of Sky News, joins the podcast to discuss how the faulty Horizon software led to hundreds of postmasters wrongly prosecuted for theft.  

Plus, the prime minister is urging voters to “stick with the plan” – but is the plan actually working? The pod team weigh up a tricky start to the year for Rishi Sunak, with a big resignation over his net zero plans and the controversial Rwanda bill returning to the Commons. And, access talks have been authorised – but is Labour prepared for the possibility of government? A new IfG report sets out what Keir Starmer needs to do.

Hannah White presents with Cath Haddon and Nick Davies. Produced by Milo Hynes

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2024 is going to be quite some year for politics. A general election is no more than a year away. The Conservatives are still a long way behind in the polls, but has Keir Starmer done enough to convince people to vote for Labour? What are they key dates to look out for over the next 12 months? What happens next at the Covid Inquiry? Where are local elections happening? And what are the events overseas that could yet impact on British politics?

Sky’s Sam Coates joins the IfG podcast team to look ahead to what could be a hugely significant year in British politics, to explore what we know is going to happen and – after dusting down the trusty IfG crystal ball – explore what we think might happen in 2024. 

Hannah White presents, with Jill Rutter and Joe Owen. Produced by Milo Hynes.

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Have you opened all your presents and need something to lift your flagging festive spirits? Perhaps those in-laws are staying a little longer than you’d like and you’re looking for a little audio escape? Or maybe you need a political fix to get you through the holidays... but you’re not quite ready to reengage with the latest Westminster machinations?

Then this is the podcast for you. For one Christmas only, the IfG team have been submitting their candidates for a fantasy cabinet – and the reshuffle has been recorded for this special edition of Inside Briefing. Will Hugh Grant’s Love Actually PM get the nod as prime minister? Is Graham Norton or C3P0 the best pick for foreign secretary? Which government job would suit the Spice Girls? And does Count von Count have the right skills for chief whip, or would Danny Dyer make sure no MP puts their trotters up when a big vote was happening in Westminster?

Join Alex Thomas, Emma Norris, Alice Lilly and Joe Owen for an Inside Briefing like no other, as the team step into a parallel universe and argue for their Fantasy Cabinet selections. Produced by Milo Hynes.

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So that was the year that was. Just the one prime minister this time, but plenty of political drama and intrigue, twists and turns, and high and lows. David Runciman, the former host of the Talking Politics podcast, joins the IfG team to look back on the last 12 months. How did Rishi Sunak’s five pledges work out? Does anyone remember what Keir Starmer’s five missions are? What did all those by-elections tell us about what the public are really thinking? Do Boris Johnson or Liz Truss have a second political act ahead? How is David Cameron’s second political act working out? Did Nicola Sturgeon quit at just the right time? And how might conflicts overseas – and election results across the world – impact on politics at home?

Hannah White presents, with Jill Rutter and Giles Wilkes. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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While five groups of right wing Conservative MPs – the so-called “Five Families” – have not been making life easy for the prime minister, Rishi Sunak’s controversial immigration bill made its way through the Commons without one Tory rebelling. But is the real fight still to come? Politico’s Esther Webber joins the podcast team to take stock of a dramatic few days in parliament.

Luckily for the prime minister he got to spend Monday away from Westminster. Unluckily for the prime minister he had to spend Monday giving evidence to the Covid inquiry in Paddington. So how did he do and what did we learn? And finally, as parliament shuts up shop for the festive period, the podcast team round up the week’s other events – and take a quick glance ahead to 2024.

Emma Norris presents, with Olly Bartrum and Alex Thomas.

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Robert Jenrick has resigned as immigration minister, former home secretary Suella Braverman says the Rwanda Bill will lose the Conservatives the next election, and the prime minister has been forced hold an emergency – and rather tetchy – press conference to defend his plan. So how big a crisis is this row over immigration for the government? Paul Waugh, the i paper’s chief political commentator, joins the podcast team to look back on a very tricky week for Rishi Sunak.

After much build-up, plenty of briefings to the press, and hundreds of missing WhatsApp messages, Boris Johnson this week appeared before the Covid inquiry. So what are we learning – if anything – about his government’s handling of the pandemic. And Keir Starmer made a big speech on the economy this week and also got into knots when he praised Margaret Thatcher for bringing in “meaningful change” as prime minister. So just how prepared Labour for a big year ahead?

Hannah White presents, with Alex Thomas and Jill Rutter. Produced by Milo Hynes.

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Nobody predicted a massive diplomatic bust-up with Greece, so is Rishi Sunak losing his marbles? PoliticsHome editor Laura Silver joins the podcast team to catch up on the extraordinary row over the Elgin Marbles.

Access talks – the moment that opposition parties begin meeting the civil service ahead of a general election – haven’t started yet, but the pressure is building. So what happens next and how important are they?

Cabinet secretary Simon Case is still on medical leave – but what does his absence mean for how the government is functioning?

A restless gaggle of Conservative backbenchers, and even some frontbenchers, are waiting for Rishi Sunak’s new plan to get his Rwanda asylum flights off the ground. So what could the prime minister’s scheme look like and what are its next steps in Parliament?

Hannah White presents, with Alex Thomas, Alice Lilly and Alex Thomas. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Jeremy Hunt has framed the autumn statement as the biggest tax cut in British history, but do the chancellor's sums add up? The podcast team crunch the numbers and discuss what Hunt's big day in Parliament told us about the state of the economy, what the government is trying to do, and when the next general election might take place.  

Giles Winn, a former Treasury special adviser, joins the podcast team to reveal what really goes into planning a big fiscal statement - and trying to secure a set of positive headlines.

Cath Haddon presents

With Gemma Tetlow and Giles Wilkes

Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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The Supreme Court's verdict has left the government's Rwanda asylum policy in tatters - but Rishi Sunak says he has a plan to get planes taking off by the spring. So what is the prime minister proposing, and is there any chance it will work? 

That won't be a job for Suella Braverman, with the controversial now ex-home secretary the biggest loser in this week's reshuffle. The biggest winner was David Cameron, who surprised everyone with his return as foreign secretary. Francis Elliott, editor of the House Magazine and Cameron's first biographer, joins the podcast to run the rule over the reshuffle and weigh up Sunak's Rwanda scheme.

Plus: How big a problem did this week's resignations create for Keir Starmer?

Emma Norris presents, with Jill Rutter and Rhys Clyne.

Presented by Milo Hynes.

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The reshuffle rumour mill went into overdrive over the weekend, and on Monday morning Rishi Sunak kicked off a day of sackings - and surprise appointments. So the IfG team wolfed down their breakfasts, raced to the office, and assembled in the podcast studio for an emergency recording of Inside Briefing.

Who is in and who is out? What does this reshuffle tell us about how Rishi Sunak wants to govern - and how he plans to fight the general election? And is David Cameron’s return to the Cabinet a masterstroke or a desperate roll of the dice?

Hannah White presents with Jill Rutter, Cath Haddon and Tim Durrant.

Produced by Milo Hynes

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The King’s Speech on Tuesday meant a day of dashing uniforms and galloping horses, but was there anything of substance behind the pomp and ceremony? The Sun’s Noa Hoffman is this week’s podcast guest as the Inside Briefing team weigh up the legislative agenda on offer from Rishi Sunak.

The home secretary is in the news. When isn’t she? We unpick Suella Braverman’s rows with the country’s most senior policeman and ask how Rishi Sunak handles an increasingly outspoken member of his cabinet. And the Covid inquiry is in the news. When isn’t it? We’ll catch up on the latest evidence sessions. Hannah White presents with Alex Thomas and Cath Haddon.

Produced by Milo Hynes.

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Astonishing revelations and appalling language made for a gripping week at the Covid inquiry, with Dominic Cummings dominating headlines once again with his account of Boris Johnson’s chaotic No10. The BBC’s health reporter Jim Reed joins the podcast team to work out what we’ve learnt from the evidence sessions, Whatsapp messages, witness statements and diary entries.

The autumn statement is looming, and chancellor Jeremy Hunt is under pressure to come up with some additional funding for struggling public services – and the IfG’s Performance Tracker 2023, our annual stocktake of nine key public services, published with CIPFA, sets out the scale of the problem. We chat to the report’s author about what could be done to fix it.

Rishi Sunak has been busy hosting his AI summit – and taking part in a slightly surreal interview with X boss Elon Musk. How did the two-day gathering at Bletchley Park work out, will the robots rule whr world, and what is the next step to working with this new technology?

Hannah White presents.

With Emma Norris, Nick Davies and Matthew Gill.

Produced by Milo Hynes.

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What progress has the government made in devolving power across England? Has it been a success? And what would a Labour government do differently?

In this special episode of Inside Briefing, Akash Paun, the Institute for Government’s devolution watcher-in-chief, travels across England to find out whether a devolution revolution – promised by George Osborne back in 2015 – is really taking place. Join Akash as he takes a journey on Manchester’s new Bee Network buses, heads to the Conservative and Labour party conferences, explores how power is being devolved to the East Midlands, and brings together an expert panel to make sense of England’s evolving devolution settlement.

Featuring:

Simon Christian, director of public services consulting, Grant Thornton UK

Charlotte Aldritt, CEO of the Centre for Progressive Policy

Adam Hawksbee, deputy director of Onward

Mark Sandford, senior research analyst at the House of commons Library

Plus interviews with:

Ben Bradley MP, leader of Nottinghamshire County Council

Jess Studdert, deputy chief executive of New Local

Dr Fiona Aldridge, West Midlands Combined Authority

Tom Pope, IfG deputy chief economist

This podcast was produced with the kind support of Grant Thornton UK.

Produced by Milo Hynes.

Additional research and production by Briony Allen.

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Rishi Sunak has clocked up 365 days as Prime Minister – but is the anniversary a cause for celebration or just a moment of relief? Politico’s Dan Bloom joins the podcast team to weigh up Sunak’s first year in the job, assess his achievements and failures and how he has surprised us, and explore what might come next.

From the man in Number 10 to a woman who might fancy a tilt at the top job… Rachel Reeves enjoyed a successful Labour conference, and this week the Shadow Chancellor launched her new book – which has already caused some controversy – at the IfG. The podcast team take a look at Reeves’s ambitions and challenges, as well as an increasingly complicated party problem for Keir Starmer.

With Hannah White, Cath Haddon and Giles Wilkes. Produced by Milo Hynes

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Labour's double by-election win has sent shockwaves through Westminster. So what does it mean for Keir Starmer? What does Rishi Sunak do now? And what might it tell us about the battleground on which the general election might be fought? The FT's Lucy Fisher joins the pod team to react to the results.

Talking of the general election… everyone is guessing when it might be held. Could it be next May? Early Autumn. Late Autumn? Maybe as late as January 2025? We plot the paths and game the scenarios.

Could a second referendum on Scottish independence be back on the cards? The SNP think they have come up with a route. So what is it and could it work?

Presented by Hannah White.

With Cath Haddon, Alex Thomas and Jess Sargeant.

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Will it be May? Maybe October? Perhaps November? Surely not January 2025? Yes, everyone is talking about when the next general election is going to be held – and speculating when Rishi Sunak will decide to go to the country.

So is it right for the prime minister to have the power to choose the date of a general election? What are the key considerations to make when looking at the polls – or the weather forecast? And what does history tell us about when is the right time to call an election – and when is the wrong time to stick rather than twist?

This special episode of Inside Briefing brings together three veterans of elections that were – or maybe weren’t – to look back on their experiences and discuss what might happen next.

• Former Labour MP Jacqui Smith was home secretary when Gordon Brown chose not to call a general election in the autumn of 2007.
• Katie Perrior was working as the Number 10’s director of communications when Theresa May decided to call a snap election in 2017.
• Political adviser and pollster James Johnson worked in No10 as a strategic adviser to Theresa May between 2016 and 2019.

Presented by Tim Durrant.

Produced by Milo Hynes and Podmasters.

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Party conference season is nearly over and the IfG podcast crew have made their way back to London after their trips to Manchester and Liverpool.

But which politicians will be returning to parliament battling new headaches? Has Rishi Sunak done enough to shake off the Conservatives’ post-Truss era hangover? And did Keir Starmer give Labour reason to believe that a new dawn might be about to break?

The Guardian’s Kiran Stacey joins the team to take stock of the post-conference landscape, pick apart the Labour leader’s speech, and look ahead to the renewal of parliamentary hostilities.

Presented by Hannah White.

With Emma Norris and Cath Haddon.

Produced by Milo Hynes.

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How will Keir Starmer respond to Rishi Sunak’s ambitious pitch to be the “change” candidate at the next general election? The New Statesman’s Anoosh Chakelian and Josh Simons, director of Labour Together, are the guests on this week’s Inside Briefing as the podcast crew preview Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool. 

Will the Labour leader add detailed policies to his big five missions? Will there be policy u-turns - or will we see more barnacles being carefully removed from the boat? And what challenges - or traps - has Rishi Sunak set out for Labour on HS2 and net zero?

Presented by Hannah White. With Emma Norris.

Produced by Milo Hynes.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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 

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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

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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

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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

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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 

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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

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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 

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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.

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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 

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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We review a year of chaos, with its three Prime Ministers, four Chancellors, scores of resignations and wild rides for the pound and inflation. Who was the best and worst Prime Minister? Who emerges from 2022 with reputations shredded or enhanced? And who among our panel will mount a spirited defence of Liz Truss? Politico's Jack Blanchard joins Hannah White, Jill Rutter and Giles Wilkes to look back at a year which raised the bar for political chaos and confusion.

Presented by Hannah White with Jill Rutter, Giles Wilkes and guest Jack Blanchard. Audio production by Alex Rees and Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

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The worst concurrence of public service strikes since the 70s is rocking the Government’s authority. Does the Government’s refusal to talk look too unreasonable, and can Labour maintain its own precariously tough line? Plus NHS reform is back on the agenda. What does Steve Barclay have in store? And a whistle stop tour of what’s coming up in 2023.

Our special guest today is Rachel Sylvester, columnist and interviewer at The Times.

• “These strikes just add to the impression that Rishi Sunak is losing his grip and the Government is losing control.” – Rachel Sylvester
• “The Government’s line that its hands are tied by the pay review bodies is pretty disingenuous.” – Nick Davis
• “Most voters, if they had to choose between a politician and a nurse, will back the nurse.” – Rachel Sylvester

Presented by Alex Thomas with Nick Davis and Nick Timmons. Audio production by Alex Rees and Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

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The Times' Henry Zeffman joins the podcast team to make sense of Gordon Brown's recipe for constitutional reform - and ask whether Keir Starmer can actually reform the House of Lords.

The government needs to give more power to parliament. That's the main recommendation in a new IfG report looking at parliament's scrutiny of legislation and the quality of bills being passed.

And what is the state of diversity and inclusion in the civil service? Another IfG report crunches the data - and sets out how to make more progress.

Hannah White presents.

With Jess Sargeant, Tom Pope and Maddy Bishop.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Matt Hancock has come home. Football might be coming home. But Rishi Sunak's problems on the home front are going nowhere. With the Conservative Party threatening rebellion on multiple fronts, what can the prime minister do to make progress on his legislative agenda? The IfG podcast team dissect the PM's parliamentary problems.

Sunak also has a ministerial headache to contend with, as accusations about ministerial behaviour - with Dominic Raab still making awkward headlines - find their way into the press. So does the civil service need a new complaints process?

Plus - Why is the civil service failing to recruit outside talent, and what does it mean if it lacks enough specialist skills?

Emma Norris presents.

With Alice Lilly, Alex Thomas, Cath Haddon and Jordan Urban.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Liz Truss put economic growth front and centre of her premiership, but does Rishi Sunak even have a coherent growth policy? The Guardian’s City Editor Anna Isaac joins the IfG team to go in search of the prime minister’s plan.

Could Sunak take a new approach towards Brexit? What exactly is a Swiss-style deal? And is the Conservative Party in the mood for compromise?

Plus: What does the Supreme Court verdict mean for SNP’s plans to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence?

And: Do Labour’s plans for reforming the House of Lords make sense?

Hannah White presents.

With Jill Rutter and Jess Sargeant

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Jeremy Hunt has unveiled the government's economic plans, with the chancellor handing out giveaways now but setting out tax rises - and spending cuts - to come. So now what? The IfG podcast crunch the chancellor's numbers.

The Dominic Raab claims are causing problems for the justice secretary, but do multiplying leaks about ministerial behaviour point to a wider breakdown of trust inside government?

And a new joint paper for the Institute for Government and Cambridge University’s Bennett Institute explores 25 years of erratic government attempts to update and reform the British constitution. The paper's author, former DEXEU permanent secretary Peter Rycroft, drops into the studio.

Presented by Hannah White, with Gemma Tetlow and Giles Wilkes 

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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We didn't have to wait long for the first ministerial resignation of Rishi Sunak's premiership, and it's Gavin Williamson who is out of government - again. ConservativeHome's Henry Hill joins then podcast team to weigh up what Williamson's exit means for the PM and explore how Rishi Sunak can prove his commitment to integrity is genuine.

The PM decided, in the end, to attend the COP27 summit - but does this government even have a credible net zero plan?

Plus: Next week the government unveils its endlessly rescheduled, rebadged, and rewritten fiscal plan. The podcast team crunch the numbers and look ahead to next Friday's big event.

Hannah White presents, with Cath Haddon and Tom Sasse

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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While Matt Hancock’s bushtucker trials will be making all the headlines, Westminster is wondering how Rishi Sunak will manage his ongoing Suella Braverman challenges. The IfG podcast team are joined by John Stevens, the Daily Mirror’s new political editor, to reflect on a bruising week for the restored Home Secretary. Also: the rearranged fiscal statement is looming. With the Prime Minister dropping plans to axe 91,000 civil service jobs, a new IfG paper sets out how to cut budgets with care. And is Keir Starmer on course for election success or is Labour in danger of a Sunak bounce?

Hannah White presents, with Jill Rutter and Rhys Clyne.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Another podcast, another prime minister. Liz Truss is out after just 50 days in No.10. Rishi Sunak is in, with the former Chancellor avoiding a showdown with Conservative party membership after both Boris Johnson and Penny Mordaunt dropped out of the race. So what next for the UK’s 57th PM? The IfG podcast team, with guest Emilio Casalicchio of Politico, analyse Sunak’s first days in the job – and weigh up the tricky challenges coming down the track.

Restoring the economy to rude health, or at least getting it out of intensive care, is top of Sunak’s in-tray. But where can he find the spending cuts needed to balance the books? A new IfG paper warns that a re-run of austerity will be more difficult – and damaging – than the 2010 era. The pod team crunch the numbers.

Presented by Gemma Tetlow with Tom Pope and Cath Haddon. Produced by Candice McKenzie

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After a feverish week in Westminster and a chaotic 24 hours in government, Liz Truss has called time on her record-breakingly short stay in Number 10. The IfG podcast, with special guest Henry Newman, a former adviser to Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, assemble at the very moment Truss was preparing to announce her departure.

The podcast team pick apart Truss’s failures in No10, the economic decisions that face new chancellor Jeremy Hunt, and how the next few weeks and months might play out.

Plus: Could Boris Johnson really make a comeback?

Alex Thomas presents. With Giles Wilkes and Gemma Tetlow.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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As pressure piles up on the prime minister, the IfG podcast team assemble - with guest Aubrey Allegretti of the Guardian - to work out what Liz Truss might do to calm both the markets and Conservative MPs 

The Halloween fiscal event isn't the only date in the Commons that will be spooking the PM - so join the Inside Briefing team on a walk through the government's autumn parliamentary minefield.

And remember Brexit? A new IfG paper says that MPs aren't doing enough to scrutinise the UK's post-Brexit EU relationship. So what's the problem and how can it be fixed?

Presented by Hannah White

With Jill Rutter and Alice Lilly

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Academic, author and former Talking Politics host David Runciman joins the IfG podcast team to take stock of the state of British politics.

As wearing Conservative politicians make their way back from Birmingham, and with Labour MP's having left Liverpool, just how health are Westminster's largest parties right now? Is growth the new dividing line in Westminster and beyond - and is there really an anti-growth coalition? And what on earth is going to happen next in the never-ending, unpredictable rollercoaster ride of British politics?

Hannah White presents

With Alex Thomas and Gemma Tetlow

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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The fallout from Kwasi Kwarteng's budget continues, so what can the chancellor do to calm the nerves? Guest Soumaya Keynes of the Economist joins the IfG podcast team to discuss what has gone wrong for Kwarteng and Liz Truss, and the lessons to be learnt from a week of economic turmoil.

No drama for Starmer? We take a look back at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool and what Keir Starmer's speech tells us about the direction of travel for His Majesty's Opposition.

And as the Conservative Party assembles in Birmingham, we look ahead to what could be a lively few days for Liz Truss - and what awaits 

at her first party conference since becoming PM.

Presented by Hannah White

With Giles Wilkes and Tom Pope

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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With winter fast approaching, politicians across Europe have been taking dramatic steps to address the ongoing energy crisis. The IfG team are joined by Alice Hancock from the FT and Elisabetta Cornago from the Centre for European Reform to assess different countries’ responses. Is Europe ready for the winter ahead? Why is the UK’s support package so expensive? Are the public up for cutting their energy use? And what should countries be doing to tackle the crisis in the longer term? 

Presented by Tom Sasse with Olly Bartrum

Produced by Candice McKenzie

https://www.cer.eu/insights/eus-energy-plan-difficult-winter-what-are-options

https://www.bruegel.org/dataset/national-policies-shield-consumers-rising-energy-prices

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/tackling-energy-efficiency-problem.pdf

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Addressing-rising-energy-bills_0.pdf

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Liz Truss has been to New York, Keir Starmer is on his way to Liverpool, and the IfG podcast team assemble in the studio to discuss a week where politics began to return to normal – albeit against the unpleasant backdrop of Vladimir Putin’s threat of nuclear war.

Guest Ayesha Hazarika dials in to discuss the new prime minister’s first steps on the world stage, some big government policy announcements at home, and what to look out for at Labour’s annual party conference.

Plus: If Liz Truss is all about delivery, then how can she make government departments deliver? The team discuss a new IfG report which recommends the step she should – and shouldn’t – take.

Hannah White presents. With Alex Thomas and Rhys Clyne.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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The FT’s Stephen Bush joins the IfG team in the podcast studio, just a few hundred metres away from Buckingham Palace, to make sense of an extraordinary moment in British history. What does the death of Queen Elizabeth II, after a record-breaking 70-year reign, mean for the Royal Family? How will King Charles III approach the role of monarch? And what questions will now be asked about the role of the monarch in the constitution, how the King interacts with politics and how ministers engage with the King?

Presented by Hannah White with Catherine Haddon and Maddy Thimont-Jack.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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The epic Conservative Party leadership contest is finally over, and Liz Truss is the new prime minister. After a flight to Balmoral to meet the Queen, and a drive through London in lashing rain, Truss stepped straight from the prime ministerial car to the podium outside No10 and set out her vision for the country

So, what happens next and what should we expect from this country’s 56th prime minister? Former special adviser Salma Shah joins the podcast team to weigh up Truss’s Downing Street speech, her Cabinet appointments, and how she might handle a daunting in-tray.

Hannah White presents.

With Giles Wilkes and Catherine Haddon.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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 The long, hot summer of endless Conservative leadership contest hustings is over, and next week the winner will be announced. The FT’s Seb Payne joins the podcast crew to discuss the battle to become Prime

Minister. Will Liz Truss emerge victorious as all the polls predict? Can Rishi Sunak spring a surprise? And just how daunting is the next prime minister’s in-tray?

And as Boris Johnson’s premiership comes to an end, how should we look back on a dramatic - and sometimes controversial - stint in No10?

With Hannah White, Jill Rutter and Alex Thomas

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Every autumn the UK’s political parties decamp from Westminster for the annual party conference season. From Brighton to Blackpool, Manchester to Birmingham, Liverpool to Glasgow, Britain’s cities take turns to host politicians, activists, party members, journalists, and lobbyists for long days (and nights) of keynote speeches, breakfast fringe meetings, endless schmoozing, too much warm white wine and endless political intrigue. Is this where key decisions are taken and political history is made? Or i it just a gossip-soaked get together which serves no value?

Michael Crick, a veteran of decades of conferences, joins political journalist Marie Le Conte, former special adviser Peter Cardwell, and the IfG’s Jill Rutter to reminisce about conferences past and weigh up whether party conferences deserve a future.

Presented by Alex Thomas

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Centuries of British political history has played out across Whitehall, with key decisions taken in the many government buildings that line the streets around the Palace of Westminster. But what secrets are contained within their walls and behind their doors? How have the buildings changed over the years? And what secret tunnels lie beneath the basements of Whitehall?

Special guest Gus O'Donnell joins the IfG’s Cath Haddon and Alex Thomas to reveal the secret map of Whitehall.

Presented by Hannah White

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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From being appointed to the job to that first overwhelming day’s work, from taking key decisions to ultimately being reshuffled back to the backbenches, and with a whole load of unexpected moments along the way, the lifetime of a government minister is a whirlwind of new experiences. From a grip on the levers of power to inevitable disappointment, it is a career like no other. With special guests – and former ministers – Jim Murphy and David Gauke, and featuring original audio from the IfG’s unique Ministers Reflect series, this Inside Briefing summer special goes behind the scenes to explore the twists and turns of serving in government.

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Boris Johnson’s Number 10 veered between the anarchic and the chaotic, marked by resignations, sackings, resets, cake ambushes and work events. So, what can the next prime minister do to make No10 work in a way that can deliver their priorities? What are the key decisions they must take on their first day in the job? What appointments do they need to get right? Does it matter where people sit? And is 10 Downing Street really the right building from which to run a government?

Sally Morgan, Kate Fall and Giles Wilkes, three veterans of No10, share their experiences of working at the centre of government for three different prime ministers, and give their advice on how to reshape No10 in the post-Johnson era.

Presented by Emma Norris. With Cath Haddon.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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After six years, three prime ministers and 178 episodes of Inside Briefing, outgoing Institute for Government Director Bronwen Maddox chairs her final episode looking at the big themes that have dominated U.K. government during her time at IFG. 

Where have Brexit and covid left the UK's economy and where does Johnson's departure leave the prospect of levelling up the country? Why does government fail and what do we need to do about it? And how far should we go in reforming our constitution after the seismic events of the last six years? 

Hosted by Bronwen Maddox. Featuring Hannah White, Giles Wilkes, Jill Rutter, Alex Thomas, Matthew Gill, Maddy Thimont-Jack and Cath Haddon. 

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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With the Conservative leadership contest now down to battle between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, the podcast crew assemble to assess the pitches, pledges and promises on offer - and weigh up who might become the next prime minister. 

And what about the man they will replace? As Boris Johnson clocks up there years as PM, who should we judge his premiership - and is a comeback really on the cards?

Mo Hussein, a former No10 chief press officer, joins Bronwen Maddox, Cath Haddon and Giles Wilkes.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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The Conservative leadership contest is gathering speed, but what are the candidates offering their fellow MPs, what does the party membership think, and have the front runners caught the attention of the public? BBC Newsnight’s Lewis Goodall joins the IfG podcast team to weigh up the men and women battling to become the next prime minister.

Most of them are offering tax cuts. Smart long-term policy or crude short-term politics? And what exactly could, or should, the caretaker government do if the cost-of-living crisis gets even worse in the coming weeks and months?

Presented by Bronwen Maddox. With Giles Wilkes, Jill Rutter and Olly Bartrum.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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After an extraordinary day in Westminster, and a record-breaking number of resignations, the Prime Minister finally quit Downing Street. But Boris Johnson will stay on in No.10 until his successor his chosen. The IfG podcast team assemble to ask what this period of caretaker government will look like, how the next Prime Minister will be chosen, and what Boris Johnson’s record in office looks like.

And at the very moment Johnson announced his resignation, his predecessor Theresa May was giving a speech at the IfG on how to restore trust in politics. And as the resignations began to pile up on Wednesday, the IfG was hosting a one day conference on how to reform government. Big themes, big questions, and, it turned out, taking place at a very big moment in politics.

Presented by Bronwen Maddox. With Alex Thomas, Cath Haddon and Tim Durrant.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Three big international summits have kept Boris Johnson thousands of miles away from by-election defeats, a Cabinet resignation and growing disquiet at home, but what did the prime minister actually achieve on his foreign adventures? The Telegraph’s Camilla Turner, who travelled with the PM to Rwanda, joins the podcast team to reflect on Johnson’s travels.

While the prime minister was away the cabinet secretary endured a gruelling questioning by a parliamentary select committee, but the IfG team were unimpressed with Simon Case’s performance.

And from transactional to transformational, how do ministers approach the art of leadership in different ways? That’s the subject of new IfG report. We take a closer look on the podcast.

Bronwen Maddox presents. With Alex Thomas and Jill Rutter

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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After two bruising by-election defeats and a Cabinet resignation, is Boris Johnson fighting to hold on to his job? Pollster James Johnson joins the podcast team to crunch the numbers and work out how the tectonic plates of British politics might shift in the weeks and months ahead.

And should more powers be given to England’s mayors? That’s what a new IfG report argues, and its author – fresh from a visit to Manchester to interview Andy Burnham – drops in to explain why.

Bronwen Maddox presents. With Hannah White, Giles Wilkes, Akash Paun. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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The Inside Briefing team assemble minutes after Lord Geidt’s explosive resignation letter was published. So just how careless is it of the Prime Minister to lose his second independent adviser on ministerial interests?

In a week where government policy has collided with legal opinions and rulings, Jonathan Jones, the former head of the Government Legal Department, joins the podcast to discuss the problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill and Priti Patel’s plan to fly migrants to Rwanda.

And what exactly can the Government do to intervene in next week’s planned rail strikes?

Bronwen Maddox presents, with Alex Thomas, Jess Sargeant, Matthew Gill and guest Jonathan Jones. Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Technically, Boris Johnson is safe for another year. But is he really? Deputy Political Editor of the Spectator Katy Balls joins the IFG to discuss the policy challenges ahead for the Prime Minister, as he attempts to unite his party following a devastating confidence vote. Plus, IFG senior researcher Jess Sargeant has the rundown on the government's proposed changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

• “Boris Johnson has been very clear that he’d have to be dragged kicking and screaming from Downing Street.” - Katy Balls
• “In Wakefield, Labour are 20 points ahead of the Tories. Hammering that result home will be the most important moment of Keir Starmer’s leadership so far.” - Emma Norris
• “We’ve seen already the EU warning quite strongly about changing the Northern Ireland protocol. The UK’s been hoping that they may get some sympathy from countries like Poland - but that doesn’t look to be happening.” - Jess Sargeant
• “Hunt has had a fairly good pandemic. He’s kept his profile high while getting hard work done. But it’s hard to see someone like him coming out the other side of this as leader.” - Tim Durrant
• “What does ‘Benefits to Bricks’ really mean? It sounds like another grand, ill-defined vision that doesn’t end up amounting to much.” - Emma Norris
• “The Tories won’t change the rules of the 1922 Committee just because they don’t like the by-election results. If they really want rid of them, they’ll find a way to oust him.” - Katy Balls

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Jess Sargeant, Emma Norris and Tim Durrant. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

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With 148 votes against him, was Boris Johnson’s vote of confidence victory a Pyrrhic one? The IfG team convene to look at the unfolding civil war in the Conservative Party and Big Dog’s prospects for survival. Does Johnson’s fate really rest in the hands of just 30 waverers? Can his more controversial policies such as privatising Channel 4 survive in a new, “listening” No.10? And what can we expect from the by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton? 

• “What pulled Margaret Thatcher was her Cabinet telling her the game was up. For now it looks like Johnson’s Cabinet is sticking by him.” – Cath Haddon
• “They know there are 148 rebels. They just don’t know who they are yet.” – Alice Lilly
• “Whenever Johnson has come out as humble and contrite, things have tended to go wrong for him.” – Alex Thomas

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alice Lilly, Alex Thomas and Cath Haddon.  Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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New Zealand is often seen as a poster child for government reform. In this special edition of Inside Briefing Professor Rodney Scott, the chief policy advisor to the New Zealand Public Service Commission, joins Alex Thomas, Emma Norris and Rhys Clyne to discuss the history of government reform in New Zealand, explore similarities and differences with the UK and explain what difference reform has made in New Zealand.

From the new public management of the 1980s to the 2020 public service reforms, this conversation covers a range of topics including: cross-government co-ordination, long-term policy making and ‘stewardship’, and accountability in government.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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The long wait is over, and the Sue Gray report is out. So, what does it tell us about Boris Johnson’s No10? What have we learnt about the culture in Downing Street during the pandemic? And what questions need to be asked about how the prime minister attempted to handle allegations of rule-breaking under his watch?

ITN’s UK news editor Paul Brand, whose run of scoops have led the way in the reporting of partygate, joins the IfG podcast team to talk through another extraordinary week in Westminster.

Hannah White presents, with Alex Thomas and Jill Rutter.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Breaking news special! The podcast team assembled in the studio as the Met confirmed it had finished its partygate inquiry - and would not issue any more Fines to Boris Johnson. So what does this mean and what happens next?

Why is everyone so angry about the Northern Ireland Protocol? The UK government and the EU are arguing over its future, and Northern Ireland's political parties are unable to come up with a power-sharing deal. The BBC's John Campbell dials in from Belfast to discuss the latest - and just how bad things might get.

Back in Westminster, the government is under increasing pressure to respond to the cost of living crisis. Is a windfall tax on the cards? The team weigh up the government's options.

With Bronwen Maddox, Jill Rutter and Jess Sargeant.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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A Queen’s Speech without a Queen, but was it a Queen’s Speech without a theme? The Guardian’s Rafael Behr joins the podcast team to dissect Prince Charles’ big day – and make sense of the whopping list of 38 bills unveiled by the government.

And just what could Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson have been talking about as they strolled awkwardly together through Parliament to hear the Speech? As the partygate and beergate sagas continue to unfold, which leader is in the most difficulty and what happens next?

Presented by Bronwen Maddox, with Alice Lilly and Alex Thomas.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Election results were landing by the time the IfG podcast team - with guest Anoosh Chakelian of the New Statesman - assembled in the studio.

What do the votes all mean for Boris Johnson and who emerged as the night’s big winner? The latest twist in the beergate story broke while the pod was recording - so what will Keir Starmer do next? And with Northern Ireland on the cusp of a historic election result, what happens next (or doesn't) at Stormont?

Hannah White is joined by Cath Haddon, Alex Nice and Jess Sargeant.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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With less than a week to go until a series of elections across the UK, the FT's Jim Pickard joins the podcast team to discuss what's at stake - and what the results could mean.

The cost of living crisis will no doubt be featuring on the doorstep, so is there more the government could be doing to help?

And as Emmanuel Macron secures a second term as French President, the Institut Montaigne's Georgina Wright dials in from Paris to talk through an eventful - and crucial - election. 

Presented by Hannah White, with Akash Paun and Olly Bartrum

Produced by Candice McKenzie 

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The prime minister avoided another explosive day in Westminster by heading to India, but is the home front becoming ever-more precarious for Boris Johnson? The i paper’s Paul Waugh joins the Inside Briefing team to make sense of the seemingly never-ending partygate row.                                                                                                                                       

And as ministers do their best to knock stories about parties and police fines off the front pages, the podcast crew pick apart the government’s much-criticized plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda and dissect the latest briefings against civil servants who are choosing to work from home.

Emma Norris presents with Catherine Haddon, Jill Rutter and Rhys Clyne.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Boris Johnson’s Fixed Penalty Notice for breaking COVID rules makes him the first sitting Prime Minister who, as far as anyone can remember, has been found to have broken the law while in office. Is this the beginning of the end of the Partygate saga? Or merely the end of the beginning?

We discuss what it means for Boris Johnson, his party, the public and for the UK’s system of standards that is supposed to hold our politicians to account. 

And it has been a tough week for the Chancellor. Even before being fined for walking in on a birthday party, Rishi Sunak was facing a difficult time with revelations over his wife’s tax arrangements and criticism of his department’s response to the cost of living crisis. As Sunak’s popularity plumets, the podcast team weigh up his performance – and what he does next.  

Senior UK correspondent at Politico Europe Esther Webber joins presenter Hannah White, Tim Durrant, and Jill Rutter.

Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Propaganda in warfare is an ancient concept, but has Russia’s information campaign since it invaded Ukraine taken things to a new level? Are Russia’s state-controlled media and troll factories all about domestic support or an attempt to win international support? And how does the West counter fake news and help ensure that people can trust the information they see? 

In this special edition of Inside Briefing, Bronwen Maddox is joined by Marianna Spring, the BBC’s specialist disinformation and social media reporter, Full Fact director Will Moy, and Ian Garner, historian and translator of Russian war propaganda and author of the forthcoming Stalingrad Lives: Stories of Combat & Survival.

Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Boris Johnson reckons he is now more popular in parts of Kyiv than parts of Kensington, so how worried should the prime minister be as Partygate returns to the frontpages?

With the UK at the heart of the West’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the podcast team weigh up Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin’s comments at the IfG on UK defence priorities.

And if it wasn’t for crises – of very different natures – we might be talking more about policy, so was the government’s new education white paper worth the wait?

Former Department for Education adviser Sam Freedman joins the podcast to discuss another eventful week in British politics.

Bronwen Maddox presents, with Alex Thomas and Tim Durrant.

Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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After Rishi Sunak's spring statement was met with a barrage of bruising headlines, we crunch the numbers and assess what the chancellor announced - and what he didn't say - with guest John Rentoul, the Independent's chief political commentator.

Who authorised an airlift of animals in the midst of the UK's chaotic evacuation from Kabul? That was the subject of an excruciating select committee session this week, but what does it say about how well the Foreign Office is functioning? 

And what's up with WhatsApp? Westminster's favourite way to communicate may not be great for good government - and a new IfG paper sets out the problems, and what could be done to fix them.

Bronwen Maddox presents. With Jill Rutter, Tim Durrant, Tom Pope and guest John Rentoul.

Produced by Candice McKenzie 

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Britain’s economy survived omicron relatively unscathed, but soaring inflation and energy price rises exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine mean Rishi Sunak has a tough job on his hands to ease the worst cost of living crisis in decades.

Ahead of Wednesday’s spring statement, we discuss what options the chancellor has available to him to ease the squeeze. Former Treasury advisor Tim Pitt and National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses Martin McTague are our special guests.

“Unless wage growth can match inflation, the cost of living squeeze is going to be much worse than expected.” - Tom Pope

“Ukraine produces a lot of the world’s grain, so food prices are rising because of the conflict.” - Tom Pope

“The Chancellor can only take the edge of the pain for people, it will be a difficult period for millions.” - Tim Pitt

“Helping the vulnerable has to be the priority, but swathes of middle England are also about to be slapped.”- Tim Pitt

“I’ll be very interested to see if the Chancellor mentions the phrase net-zero.” - Jill Rutter

“Small businesses are having to compete for a shrinking pool of labour, so there will be pay rises.” - Martin McTague

This budget preview edition is supported by the Federation of Small Businesses. Find out more at www.fsb.org.uk

Presented by Gemma Tetlow with Tom Pope and Jill Rutter. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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Russia faces a raft of sanctions amid global disgust at the invasion of Ukraine. We discuss nations severing ties with Vladimir Putin’s regime, and what long term ramifications there might be. Plus, as oligarchs hit the headlines, we discuss Russian money in Britain. Financial Times correspondent Polina Ivanova, King’s Russia Institute director Samuel Greene, and Butler to the World author Oliver Bullough join Bronwen Maddox to unpack these issues. 

“These are speeches and addresses [from Putin] that are meant to make Russian’s angry.” — Samuel Greene 

“As long as they’re his [Putin’s] friends, he doesn’t really see them as oligarchs.” — Oliver Bullough

“This is about punishment and about changing the power structure in Russia.” — Samuel Greene 

“Russian oligarchs don’t really trust the Russian legal system any more than anyone else does.” — Oliver Bullough

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with . Audio production by Jade Bailey. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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Despite peace talks taking place, Russia’s assault on Ukraine shows no sign of slowing down. With Boris Johnson jetting to the Gulf in an effort to ease the energy crisis, we discuss the latest from the conflict.

Also, in light of Partygate plans to streamline the prime minister’s team have emerged. Will they work? And we take a look at a new IFG report on how Brexit is affecting agricultural support. Former Sky News editor Adam Boulton is this week’s special guest.

“We’re in a different time, Russia is aggressive in a way that it wasn’t for much of the Cold War.” - Adam Boulton

“The Government have changed their relationship with Russian donors, but Johnson has gone to another dictator looking for oil.” - Cath Haddon

“British foreign policy is all over the place… Brexit means we’re not identifying with a common European effort.” - Adam Boulton

“The Cabinet Office has grown to over 8,000 people as it has taken on the operational aspects of Government.” - Alex Thomas

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon, Alex Thomas and Jill Rutter. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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The war in Ukraine shows no sign of easing, and its impact is being felt across UK government. What will it mean for bills if Russian energy imports are cut off? And why is the Home Office making such a mess of the Ukraine refugee crisis? Robert Colvile, director of the Centre for Policy Studies and Sunday Times columnist, joins the pod team to discuss.

And a new IfG report looks back at the last crisis, which saw a lack of accountability and blame-gaming mark central government’s relationship with public bodies during the pandemic. So what went wrong and what needs to be done to get it right next time? We speak to the report author.

Presented by Catherine Haddon, with Giles Wilkes, Jill Rutter and Matthew Gill.

Produced by Candice McKenzie.

“The problem with energy is that you can’t conjure it into being” – Robert Colvile

“Net zero commitments are just going to be parked in a lot of countries while we deal with this crisis” – Robert Colvile

“Lord knows how the internal economy of Russia works right now” – Giles Wilkes

“I’m still recovering my morale … I might own a little bit of Chelsea” – Giles Wilkes

“The Home Office is fundamentally a department of control – it’s lagging very badly” – Jill Rutter

“It’s not an accident that the phrase ‘not fit for purpose’ was coined about the Home Office” – Robert Colvile

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The awful scenes of war and violence in Ukraine show no sign of ending. Will an unprecedented barrage of sanctions be enough to shift Vladimir Putin’s strategy? If not, what other options are available to the West? The IfG team are joined by Georgina Wright of Institut Montaigne to discuss where the crisis might go next, assess a notably coordinated EU response, and make sense of a stunning shift in German policy.

We then switch attention to the UK, where questions at the heart of the IfG’s mission – how good governments function, how to strengthen institutions, and how to ensure politicians follow the rules and are held to account – look more relevant than ever. Two new IfG reports set out what can be done to reform and strengthen the civil service.

“Other than some kind of major event in Russia, it is hard to see a route of this that isn’t incredibly depressing” - Catherine Haddon

“The threat that Putin could put his missiles on an even higher standing of readiness is hanging over this” – Bronwen Maddox

“It is absolutely incredible what we are seeing happen in Germany. You have a government that is giving way completely to radical new policy” – Georgina Wright

“We saw how difficult it was to leave the EU. It’s just as difficult to join. Can the EU realistically grant Ukraine, a country at war, candidate status?” – Georgina Wright

“Confused accountability undermines the civil service’s confidence. Bolstering its legitimacy will help bolster its confidence and authority inside government” – Alex Thomas

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alex Thomas, Cath Haddon, and guest Georgina Wright.

Produced by Candice McKenzie for the Institute for Government in association with Podmasters.

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Russia invades Ukraine and shocks the world, with casualties already reported and citizens fleeing Kyiv. What does Putin want? And can a raft of sanctions introduced by Western governments force him to change his mind? Former chair of the Intelligence and Security committee DOMINIC GRIEVE joins us to discuss the crisis and its ramifications for Europe.

“Ukraine’s status as an independent state on Russia’s borders has become intolerable to Putin.” - Alex Nice

“The signs have been clear for a long time that Putin will use any means if it furthers his agenda.” - Dominic Grieve

“This crisis could extend to the Baltic states. If Putin thinks there is a weakness, then he will exploit it.” - Dominic Grieve

“BBC Russia does an excellent job, and removing RT might result in a ‘tit-for-tat’ response from Russia.”

“This refugee crisis will primarily focus on Poland, but other states including the UK should be involved in this.” - Alex Nice 

“Three decades of German foreign policy has been washed away by this crisis.” - Cath Haddon

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon and Alex Nice. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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The Ukraine Crisis is still unresolved. What exactly does Putin want, is he determined to use force to achieve it – and can Britain do anything about it? Plus, Boris Johnson plans to create a new ‘Office of the Prime Minister’. But what exactly is the Cabinet Office, how does this “odds and sods department” work – and is the idea of creating a whole new department wise, Prime Minister? 

Ex-Cabinet Office minister and Justice Secretary David Lidington and former (founding) head of the National Cyber Security Centre Ciaran Martin are our special guests. 

• “Any Ukrainian will tell you they’ve been at war with Russia since 2014… They’ve been under severe cyber-harassment from Russia ever since.” – Ciaran Martin
• “If Ukraine makes a success of democracy and a Euro-Atlantic way of looking at the world, that’s a mortal threat to Putin and his regime.” – David Lidington
• “When you’re doing civil service reform, don’t hide behind jargon because that might be the thing that sinks it.” – Cath Haddon
• “Ukraine is Russia’s cyber playground… The Russians constantly use it to undermine Ukrainians’ faith in their society and their government.” – Ciaran Martin

Presented by Alex Thomas and Cath Haddon. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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Bronwen Maddox gives the Institute for Government’s annual Director’s Lecture, followed by a response from New Statesman political editor Stephen Bush and a discussion chaired by Sir David Lidington, the former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for the Cabinet Office, and Justice Secretary.

In her speech, Bronwen reflects on the Government’s handling of the pandemic, expectations of government now, and the reforms that are needed.

Audio production by Candice McKenzie for IfG

#IfGDirector

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Will Boris Johnson’s panic reshuffle provide the hard reset he needs? Can reorganising the No.10 backroom dispel the shadows of the Gray Report and the Met investigation into parties at Downing Street? Plus Sir John Major launches stinging criticism of the PM at an IfG event this week. Will it tip the scales for Boris Johnson? And the big question… what’s wrong with British government?

Political commentator Steve Richards – host of the Rock’n’Roll Politics podcast – is our special guest this week.

• “This is the most blistering attack from a former occupant of No.10 to a current occupant that I can recall.” – Steve Richards
• “This was John Major battling for the heart and soul of the Conservative Party… He was calling out the entire Cabinet for tolerating this Prime Minister.” – Jill Rutter
• “Blair told me one of his reshuffles was a two-year project. This one took place over a weekend. It’s shallow.” – Steve Richards
• “You can have the most tightly organised government in the world but unless Johnson becomes more serious and focused, it won’t matter.” – Emma Norris

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Emma Norris and Jill Rutter. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

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The Institute for Government is delighted to welcome Sir John Major KG CH to give a keynote speech on the issue of trust and standards in British democracy. The event is chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

Watch the keynote here.

Sir John Major was Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997. He served as MP for Huntingdon from 1979 to 2001.

Audio production by Candice McKenzie for IfG

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Sue Gray has finally published her report into Downing Street parties, and despite it being a diminished version, it was damning about the culture and structure of No. 10. What does it mean for Boris Johnson - and what happens next?

The Met Police’s decision to launch their own investigation stymied Gray’s report, and reports of misogyny within the Met has put chief commissioner Cressida Dick under huge pressure. And the long-awaited levelling up white paper has been released. Was it worth the wait?

- “The party in the Downing Street flat on 13th November is most dangerous for Johnson.” - Emma Norris

- “Most people do think the rules were broken in Downing Street, it doesn’t really matter what the Prime Minister says.” - Tim Durrant

- “No matter how independent Civil Servants are, they are not the right person to investigate the Prime Minister, who is also their boss.” - Emma Norris

- “When Sue Gray announced she was going to slim down her report, the odds of Johnson staying past June went up 20%.” - Giles Wilkes

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Emma Norris. Tim Durrant and Giles Wilkes. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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As tensions rise on the Ukrainian border, are we at risk of Europe’s first ground war since 1945? Sir Lawrence Freedman joins the panel to discuss the situation, and to lay out the role the UK will play in the crisis.

Back in Britain we still await the Sue Gray report, but now the Met are involved. What does the police investigation mean for Number 10? And in some good news it’s the end of Plan B COVID restrictions in England, but is our battle against the pandemic really over?

“It would be really stupid for the Russians to invade a country of 40 million people, many of whom don’t like them.” - Lawrence Freedman

“Nobody expects Western powers to fight in Ukraine, if the war takes place it’ll be between Ukraine and Russia.” - Lawrence Freedman

“If Boris Johnson is spending so much time meeting MPs, is he giving the Ukraine crisis all the time it needs?” - Cath Haddon

“It may be that many Conservative MPs have made their minds up, they’re just waiting for the Sue Gray report.” - Cath Haddon

“The question now is, does the Conservative Party do more damage to themselves while they try to resolve this?” - Cath Haddon

“As plan B ends there might be a temptation to declare ‘freedom day’, I don’t think that would be wise.” - Alex Thomas

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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A Red Wall MP has defected to Labour, and David David has publicly called for the PM to go. But we’re still waiting for Sue Gray’s report, and Boris Johnson is still Prime Minister. LBC’s IAIN DALE joins us to discuss the past few days in Parliament, and the bigger questions about what could come next. 

“The way that Boris Johnson has diminished the office, if he left in the next few months he would go down in the bottom quartile of PMs.” - IAIN DALE

“Calling it operation ‘save big dog’ also invites other names like ‘Dead Dog’ or ‘Dog’s Dinner’.” - IAIN DALE

“Number 10 in particular, the tone is really set by the Prime Minister.” - ALEX THOMAS

“It is going to come down to Conservative MPs holding their leader to account. Parliament can’t do that.” - CATH HADDON

“A lot of people in 2019 voted Conservative for the first time because of Boris Johnson. He’s lost their trust.” - IAIN DALE

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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Boris Johnson makes an uncharacteristic apology to the House for No.10’s lockdown garden party – but is the PM reaching for a narrow legalistic self-justification when the court of public opinion has already passed its verdict? What can the Sue Grey Report uncover about the culture of Downing Street? And will anyone carry the can for this apparent breach of the COVID rules? Our special guest in a seismic week in Westminster is the Evening Standard’s political editor David Bond. 

• “The mood in PMQs was absolutely extraordinary… We saw a very different Boris Johnson from the one we’ve become use to. He looked broken.” – DAVID BOND
• “It’s not just legal jeopardy that Johnson is in. Has he lied to the House?” – HANNAH WHITE
• “Compared to the massive support you usually see for the Prime Minister at PMQs this was a very, very different spectacle.” – DAVID BOND
• “There’s a wide expectation that Sue Grey will be able to pass judgment on the Prime Minister – but that’s not actually her job.” – TIM DURRANT
• “There is nothing in Boris Johnson’s past which suggests he is going to be a crusader for tougher rules…” – DAVID BOND

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Tim Durrant and Hannah White.  Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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As 2022 kicks off with rising inflation, soaring energy bills and taxes set to increase, what sort of state is Britain’s economy in - and how bad are things for the Government? Another issue is levelling up, is it the answer to the Number 10’s problems? And as Liz Truss takes over the Brexit reigns, how will she be different to Lord Frost? The FT’s Economics Editor CHRIS GILES joins us this week.

“Inflation means a lot of things for this Government, none of them good.” - GILES WILKES

“Inflation is every bit as dangerous for Governments as unemployment because it’s so broad-based.” - GILES WILKES

“The promise of higher wages is going to look a little thin.” - CHRIS GILES

“This government has demonstrated a desire to loosen the purse-strings when it comes to public services, that means higher taxes.” - GEMMA TETLOW

“Departments do seem to have an incentive in delivering levelling-up, but it’s not entirely clear what it is.” - GEMMA TETLOW

“The most immediate issue in Liz Truss’s in-tray is the Northern Ireland protocol.” - JOE MARSHALL

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Gemma Tetlow, Giles Wilkes and Joe Marshall. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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We look back on a tumultuous year in politics, from the Owen Paterson debacle to the endless Christmas party scandals, from the shame of Afghanistan to Lord Frost melting away. Has Boris Johnson’s approach of muddling through at the last minute run out of road? And will he try to reassert control by amping up conflict with the EU?

Plus what’s coming in 2022, from the Levelling Up White Paper, to elections across the UK and especially Northern Ireland, to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

• “In a matter of weeks Boris Johnson went from looking like nothing could stop him to a journalist asking if everything was OK.” – CATH HADDON
• “I wonder if the Christmas party stories would have been so big if the narrative hadn’t already started to move against Johnson.” – ALEX THOMAS
• “Johnson has clearly alienated a huge tranche of his backbenchers… Johnson looks like a prisoner of his own party.” – JILL RUTTER
• “This is the end for the moment of the Johnson playbook of ‘never apologise, never explain’.” – ALEX THOMAS
• “We’ve seen repeated questioning of No.10’s ability to handle crises – or just escalated them and make them worse than they ever were.” – CATH HADDON
• “If Johnson keeps asking his backbenchers to vote for things he himself then fails to support, that creates real focused anger on the backbenches.” – ALEX THOMAS

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon, Jill Rutter and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG

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We’ve all had quite enough reality for another year. So the IfG podcast team escape back into the worlds of fiction and fantasy to discover what they can teach us about governing. Which power struggle at the heart of Succession has echoes of the government’s attitude to Parliament? Does the idyllic world of Peppa Pig offer a template for modern government? And when does James Bond find the time to do all his necessary paperwork and deal with HR? Patrick Kidd, the Times’ diary writer, joins Inside Briefing for this special Christmas episode.

Presented by Cath Haddon with Gavin Freeguard, Alice Lilly and Patrick Kidd. Audio production by Candice McKenzie

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A seismic North Shropshire by-election result rocks the Johnson government, handing a seat that’s been almost exclusively Conservative for 200 years to the Lib Dems. Can the Prime Minister put an end to his scandals and self-inflicted troubles – or are we looking at the beginning of the end for Boris Johnson?

Plus, scientific advice from Chris Whitty and SAGE falls out of sync with No.10’s messaging. Is the Government really at war with its scientists? And if Plan B was so hard to get through, what are the chances for Plan C? Our special guest is JACK BLANCHARD of Politico.

• “There’s no two ways about it. Boris Johnson took a hell of a kicking last night.” – JACK BLANCHARD
• “What’s most worrying for the Tories is the ghost of the mid-90s when voters got a taste for finding ways to vote them out.” – GILES WILKES
• “The party story has cut through like nothing since Barnard Castle.” – JACK BLANCHARD

“It doesn’t feel like Boris Johnson can get through the next few months without putting his foot in it… and getting into a Gordon Brown Death Spiral.” – JACK BLANCHARD

Presented by Hannah White with Cath Haddon and Giles Wilkes. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

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After a week of denying that any party took place at Downing Street last Christmas, Boris Johnson has asked Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to investigate. We discuss the row, the response, and what comes next. 

In the midst of all of this, the PM announced Plan B Covid measures for England. What do they mean in practice? And in other developments, a Foreign Office whistleblower testified about the ‘chaotic’ Afghanistan withdrawal this summer. We look at the fall-out.

Laura Hughes, Diplomatic and Political correspondent for The Financial Times, is our guest this week.

“The constant denials of this party encouraged journalists to keep digging. Now it’s completely out of control for the PM.” - LAURA HUGHES

“The attempted cover-up is as bad as the crime. This suggestion by Labour that the public have been take for fools does stand.” - LAURA HUGHES

“It beggars belief that Johnson didn’t have a conversation in the last week where he asked ‘Was there a party? What’s my line?’.” - CATH HADDON

“Allegra Stratton’s resignation has evoked quite a lot of sympathy for her from the public, but her position was untenable.” - JILL RUTTER

“If I was a cynical journalist, announcing a huge raft of new COVID measures might be a diversion tactic from rumours of parties in Number 10.” - LAURA HUGHES

“This line of ‘don’t go to work but have a Christmas party’ doesn’t make sense.” - CATH HADDON

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon and Jill Rutter. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk  

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When Angela Rayner stood up to set out her vision for restoring trust in public life, news broke that Keir Starmer had started to reshuffle his team. Was it a conspiracy, a cock-up, or something in-between? ELENI COUREA, political reporter at The Times who broke the reshuffle story, joins to discuss Labour’s internal politics, and the new-look Shadow Cabinet.

And, the new strain of COVID is here. Will Omicron result in another cancelled Christmas, or will the measures brought in be enough to save the festive season? 

“Angela Rayner’s team were convinced Starmer wanted to overshadow her speech, but the leader’s office have denied this.” - ELENI COUREA

“Many Labour MPs do have close links with Blair and Brown, so referring to the factions isn’t inaccurate.” - ELENI COUREA

“The Government are suffering because they don’t have a clear decision making framework.” - ALEX THOMAS

“The Conservative Party is united in not wanting to impose any domestic restrictions.” - ELENI COUREA

“The common sense message has become lost because different people are saying different things.” - ALEX THOMAS

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk  

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The Prime Minister’s speech to the CBI, in which he enthused about Peppa Pig and lost his place for 20 excruciating seconds, has caused concern in Government. Is all ok inside Number 10, or was this just the PM being himself?

It’s not all plain sailing in the Commons either, as the Government suffered a big rebellion over plans to reform social care, and the row over standards in public life continues. Our special guest ROBERT SHRIMSLEY, Chief Political Commentator at the FT, joins us to discuss.

“The problem is, this is the Prime Minister. He thrives on this chaotic approach and he has always relied on it.” - ROBERT SHRIMSLEY

“The vaccine task force did well, but when you have money and momentum behind you that task becomes easier.” - ALEX THOMAS

“Those who will benefit the most from social care plan are those with the most expensive houses, inevitably in the South.” - ROBERT SHRIMSLEY

“The whips need to get a handle on this because the more MPs get a taste of rebellion, the more likely it is to happen.” - HANNAH WHITE

“Johnson was elected as good-time premier, but COVID has wrecked the finances.” - ROBERT SHRIMSLEY

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Hannah White, Alex Thomas and Graham Atkins. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk  

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As Boris Johnson struggles to shake off questions about standards and MPs’ second jobs, what’s the latest in the never-ending row gripping Westminster? Also how did the Government scramble supplies of PPE during the pandemic peak? The data has been released so we take a closer look. And John Swinney, Deputy First Minister of Scotland gave a talk at the IFG, and he didn’t hold back. 

Our special guest is HENRY DYER, politics reporter for Business Insider, specialising in political financing, appointments and data-driven investigations.

“We all lose when people don’t have faith in Parliament as an institution” - ALICE LILLEY

“The UK’s stockpile of PPE was much too small, we hadn’t prepared for this” - TOM SASSE

“According to John Swinney, the Government is undermining devolution” - AKASH PAUN

“A lot of MPs currently in jobs are thinking ‘am I going to be able continuing doing these jobs or not?’” - HANNAH WHITE

Presented by Tim Durrant with Hannah White, Alice Lilley, Tom Sasse and Akash Paun. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk  

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As the Owen Paterson mess unspools to expose Geoffrey Cox’s novel approach to working from home and much more, has the Government set off a multi-polar controversy it can’t control? Did Boris Johnson do himself any favours by refusing to face the Commons in contrition? And how does it play outside Westminster when someone on £80,000 a year claims they needs a second or third job?

Our special guest is ROB HUTTON, veteran lobby journalist and now sketchwriter at The Critic. 

• “What did I make of last week in Parliament? It was objectively hilarious.” – ROB HUTTON

• “Rees-Mogg and Mark Spencer had to sit silently on the benches and take their punishment – and that was quite the sight.” – CATH HADDON

• “It’s not important to say you’re not a corrupt country. It’s important not to HAVE to say you’re not a corrupt country…” – ROB HUTTON

• “If MPs like Geoffrey Cox have time to do all this extra work, why don’t they spend it trying to improve Parliament?” – CATH HADDON

• “The fact that Geoffrey Cox had massive outside jobs was known ten days ago and it wasn’t news back then. It is now.” – ROB HUTTON

Presented by Hannah White with Cath Haddon and Tim Durrant.  Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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In a series of unforced errors, the Government first whips its MPs to rescind the suspension of OWEN PATERSON MP for lobbying and rethink the entire Commons standards process… then suffers a rebellion and a roasting in the press… and then reverses their decision entirely. How damaging is this episode? And is there a case for reforming the system? Plus, we hear the latest on COP26 from RICHARD BLACK, senior associate of climate change non-profit the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, who’s on the spot in Glasgow. 

• “Yes, there is a case to be made for reforming the standards process, but not when you’re investigating a former Cabinet Minister.” – JILL RUTTER

• “If you have a PM who is willing to use his political capital to protect someone who has broken the rules, there is no recourse in our system” – TIM DURRANT

• “Upending a whole system to protect one of your own laid the Government open to charges that it would just protect its friends.”– JILL RUTTER

• “If the country is going to become carbon neutral then the countryside is going to have to become carbon negative” –  RICHARD BLACK

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Tom Sasse, Jill Rutter and Tim Durrant.  Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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On 27 October, Rishi Sunak presented his third budget and the first multiyear spending review since 2015. Now the dust has settled, what did we learn? Why was the fiscal windfall so large? How did the chancellor choose to spend it? Was there evidence of a Brexit dividend? Did the spending review settlements meet the needs of public services? Can government become more productive to achieve much more with only a bit more money?

Our special guest for this special edition was Chris Francis, government affairs director for SAP.

This special Budget edition comes with welcome support from SAP. Find out more at www.sap.com/uk

Audio Production by Candice McKenzie

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Fuelled by a Twix and a can of Sprite, Chancellor Rishi Sunak finally set out his budget and multi-year spending review on Wednesday, we take a look at his plans will mean for Britain’s economy. Also, COVID hasn’t gone away, but what would the introduction of plan B look like? Is the public ready for it?

And COP26 begins at the weekend. MO HUSSEIN, former advisor to Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd joins to tell us what these conferences are really like, and what needs to happen to make the event a success for both Britain and the world. 

* “The rhetoric of the budget speech didn’t match up to the forecasts.” - GEMMA TETLOW

* “When Sunak receives bad news, he raises taxes. When he gets good news, he raises spending.” - GEMMA TETLOW

* “It was noticeable how little ‘net-zero’ was mentioned in the budget, especially with COP26 next week.” - ROSA HODGKIN

* “The Conservatives are matching, even outdoing Labour on spending in some areas.” - MO HUSSEIN

* “Lots of geopolitics happens at COP summits, countries need to cut through that.” - MO HUSSEIN

* “Failure would look like coming out COP26 with the same climate targets as we have now.” - ROSA HODGKIN

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Gemma Tetlow and Rosa Hodgkin of the IfG. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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This week’s Budget is Rishi Sunak’s third – but the first he’s undertaken outside of firefighting mode. What can we expect? Will Sunak be able to finally put some meat on the bare bones of levelling up? How much room to manoeuvre does he have in the midst of crises on the cost of living, staffing and productivity? And what should he do for small business?

Our special guests for this special edition are SONIA KHAN, former special advisor to Sajid Javid; and CRAIG BEAUMONT from the Federation of Small Businesses. 

This budget preview edition is supported by the Federation of Small Businesses. Find out more at www.fsb.org.uk 

* “Even if we get back to a pre-pandemic economy, that wasn’t so rosy… Unless we get a step change in productivity it’s not going to feel like the Roaring Twenties.” – TOM POPE

* “When Chancellors deliver growth or investment, it’s often the Chancellor after them that reaps the credit.” – SONIA KHAN

* “Small businesses have had a torrid 18 months and they’re expecting a torrid autumn-winter… We’ve lost over 400,000 small businesses.” – CRAIG BEAUMONT

* “We’re seeing Sunak shake off his Mr Nice Guy image… We’re seeing the start of the definition of what he’s about.” – SONIA KHAN

* “The economy is smaller than it was for small businesses and the recovery looks like it’s running out of steam.” – GRAHAM ATKINS

Presented by Gemma Tetlow with Tom Pope of the IfG. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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The murder of Sir David Amess MP has shocked the political world deeply. With the threat level to MPs now assessed as “significant”, how will this terrible event affect the face-to-face contact with parliamentarians that British democracy depends upon? Plus, are the Government’s voluminous climate change plans in shape for Boris Johnson’s big moment at COP26? As energy prices soar, has the Government got its Net Zero tax sums rights? Tim Ross, executive editor (politics) of the New Statesman, is our special guest. 

• “The mood in Westminster is incredibly sad… David Amess and also James Brokenshire were two of the nicest and kindest MPs.” – Tim Ross
• “If leaders want the public to treat MPs with respect, it needs to start from the top. We can’t have Prime Ministers bashing Parliamentarians.” – Jill Rutter
• “What is driving this aggressive culture? There is a profound cynicism about Parliament – but most parliamentarians are decent people who are trying to help.” – Alice Lilly
• “I question whether the country cares enough about its democracy. Do we care enough to protect our MPs?" – Tim Ross
• “You can’t spin shortages on the shelves as a brilliant idea.” – Giles Wilkes

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alice Lilly, Jill Rutter and Giles Wilkes. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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As the EU produces sweeping new proposals on previous red-line issues, can the Government really rewrite the Northern Ireland Protocol to everyone’s satisfaction? If Britain always intended to sign now and ditch it later, what will that do future relations with the EU? Plus, we read every page of the Coronavirus: Lessons Learned report to tease out what really matters. Adam Payne of politicshome.com is our guest. 

• “Will Johnson ever be able to say that Brexit is done? It’s more a case of, will he ever WANT to say that Brexit is done?” – Jill Rutter
• “Any future COVID inquiry will inevitably be hugely damaging to the Conservative brand – but this report is not going to damage this particular government.” – Adam Payne
• “It’s amazing that a report covering perhaps the biggest public health failure ever is a one-day news story.” – Jill Rutter
• “From the COVID report there’s perhaps too much emphasis on the advice and not enough on the political decision-making.” – Tom Sasse

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Joe Marshall, Jill Rutter and Tom Sasse. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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Boris Johnson used his conference speech to promise higher wages, productivity and economic growth. But against a backdrop of petrol shortages, empty shelves and a mass cull of healthy pigs, is he really leading an economic revolution akin to Thatcher’s? And the fallout from Germany’s federal election continues. Berlin-based author and commentator John Kampfner joins us to discuss who will form the next government, and the issues that could define Europe’s biggest power in the years ahead.

• “Johnson’s speech did the job for the party, but it felt incongruent with events happening elsewhere.” - Alex Thomas
• “If you look at the state of Britain, Labour should be on a roll, but Johnson carries the floor with unbridled optimism.” - John Kampfner
• “It wasn’t an anti-business conference, but there was a different attitude towards the state from previous years.” - Gemma Tetlow
• “Germany shows us that levelling-up is a vast, national project” - Alex Thomas

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alex Thomas and Gemma Tetlow. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

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After a bruising Brighton conference, has Keir Starmer strengthened his position as Labour leader? And did Rachel Reeves do enough to convince Britain that Labour can be trusted on the economy, green issues and value for public money? Our special guest, the Daily Mirror’s senior political correspondent Rachel Wearmouth, helps us to rate Starmer’s relaunch. Plus, what can we learn from a good old-fashioned fuel crisis? 

• “The key job at a Labour conference is to look like you’re in control of the madness that is the world of Labour.” – Rachel Wearmouth
• “Troops on the street isn’t a good look – but the impression of things being done urgently in a crisis IS a good look.” – Alex Thomas
• “Conservative MPs have told me that if they lose the motorists, they lose the next election.” – Rachel Wearmouth
• “40,000 HGV drivers have left the UK in the last year - and most of them haven’t come back.” – Gemma Tetlow

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Gemma Tetlow and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

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“Levelling-up” was one of the key Conservative manifesto pledges at the last election, and now it even has its own government department and minister, but what exactly does it mean? A new IFG paper takes a look what the Government has been saying on the subject, and the spending promises made so far.

Plus, next week sees the expiration of the £20 Universal Credit uplift, but how much pressure is chancellor Rishi Sunak under? And what should we expect from Keir Starmer’s first conference as Labour leader? The I’s deputy political editor Arj Singh joins us on today’s show.

• “Experts compare levelling-up to the difference between East and West Germany, which took decades” - Arj Singh
• “The Government are gearing up for the next election to be fought on levelling-up” - Cath Haddon
• “A big question is how much are we going to level-up politically with local government and city mayors?” - Cath Haddon
• “The problem for the Government is that they made a big increase in benefits, they now look like they’re trying to make a big cut” - Nick Timmins
• “This Universal Credit cut hits the areas the Government wants to level-up hardest” - Arj Singh
• “Keir Starmer does need to put some meat on the bones of his offer or the public will stop listening to him” - Arj Singh
• “Angela Rayner is positioning herself to take advantage of any slip ups from Starmer” - Arj Singh

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon, Eleanor Shearer and Nick Timmins. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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As Boris Johnson’s long awaited cabinet reshuffle finally took place, who were the winners and losers from a day of drama in Whitehall? The Daily Telegraph’s Political Editor Ben Riley-Smith joins to take a look at the ministerial movements, and what effect they will have on government and policymaking.

And in another prime-ministerial pick, William Shawcross looks set to become Commissioner of Public Appointments. We take a look at the role, and the person who the PM wants to fill it.

• “Downing Street sees this period as a pivot point, away from COVID and towards delivering on their manifesto” - Ben Riley-Smith
• “This was about Johnson reshuffling the team that were loyal to him, rather than promoting rising stars” - Cath Haddon
• “Michael Gove has been the PM’s problem solver in the cabinet, taking on issues like the Union and Brexit planning” - Ben Riley-Smith
• “Deputy Prime Minister is a great title for Dominic Raab, but whether or not Johnson deputises to him is another matter” - Cath Haddon
• “Liz Truss has held Cabinet posts under three different Prime Ministers, it’s been a remarkable rise” - Ben Riley-Smith

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon, Tom Pope and Matthew Gill. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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Parliament only returned on Monday, but is Boris Johnson already in trouble after his rise in National Insurance threatens to hit the working age young hardest? Conservative commentator Tim Montgomerie joins us to look at the Prime Minister’s internal party problems, and ask if his social care plans add up.

Plus, the Autumn Budget takes place next month, but with Government spending rising, does Rishi Sunak face a difficult few weeks of saying “no”? And has COVID provided a cover for the Government to evade scrutiny? Alice Lilley explains a new IFG report.

• “It’s been a very bad week to be a Conservative. There will be a political backlash” - Tim Montgomerie
• “The Government has lost control of spending, and I don’t see a strategy from them to be fiscally responsible” - Tim Montgomerie
• “The promise not to raise taxes was always going to be hard to keep. Coronavirus has made that even more difficult” - Gemma Tetlow
• “The Government might have the votes in the Commons, but it’s losing the support of the Parliamentary party” - Tim Montgomerie
• “The Conservative party is going through an identity crisis. It’s becoming the party for the older voter” - Tim Montgomerie

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alice Lilley, Gemma Tetlow and Graham Atkins. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG

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The Western intervention in Afghanistan has petered out in ignominy. Who will carry the can for Britain’s biggest foreign policy disaster in half a century? As the Foreign Office and MoD squabble, is Dominic Raab telling the truth when he blames military intelligence for this fiasco? And what does an introverted America mean for NATO and the security of the West?

We look at the fallout with special guests Dan Sabbagh, The Guardian’s Defence and Security Editor, and Lucy Fisher, Deputy Political Editor at the Daily Telegraph and former Defence Editor at the Times. 

• “The West is completely shellshocked by America’s decision to withdraw on its own timetable… This has huge repercussions for NATO which is already hanging by a thread.” – Lucy Fisher 
• “If Britain had decided to commit more troops as America leaves, would the British people really have gone for it?” – Dan Sabbagh
• “The raw intelligence was absolutely correct, that the Taliban would be fast and ruthless But as it went up the food chain it went wildly wrong.” – Lucy Fisher
• “There are two ways the intelligence could have got diluted. One is overt politicisation, the other is treating it as TOO authoritative.” – Alex Thomas
• “My jaw was on the floor when I read that Raab and his senior team had not made a single call to the Afghan or Pakistani foreign ministries in six months.” – Lucy Fisher
• “There’s a clear winner here – Ben Wallace and the MoD – and a clear loser, Dominic Raab and the Foreign Office.” – Dan Sabbagh

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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This edition recorded before the emergency of Afghanistan. What is it like running the country over the Summer recess in normal times? Should certain Foreign Secretaries take account of the idea that a wise Minister never, ever goes on holiday? What happens when Foot And Mouth, floods, a sudden General Election or a pandemic blows up? What did our poor political reporters do for material? And did Blair and Cameron really share a Single Transferable Shirt for the obligatory holiday photo op?

The IfG’s Alex Thomas explores the sandpits and riptides of summer governing with former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, David Cameron’s former Chief of Staff Kate Fall, Sam Coates of Sky News, and Steve Richards, host of the Rock’n’Roll Politics podcast and author of The Prime Ministers: Reflections on Leadership from Wilson to May.

• “Is it nice when the boss is away? Depends on the boss…” – Jacqui Smith
• “Quite a lot of the time ministers are miserable and neurotic… August gives them presentiments of the tense September ahead.” – Steve Richards
• “During the summer the media team is cut in half, but you’re still expected to fill an entire newspaper…” – Sam Coates
• “If you’ve got any sense as a shadow minister, you save a few choice questions to hit ministers with when the news agenda is empty.” – Jacqui Smith
• “Decision-making requires a hyperactive Prime Minister… You need their physical presence more than a Zoom from their holiday hideaway.” – Steve Richards

Presented by Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG

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The recall of Parliament in the wake of Afghanistan’s catastrophic collapse produced one of the most passionate days the Commons has seen in many years – and a punishing experience for Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab. What will this week mean for Britain in the world and especially the Integrated Defence Review?

We look at the fallout in Westminster from an historic week, with special guest Peter Ricketts, the UK’s first National Security Adviser, former Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Office and ex-Permanent Representative to NATO.

• “The raw passion and power was back in the Commons… It showed that the mood of the House can sway with just a few powerful speeches.” – Peter Ricketts
• “There’s a pretty unedifying spat breaking out between the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence – and that is doing nobody any good.” – Alex Thomas
• “This was a very sharp reminder that we are a middling power and when the big decisions are made in Washington, we have to go along with it.” – Peter Ricketts
• “Global Britain was always a slogan without a strategy. And now it’s caught up with the Government.” – Peter Ricketts

Presented by Tim Durrant with Alice Lilley and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG

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Prime Ministerial careers tend to end abruptly and in tears. So what does an ex-PM do next? Are today’s Prime Ministers too young to fade away gracefully? Should they avoid lobbying jobs? And when it comes to backbench politics, should they stay or should they go?

The IfG’s Tim Durrant discusses the mystery of the Prime Ministerial afterlife (and the lure of the comeback) with ex-Justice Secretary David Gauke, Politico’s senior political correspondent Esther Webber, Engage Britain’s Director of Advocacy and former Times political editor Francis Elliot, and the IfG’s Catherine Haddon. 

• “The end of your Prime Ministership can come suddenly and unexpectedly… It’s quite hard to see what you’re going to do.” – David Gauke
• “PMs tend to be younger now and they’re less likely to want to fade into obscurity – which going to the Lords would achieve quite easily.” – Esther Webber
• “Moments of maximum crisis like COVID are exactly when ex-PMs miss the office most.” – Francis Elliott 
• “It’s an absorbing job, it consumes all your waking hours and it’s utterly fascinating. You’ve got status and international connections. For that to end is a wrench.” – David Gauke

Presented by Tim Durrant. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

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As Boris Johnson notches up two years in No.10, are we any closer to understanding what drives him? Is there such thing as an ideology in Boris’s world – a Johnsonism? Do Prime Ministers even need a guiding philosophy? To plumb the Johnson mystery, we assemble a star panel of Times columnist Matthew Parris, The Spectator’s Isabel Hardman and Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University. 

• “We’ve already seen the real Boris Johnson. He’ll do and say anything to maintain his position.” – Matthew Parris 
• “Johnson is a chameleon. He doesn’t like sitting in a tribe and he doesn’t have friends.” – Isabel Hardman
• “The lack of censoriousness is where Johnson connects with traditional Toryism, and you can take it all the way back to Cavaliers and Roundheads.” – Tim Bale
• “Leaders don’t need ideology, they just need power. Thatcherism was a bit of a mirage…” – Matthew Parris

Presented by Catherine Haddon. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

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As Parliament breaks up, how will the Government look back on this unique and turbulent term? As Boris Johnson tries to reset his leadership after some missteps and missed opportunities, what are the post-pandemic problems he needs to fix? Two years in, his policy platform has still to take shape, so how long has the Prime Minister got? An IfG panel gets out its red pen to give marks to Johnson: Year Two.

• “Looking back, it’s quite hard to remember how grim January and February were.” – Joe Marshall
• “The excuse that ‘we just need to get on and deal with the virus’ just isn’t there anymore.” – Hannah White
• “Politics is going to unfreeze in the autumn, and a lot of difficult debates are going to re-emerge.” – Alex Thomas