IfG Events

Latest Episodes:

Creating the Department for International Trade Jul 29, 2021

Show notes

Membership of the EU meant that the UK had not had its own independent trade policy for more than 40 years. In one of her first acts as prime minister, Theresa May established the Department for International Trade to take on this function. This panel looked back at how department was established, how effective it has been in developing the UK’s skills and approach to international trade policy, and what more needs to be done to make the UK the big player in international trade it aspires to be.

To discuss these issues, we were joined by:

John Alty, Interim Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Trade
Dr Lorand Bartels, Reader in International Law at the University of Cambridge and Counsel at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Sam Lowe, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Reform
Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

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In conversation with Sir Jeremy Farrar, Director of Wellcome Trust Jul 28, 2021

Show notes

Sir Jeremy Farrar has been at the heart of the global fight against Covid-19. As head of one the world’s most influential medical research charities and a leading member of SAGE, he has played a decisive role as complex decisions were taken to meet the rapidly-evolving threat of the pandemic.

Sir Jeremy discussed his new book, Spike – The Virus v The People: The Inside Story, with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. The book, co- authored with the Financial Times science columnist, Anjana Ahuja, sets out his reflections on the extraordinary last 18 months and puts forward his ideas on how the world can be better prepared to tackle future threats.

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We would like to thank Wellcome Trust for kindly supporting this event, which follows a joint project on how policy makers should tackle Covid-19 over the long term.

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Reforming the Union: Mark Drakeford MS, First Minister of Wales Jul 20, 2021

Show notes

As part of a new series of events on the future of devolution and the Union, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome The Rt Hon Mark Drakeford, Welsh Labour leader and First Minister of Wales.

After setting out his vision for devolution and reforming the Union, based on the Welsh government paper, Reforming Our Union: Shared Governance in the UK 2nd Edition, the First Minister was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

The First Minister discussed the state of relations between Westminster and Cardiff, the scope for changes to the powers and funding of the Welsh government, the case for reform of the House of Lords, and what needs to be done to create a new culture of shared governance between UK and devolved administrations.

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Does the UK have a trade strategy yet? Jul 16, 2021

Show notes

In our report Taking back control of trade policy, the Institute argued that the government needed a clear trade strategy. So far, the government’s main goal appears to be to strike as many deals as it can. But recent disagreements in cabinet over whether to open UK markets to Australian agricultural produce, and whether UK farmers will be able to compete, suggest that the government is still struggling to make the necessary trade-offs. This panel examined whether the UK has a trade policy, and if so, what it hopes to achieve.

To discuss these issues, we were joined by:

Martin Bell, Deputy Director of Trade at the Scotch Whisky Association
Anna Isaac, Incoming Economics Editor at The Independent
Graham Stuart MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Exports) at the Department for International Trade
Emily Thornberry MP, Shadow International Trade Secretary
Nick von Westenholz, Director of Trade and Business Strategy at the National Farmers Union

The event was chaired by James Kane, Associate at the Institute for Government.

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How can the UK pay for Net Zero? Jul 16, 2021

Show notes

The COP26 climate change summit in November is approaching fast – but where is the plan for the UK to meet its pledge to hit net zero by 2050 or to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035?

The government has yet to say what it will do – or who it expects to pay for the its plan to drive down emissions. How should costs be distributed between taxpayers, consumers and businesses? Where should the burden fall between current and future generations?

To debate how to pay for net zero and ensure the UK tackles climate change in a way that maintains public support, the Institute for Government brought together an expert panel for a special IfG Live podcast.

Bim Afolami, Conservative MP for Hitchin and Harpenden
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath
Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies
James Meadway, Director of the Progressive Economy Forum

Presented by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

Audio Production by Candice McKenzie

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‘Australian-style’ politics: what is the government learning from abroad? Jul 13, 2021

Show notes

The current government has close ties to Australia, with Australian campaign strategists such as Sir Lynton Crosby and Isaac Levido both having led successful election campaigns for the Conservatives in recent years, and the new trade deal between the UK and Australia agreed in principle in June 2021.

British politicians also like to point to Australia as an example of policy models to follow – from an ‘Australian-style’ immigration system to the prospect of an ‘Australian-style’ deal with the European Union.

This event brought together an expert panel to discuss why Australia has so captured the government’s imagination, what the UK is learning from Australia, whether the ‘Australia-style’ label glosses over important differences between the UK and Australia, and also whether there are any Australian policy successes that aren’t yet part of the political debate in the UK.

Our panel:

James Starkie, Founding Partner at 5654 & Company and former Chief of Staff to Priti Patel
Marc Stears, Director of the Sydney Policy Lab and former Chief Speechwriter to the Labour Party
Laura Tingle, Journalist and Chief Political Correspondent at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
John McTernan, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and former Director of Political Operations for Tony Blair and for Director of Communications for Julia Gillard

The was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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We are grateful to Nous for their support with this event

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How can the UK be a force for good in the world? Jul 06, 2021

Show notes

The G7 in Cornwall was a big opportunity for Boris Johnson to set out his vision for Global Britain. On the agenda was famine prevention, girls’ education, tackling climate change and, of course, recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic. But the summit also took place against the backdrop of criticism, at home and abroad, of the government’s decision to cut the UK’s foreign aid budget.

To assess how much the summit achieved and to discuss what needs to happen next for the UK to reach its global ambitions and priorities, and how it can be a force for global good, the Institute for Government was delighted to bring together the following expert panel:

Mike Adamson, Chief Executive of the British Red Cross
The Rt Hon Baroness Amos, Master of University College, Oxford and former UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator and former Secretary of State for International Development
Tobias Ellwood MP, Chair of the Defence Select Committee
Laila Johnson-Salami, Journalist at Arise TV and Founding Member of Feminist Coalition

The event was be chaired by Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

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Taking back control of regulation Jul 01, 2021

Show notes

Announcing the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the prime minister declared that “we have taken back control of every jot and tittle of our regulation”. Regaining regulatory autonomy was a key UK objective in the negotiations. The question now is what the government wants to do with it.

There is no shortage of ideas about how the government could regulate differently outside the EU. The taskforce set up by the prime minister to identify post-Brexit opportunities has made much of the ability to change regulation to better reflect the needs of the UK economy and promote innovation, and recommended reform in areas like financial services and life sciences. The government is now launching a search to find a director for its Brexit Opportunities Unit to "develop a cross-government strategy for regulatory change, while driving policy development on new opportunities across Whitehall."

As our recent report, Taking back control of regulation, shows, doing things differently from the EU presents opportunities, but also brings potential costs and risks.

To discuss how the government should think about regulation after Brexit, we brought together a panel representing a range of views:

Bernardine Adkins, Partner, Head of EU, Trade and Competition at Gowling WLG
John Foster, Interim Director of Policy and Communications at the Confederation of British Industry
Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government
Iain Martin, Columnist for The Times

The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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We are grateful to Gowling WLG for their support with this event

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In conversation with Andy Haldane Jul 01, 2021

Show notes

On his final day as Chief Economist at the Bank of England, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Andy Haldane.

After seven years in this position, and as a member of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee, he discussed with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the IfG, his more than 30 years at the Bank of England and reflect on some of the big economic events he has witnessed during that time and the lessons he draws from those experiences.

Read Andy Haldane's speech: Thirty years of hurt, never stopped me dreaming

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How can the government build a green recovery? Jun 30, 2021

Show notes

The prime minister says a "green recovery” will be at the heart of the UK's post-pandemic comeback. But his government has so far set out less ambitious measures than some other countries and it cancelled its flagship scheme, the Green Homes Grant, after six months due to low take up.

With the UK hosting the COP26 climate conference in November, this panel discussed what combination of policies, public and private investment and skills programmes will be needed to turn the government's vision of a green recovery into reality.

On our panel were:

Josh Buckland, Director at Flint Global and former Energy Adviser to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Sam Fankhauser, Professor of Climate Change Economics and Policy at the University of Oxford
Rosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for Government
Bridget Rosewell, Commissioner for the National Infrastructure Commission

Catherine McGuinness, Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee at the City of London Corporation, made the opening remarks.

The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

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We would like to thank the City of London Corporation for kindly supporting this event.

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