IfG Events

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The Brexit referendum – five years on Jun 25, 2021

Show notes

The vote to leave the European Union on 23 June 2016 marked the start of a tumultuous period in British politics. The government was set on a collision course with parliament over what Brexit really meant. The civil service began to untangle 43 years of EU membership, building up new capabilities and preparing for new responsibilities. And the Brexit effect placed the United Kingdom under huge strain – with growing support for independence in Scotland and a new border in the Irish Sea.

What impact has the referendum had on the governance of the UK? Has control really returned to parliament, or to the government? And what does Brexit mean for the future of the union?

To mark five years since the end of the referendum, the Institute for Government brought together people who were either involved in, or had front-row seats to, this remarkable period in British politics.

On the panel were:

Katy Balls, Deputy Political Editor at The Spectator
Luke Graham, former MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, 2017-19, and former head of the Union Unit in No.10
Lord McDonald of Salford, former Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2015-20
Lisa O’Carroll, Brexit Correspondent at The Guardian

The event was chaired by Maddy Thimont Jack, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

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A Trip Down Brexit Memory Lane Jun 24, 2021

Show notes

Join the Institute for Government Brexit team for a canter through the five years since the Referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU took place. Who was a better negotiator, Theresa May or Boris Johnson? Was the Civil Service ready for the task of delivering Brexit? Has Parliament recovered from all the rebellions and procedural high-jinks? And what will Brexit really mean for the future of the United Kingdom?

Join the IfG’s Jill Rutter, Maddy Thimont-Jack, Jess Sargeant and Joe Marshall – along with some intriguing predictions from the IfG audio archives – to get the Brexit podcast done. Presented by Sam Macrory

Audio Production by Candice McKenzie

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What does “levelling up” really mean? Jun 23, 2021

Show notes

Since the 2019 General Election, “levelling up” has been the Government’s go-to slogan. The Queen’s Speech set out an ambition to “level up opportunities across all parts of the UK”, the Chancellor unveiled a levelling up fund, the PM appointed a levelling up adviser, and the promise to level up featured heavily during the recent Hartlepool by-election. But what does levelling up actually mean? How does the Government intend to turn this slogan into reality? How can voters judge the success – or not – of the levelling up agenda at the next election?

The Institute for Government is delighted to bring together an expert panel to discuss past efforts at distributing investment, creating job opportunities and increasing productivity, and to assess whether Boris Johnson’s levelling up agenda will see the Conservatives hold on to electoral gains in the so-called Red Wall constituencies.

On the panel are:

John Godfrey, Corporate Affairs Director at Legal & General and former Head of Policy at No.10 (2016–17)
Lord Mandelson, Chairman of Global Counsel and former European Commissioner for Trade and MP for Hartlepool (1992–2004)
Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and former Special Adviser to Theresa May
Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First and former Education and Innovation Adviser to David Cameron

The event is chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

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We would like to thank Legal & General for kindly supporting this event.

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How can government level up the UK's health? Jun 22, 2021

Show notes

As the economy recovers from the pandemic, the government wants to ‘build back better’ and ‘level up’. Improving public health could play an important role in achieving these objectives. We are a less healthy nation than many of our European neighbours, and there are huge differences in health between more and less prosperous parts of the UK. This affects quality of life as well as how productively people can work.

How can public health policy form a part of the levelling up agenda? What is the appropriate role for government and businesses in promoting good public health? What interventions would make a difference and what incentives would help people to get healthier?

To discuss these questions and more, we are delighted to bring together an expert panel featuring:

Jo Bibby, Director of Health at the Health Foundation
Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology at University College London, Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity and Past President of the World Medical Association
Nigel Wilson, Group Chief Executive at Legal & General
Tina Woods, Founder and CEO of Collider Health and CEO and co-founder of Longevity International

The event is chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government, with an introduction by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

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What does Global Britain mean? Jun 16, 2021

Show notes

The Institute for Government is delighted to bring together two of the UK’s most experienced former diplomats for a discussion on the future of Global Britain. Lord Ricketts has held the posts of permanent secretary to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, National Security Adviser and UK Ambassador to France. Sir Peter Westmacott’s distinguished career has included stints as the UK’s Ambassador to the United States, France and Turkey. They discuss Britain’s foreign policy priorities and how they can be achieved, the many international challenges and dilemmas facing the UK, and what Global Britain really means – plus their newly published books: Hard Choices: What Britain Does Next by Peter Ricketts and They Call It Diplomacy: Forty Years Of Representing Britain Abroad by Peter Westmacott.

Peter Ricketts and Peter Westmacott are in conversation with the IfG's Director, Bronwen Maddox.

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Civil Service reform: Gove changes everything? Jun 15, 2021

Show notes

Michael Gove has unveiled a grandly-titled document called the “Declaration of Government Reform”. So what’s it all about? There’s a plan to move more than 20,000 civil servants out of London, but also plenty of detail on civil servants’ pay, performance, and accountability. Will the reforms make a difference? We’ve pressed the emergency podcast alarm, and dialled up guest Gus O’Donnell, the former cabinet secretary, to work out what it all means, and whether any of it will work.

With Alex Thomas, Cath Haddon, and Tim Durrant. Audio production by Candice McKenzie

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How to run a successful Covid-19 inquiry Jun 09, 2021

Show notes

Boris Johnson has announced that a public inquiry into the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic will start next year. Following the publication of our paper, which set out the case for an inquiry and how it should be run, this Institute for Government event discussed how the inquiry can succeed.

How can the inquiry ensure important issues aren't missed and findings are delivered in a reasonable time? What is the role of parliament and the public in shaping the purpose of the inquiry and ensuring that the government follows up on its findings? Who should lead the inquiry and what type of person should sit on its panel?

Discussing these questions were:

Sir Lawrence Freedman, Professor of War Studies at King’s College London and committee member for the Chilcot Inquiry
Sally Warren, Director of Policy at The King’s Fund
Sir Bernard Jenkin, Chair of the House of Commons Liaison Committee
Layla Moran, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus

The event was chaired by Marcus Shepheard, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

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How Richard Haldane shaped modern Britain May 19, 2021

Show notes

The legacy of Richard, Viscount Haldane can be seen across modern Britain. But why has modern Britain forgotten the many and wide-ranging accomplishments of this philosopher-statesman?

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome John Campbell, author of Haldane: The Forgotten Statesman Who Shaped Modern Britain, and Sir Anthony Seldon, historian and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham, to discuss his life and legacy.

Richard Haldane created the Territorial Army and the British Expeditionary Force and was a key player in the formation of MI5, MI6, and the RAF. In academia, he played a big part in founding and developing the LSE, Imperial College, the ‘redbrick’ universities, and the Medical Research Council. His work in science and research with the University Grants Committee was catalytic in British university life, and his name is still frequently invoked in the "Haldane principle" – that the aims of research should be separate from government direction – although the principle and indeed the attribution to him are still hotly debated. A formidable lawyer and philosopher, who rose to be Lord Chancellor, he was the first incumbent of that office to advocate an independent Supreme Court.

In a conversation chaired by Bronwen Maddox, the Director of the Institute for Government, John Campbell and Sir Anthony Seldon discussed Haldane's influence on the past and present. John Campbell, who describes himself as a lifelong admirer of Haldane, is also co-founder and chair of Campbell Lutyens, an international private equity and infrastructure advisory house.

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Protecting EU citizens’ rights after Brexit May 14, 2021

Show notes

The future of EU citizens living in the UK was one of the big sticking points of the Brexit talks. In the 2019 Withdrawal Agreement, the UK agreed to establish an Independent Monitoring Authority to oversee the protections of the rights of EU citizens living in the UK before the end of the transition period.

What are the IMA’s priorities? What are its concerns? What progress has been made and what are the key challenges ahead?

Five months after the IMA’s launch, and with the 30 June deadline for EU citizens to register for settled, or pre-settled, status fast approaching, the IfG was pleased to welcome the new IMA chair and members of its senior team for a wide-ranging discussion on the IMA’s vital role.

Our panel

Sir Ashley Fox, Chair of the Independent Monitoring Authority
Kate Chamberlain, Chief Executive of the Independent Monitoring Authority
Pam Everett, Director of Operational Delivery at the Independent Monitoring Authority
Rhys Davies, General Counsel at the Independent Monitoring Authority

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

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The 2021 elections: what happened and what happens next? May 12, 2021

Show notes

Crucial elections took place across the UK on 6 May. The result in Scotland could have huge consequences for the UK's future. The election in Wales is the most unpredictable since devolution. And across England, voters have elected the mayors of London and other English cities, 39 police and crime commissioners and several thousand councillors. The impact on the national political debate could be significant.

To make sense of the results and analyse what they mean, the Institute for Government held a special post-election expert discussion.

What will the votes mean for the major parties? How will the result in Scotland affect the independence question? What comes next in the devolution debate? And what will the mayors of the big English cities do with their powers?

Our panel:

Kieran Andrews, Scottish Political Editor at The Times
Professor Laura McAllister, Professor of Public Policy at the Wales Governance Centre, University of Cardiff
Professor Tony Travers, Professor in Practice in the Department of Government, London School of Economics
Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

The event was chaired by Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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