IfG Events

Latest Episodes:

IfG DevoLab #2: How can mayors and strategic authorities secure investment into regional economies? Oct 22, 2025

Show notes

The IfG team headed to Birmingham to explore how mayors can secure and deliver private investment into their regions in pursuit of growth and regeneration.

The IfG DevoLab is a new initiative from the Institute for Government dedicated to exploring the innovations enabled by devolution, learning from the results, and sharing the lessons so that places can take better decisions about how to use devolved powers and budgets.

IfG DevoLab #2 saw speakers from three regions – West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and the North East – set out how the powers and profile of mayors and the convening role of strategic authorities have been used to secure and deliver private investment for key regional strategic projects.

‘Investing in the West Midlands: The Birmingham Sports Quarter’, Jonathan Gibson, Interim Director of Strategy at the West Midlands Combined Authority
‘Investing in Greater Manchester: The Sister Innovation District, Robert Edwards, Deputy Director of Investment at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority
‘Investing in the North East’, Dr Henry Kippin, Chief Executive of the North East Combined Authority

The three presenters were joined on the panel by Julia Goldsworthy, Head of Social Impact Investment at L&G, and former Director of Strategy at West Midlands Combined Authority, for a broader discussion on the benefits of devolution and mayoral leadership, the lessons less mature devolved regions can learn from those further along in the journey, and whether further devolution can accelerate growth.

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, with an introduction by Hannah White, CEO of the Institute for Government.

Insights from this discussion informed a published policy briefing containing the three case studies and a synthesis of key lessons.

The Institute for Government would like to thank L&G for its support of this event and its wider support of the IfG DevoLab series.

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Local government reorganisation and public service delivery: What are the options and challenges? Oct 17, 2025

Show notes

The government’s major restructuring of local government will be a formidable challenge for local officials and political leaders in 164 district councils across 21 English county areas and 19 small neighbouring unitary authorities. For local government reorganisation to truly act as a catalyst for local public service reform, as envisaged by central government, services currently delivered by outgoing district councils – like waste collection and housing – will need to be merged and delivered from day one of the new unitary authorities’ existence.

This means harmonising service provision, staff terms and conditions, establishing new management structures and resolving issues such as incompatible ICT systems, culture clashes between teams and overcome incompatible business processes.

What are the challenges and options facing local district council leaders? How long does it take to merge these services? What are the risks and opportunities? What have been the greatest barriers to successful transformation in earlier rounds of local government reorganisation? And what structures and service delivery options are available to the new unitary authorities?

To answer these questions and more, this IfG event brought together an expert panel, including:

Professor John Denham, Research Fellow and Director of the Centre for English Identity and Politics at the University of Southampton
Liz Elliott, Deputy Chief Executive – Transformation at Harborough District Council
Justin Galliford, Chief Executive at Norse Group
Rachel Joyce, Assistant Chief Executive – Local Engagement at North Yorkshire Council

The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Fright, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank Norse Group for kindly supporting this event.

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How can changes to NHS incentives help deliver the 10 Year Health Plan? Oct 16, 2025

Show notes

The government’s ambitious vision for the health system can only be delivered by changing the behaviour of thousands of different organisations and hundreds of thousands of people working across health and care. To do this, the 10 Year Health Plan proposes some major changes to how funding flows through the system and how providers and individuals are held to account. This includes multi-year budgets, patient feedback linked payments, best practice tariffs, performance related pay for leaders, league tables for providers but fewer overall targets, and earned autonomy for high performers.

How will changes to financial flows help deliver the government’s health priorities? What impact will the 10 Year Health Plan have on allocation of resources between different parts of the NHS? And will the new accountability regime incentivise the right behaviours and ways of working?

To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel including:

Thomas Cawston, Corporate Affairs Lead at Novartis UK
Anita Charlesworth, Senior Economic Adviser at the Health Foundation and acting chair of North-West London NHS Integrated Care Board
Sally Gainsbury, Senior Policy Analyst at Nuffield Trust
Hardev Virdee, Group Chief Finance Officer at Barts Health NHS Trust

This event was chaired by Stuart Hoddinott, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK for kindly supporting this event.

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What is the Conservative route to fiscal sustainability? Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

Speakers:

Richard Fuller MP, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government
Ryan Shorthouse, Executive Chair at Bright Blue
Trinh Tu, Managing Director, Public Affairs at Ipsos UK

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

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How should devolution across the North of England be successfully implemented and enhanced? Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

Speakers:

David Simmonds MP, Shadow Minister for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Dr Tom Arnold, Research Associate at the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place
Cllr Abi Brown OBE, Deputy Leader of the Local Government Association Conservative Group
Helen Gbormittah, Regional Director, North West at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place at the University of Liverpool.

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How should governments rewire the state to get things done? Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

Speakers:

Rt Hon Jesse Norman MP, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Caroline Elsom, Head of Reshaping The State at Onward
Eve Norridge, Head of Research at Onward
Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government

This event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with Onward.

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How can mayors improve skills and productivity to drive regional growth? Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

Speakers:

Mayor Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester
Cllr Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Economic Growth and Prosperity at Essex County Council

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with Policy@Manchester - The University of Manchester.

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How should the Conservative Party rethink its vision for public services? Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

Speaker:

Baroness Barran MBE, Shadow Minister for Education
Dr Kieran Mullan MP, Shadow Minister for Justice
Cllr Abi Brown OBE, Deputy Leader of the Local Government Association Conservative Group

This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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Industrial strategy, tariffs and global trade: Is the government's strategy working? Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

Speakers:

Rt Hon Lord Willetts, Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office and former Minister for Universities and Science
Helen Bower-Easton CBE, Director of Communications at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
Professor Nigel Brandon OBE, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Professor of Sustainable Development in Energy at Imperial College London
Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

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

This event was held in partnership with Imperial College London.

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Should public sector pay and pensions be reformed? Oct 05, 2025

Show notes

Speakers:

Tim Leunig, Chief Econonist at Nesta

Dave Penman, General Secretary at the FDA

Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government

Paul Whiteman, General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers

This event was chaired by Ben Paxton, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with the FDA.