IfG Events

Latest Episodes:

Spads under Starmer: How can Labour’s special advisers do the job well? Jul 25, 2025

Show notes

Special advisers are a vital part of the glue that helps make government work effectively, and since July 2024 more than 100 spads have been appointed by Keir Starmer and his ministers. As well as experiencing the day-to-day challenges that come with one of the most intense jobs in Westminster, the new cohort has also faced ministerial churn, parliamentary rebellion and a change of No.10 chiefs of staff.

So how can special advisers be most effective in government? What are the challenges they face, and how can they deal with them? And how is the current cohort of spads faring in their difficult, and misunderstood, roles?

To discuss how the spads of today (and tomorrow) can do the job well we were joined by:

Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor at the Sunday Times and co-author of Get In: The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer

Salma Shah, Special Adviser to Sajid Javid (2014–19)

Sam White, Special Adviser to Alistair Darling (2004–10) and Chief of Staff to Keir Starmer (2021–22); Chair of Foundations: the national what works centre for children and families

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Inside Trump’s America: In conversation with Tim Ryan Jul 22, 2025

Show notes

What is driving Donald Trump’s America – and what lessons might the rise of the MAGA movement, and the Democrats’ defeat in the 2024 US presidential election, hold for Keir Starmer and the Labour Party?

Tim Ryan, a former Democrat nominee for President, served in the US House of Representatives for Ohio for over two decades. He ran for President in 2020 and then the US Senate from Ohio in 2022, an election won by JD Vance – the future US Vice President.

On Monday 14 July, Tim Ryan joined Anushka Asthana, Channel 4’s US Editor, at the Institute of Government, to share his experiences of US politics – and what other countries can learn from the rise and return of President Trump. What lies behind the dissatisfaction in US voters that saw Trump return to the White House? How can the Democrats build a vote-winning agenda? And what was it like to face JD Vance – and how influential is the Vice President on Trump’s America?

This event was introduced by IfG Director and CEO Dr Hannah White.

Tim Ryan, the former representative for Ohio, was in London with PPI to champion the Campaign for Working Americans – the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) mission to develop ideas and policy proposals to help the US Democratic Party reconnect with working Americans. Ryan represented Ohio in the US Congress from 2003–23, and ran for the Senate in Ohio in 2022, an election JD Vance won and went on to become US Vice President.

Anushka Asthana joined Channel 4 News in June 2025 as US Editor. She previously worked at ITV News, where she had been Deputy Political Editor since 2021 and co-presented Peston since 2018. Prior to joining ITV, Anushka was joint Political Editor of The Guardian, having worked for Sky, The Times, and The Observer. In 2024, her book, Taken As Red, was published as one of the first accounts of Labour's dramatic election win, with the updated paperback published in June 2025 on Labour’s first year in government.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Labour’s first year in power: Is this still a mission-driven government? Jul 21, 2025

Show notes

Labour fought the 2024 general election on a manifesto which promised “a new way of doing government” – one built on the concept of mission-driven government. But how much has this government’s decisions, trade-offs and policy priorities really been shaped by its five missions? And how far have they been able to make progress on their priorities in the first year?

To mark the first year of Keir Starmer becoming prime minister, the Institute for Government and the Institute for Fiscal Studies hosted a joint event to explore what progress the government has made and whether Starmer’s government is really doing things differently to its predecessors.

Are the government’s missions realistic or do they lack ambition? Have Rachel Reeves’ tax and spending choices supported or hindered mission delivery? What did the spending review reveal about the government’s priorities? How could government be better structured – and decisions made – in a way that is more mission-driven? And one year on since the general election, can the government really say it is governing in a “new way”?

To explore these questions and more, the IfG and IFS brought together an expert panel featuring:

Stephen Bush, Associate Editor and columnist at the Financial Times

Helen Miller, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies

Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government

The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Speech: Marie Goldman MP, Liberal Democrat shadow leader of the House of Commons Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

Chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.

This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shaping the standards debate: interactive discussions Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

To reflect on the topics raised during the conference, the IfG and CSPL convened small group discussions to talk through more specific questions:

What are the emerging threats and opportunities in the standards landscape?

How do politics and partisanship affect the way standards are perceived?

What does ethical public service leadership look like?

Those joining online were able to take part in a webinar discussion on the same topics. A panel of IfG and CSPL staff will report back on the themes raised in the discussions.

This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can frontline officials uphold high standards of behaviour? Jun 22, 2025

Show notes

Many of the public’s interactions with the state are with frontline officials in health and social care, policing and local government. How much do the Nolan principles resonate with those delivering public services? How can frontline officials be supported to make ethical decisions? And how can frontline organisations prevent failures, and rebuild public trust where they occur?

Speakers:

Neil Basu, former Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan Police

Helen Buckingham, Chair of National Voices

Amerdeep Somal, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

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

This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keynote speech: Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office Jun 22, 2025

Show notes

Chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Speech: Alberto Costa MP, Chair of the Committee on Standards Jun 21, 2025

Show notes

Chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can politicians demonstrate ethical leadership? Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

After 30 years of the Nolan Principles, ethical scandals – from partygate to freebiegate – are still a regular feature of UK political life and public trust in politicians remains low. What role do politicians play in leading by example? How should politicians in Westminster, devolved and local governments demonstrate their commitment to the Nolan Principles? How can they show ethical leadership within their organisations? And what does upholding standards look like in different political and governmental contexts?

Speakers:

Paula Barker MP, member of the Commons Select Committee on Standards

Roger Gough, former leader of Kent County Council

Dr Melissa McCullough, Commissioner for Standards, NI Assembly

Dave Penman, General Secretary, FDA

This session was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome and keynote speech by Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

To mark the 30th anniversary of the Nolan Principles, and to explore how ethical standards can be upheld in the future, the IfG brought together a series of expert panels and keynote speakers – including former prime minister the Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH – for a thought-provoking and stimulating one-day conference.

Introduction from Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the IfG, and Doug Chalmers, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

Chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the IfG.

This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices