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Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government — Government
Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

The first Labour government in 14 years is facing a daunting to-do list and complex challenges at every turn. Public services are under strain. The civil service is under pressure. And ministers must deliver the government’s missions and milestones. But could Keir Starmer’s plan to “rewire the British state” – through using AI and creating a “start-up” culture – turn these challenges into opportunities?
So where is government working well and what is it doing badly? What can be done to make No10, the Treasury and the rest of government function more effectively? What can Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves do to achieve faster economic growth? What will Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives and the other opposition parties do to hold the government to account? How might Donald Trump shape British politics – and how could the UK’s relations with the EU change in the years ahead?
Get behind the scenes in Westminster, Whitehall and beyond on the weekly podcast from Britain’s leading governmental think tank, where we analyse the latest events in politics and explain what they mean. Every week on Inside Briefing, IfG director Hannah White and the team welcomes special guests for a thought-provoking conversation on what makes government work – and how to fix it when it doesn’t.

Copyright: © Institute for Government

Latest Episodes:

Keir Starmer rewires the state: An interview with the prime minister Mar 13, 2025

Show notes

Minutes after setting out his plans for reforming the civil service, abolishing NHS England, and ending ministerial reliance on quangos, Keir Starmer joined Inside Briefing for an exclusive interview with IfG director Hannah White.

So what type of civil service does the PM need to deliver his missions? Why does he want to close down NHS England? And what should officials and ministers prepare for as the PM’s reform agenda becomes reality?

Following the prime minister’s interview, Hannah was joined by Alex Thomas, Emma Norris, Stuart Hoddinott and former cabinet secretary Gus O’Donnell for expert analysis of the PM’s speech and his interview.

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Will Ukraine be “Keir Starmer’s Falklands - or his Iraq”? Mar 07, 2025

Show notes

So much has happened since that explosive – and unsettling – White House press conference bust-up between Donald Trump and Vlodymer Zelensky, but does Keir Starmer have a workable plan for peace? UKICE’s Anand Menon joins the podcast team to reflect on another extraordinary week of UK/US/EU relations.

Despite the focus on international affairs, the government also needs to deal with tough spending choices with not a lot of money to spend. After the aid budget, what could be next to face some cuts?

PLUS: What is going wrong with prisons in England and Wales? A new IfG reports reveals some stark data – and sets out how to turn performance around.

Hannah White presents.

With Jill Rutter and Anand Menon

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Starmer and Trump: special relationship or odd couple? Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

Keir Starmer has completed his first visit to the White House – and delivered a letter from King Charles to Donald Trump. So just how special is the special relationship looking this weekend? Defence expert Karin von Hippel, formerly of RUSI, joins the podcast team to look back on a huge week for international relations.

Does the PM’s plan to boost defence spending by cutting the international aid budget add up. We’ll look at the sums - and weigh up the consequences of this trade-off.

PLUS: The boss of the NHS is on the way out and local government finances are under massive pressure.

Presented by Hannah White.

With Alex Thomas and Stuart Hoddinott

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What is the UK’s place in Trump’s world? Feb 21, 2025

Show notes

With Donald Trump making a series of headline-making statements on Ukraine and its leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, former national security adviser Peter Ricketts joins the podcast team to make sense of America’s place in the world – and what it means for the UK and Europe.

British politicians have been scrambling to respond, not least defence secretary John Healey - who this week was speaking at the IfG on a stage bedecked with union flags. We’ll catch up with what Healey had to say, and try and make sense of what Trump is up to.

Plus: Something a little bit lighter. We’ve got a new batch of our ‘ministers reflect’ interviews out, this time featuring Matt Hancock. We’ll give you the highlights.

Alex Thomas presents.

With Cath Haddon and Paddy McAlary

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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In conversation with John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence Feb 18, 2025

Show notes

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Rt Hon John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, to discuss his priorities for reforming UK defence.

With war in Europe, instability in the Middle East and a new US administration, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has taken centre stage during the Labour government’s first six months in power. But with increasing threats, how will the MOD ensure it stays ahead of the UK’s adversaries and deliver maximum value for taxpayers? How will it contribute to the government’s missions, particularly economic growth?

Healey opened the event with brief remarks on his defence reform programme, after which he was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government, before taking questions from the audience.

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Starmer’s border crackdown, Trump’s Ukraine sellout Feb 14, 2025

Show notes

Valentine’s Day is upon us... but there doesn’t seem to be a great deal of love for Keir Starmer and his government right now. So what is the PM going to do about it? Commentator Ian Dunt joins the podcast team to weigh up Labour's latest policy blitz – this time on immigration – and what seems to be ever-increasing pressure on chancellor Rachel Reeves. 

Plus: What does Donald Trump’s statement on Ukraine mean for the UK, not least our defence secretary and the armed forces?

Hannah White presents, with Joe Owen. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Keir Starmer: Leader or HR Manager? Feb 07, 2025

Show notes

Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor of the Sunday Times, joins the podcast team to discuss his new book Get In, which is being billed as the definitive account of Labour’s reinvention under Keir Starmer.

The prime minister is continuing his mission to reset UK/EU relations, all while trying to work out what a relationship with Donald Trump’s America should look like. We’ll take a look at the PM’s diplomatic headaches.

Plus: Local elections. Or rather, no local elections. The government has postponed a batch of them. So what’s going on?

Hannah White presents.

With Jill Rutter and Akash Paun.

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Does Rachel Reeves have a runway to growth? Jan 31, 2025

Show notes

No more talk of blackholes. No more doom. No more gloom. So what is Rachel Reeves’ plan for economic growth all about? Times columnist Sebastian Payne joins the podcast team as they make their way through the chancellor’s vision of reservoirs, runways and the UK’s own Silicon Valley – and ask whether government is really set up to make it all happen.

Plus: Ministers Reflect devolved government special! Nicola Sturgeon, Humza Yousaf and Mark Drakeford feature in a brilliant new batch of IfG interviews – and they have plenty to say about Brexit, Boris Johnson and making devolved government work.

Presented by Nick Davies.

With Gemma Tetlow and Millie Mitchell

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The Southport attacks: Has terrorism changed? Jan 24, 2025

Show notes

The details of how Axel Rudakubana, the Southport killer, plotted his attack have forced the government into action. Ciaran Martin, the former CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre, joins the podcast team to discuss Keir Starmer's response - and his decision to put tech firms in the spotlight.

The government also had some more positive tech announcements to make this week, so will its grand plans for overhauling digital services - in an attempt to boost productivity - really work?

Plus: Darren Jones’ big plans to do the spending review differently

Hannah White presents.

With Cassia Rowland and Tom Pope.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Government 2025 at The IfG: Darren Jones Keynote Speech Jan 22, 2025

Show notes

In a speech at the IfG this week, Darren Jones MP, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, insisted that “we are long overdue a reckoning with government spending and a realistic appraisal of how we're using taxpayers' money."

So what is Jones planning? Where might the spending cuts fall? How can AI – the so-called Chat HMTGPT – help deliver Whitehall savings? And what will Jones be doing to embed the government’s mission-led approach into the spending review?

After his speech, Darren Jones was in conversation with Hannah White.

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