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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:

Impermanent Secretaries: The Cabinet Reshuffle Feb 10, 2023

Show notes

Reshuffles usually mean new faces in cabinet, not whole new departments. Can we tell our DSIT from our DESNZ? Was the PM right to act before the Raab problem is resolved? And is Lee Anderson a wise choice as Minister for the Red Wall? Paul Waugh, Chief Political Commentator at the i paper and author of the essential Waugh on Politics evening email, is our special guest.

“I’ve heard it said that it’s very noble of the Government to get Whitehall ready for Prime Minister Starmer.” – Alex Thomas
“It’s time someone stood up for silos and institutional memory in departments. Silos are good!” – Paul Waugh
“Reshuffles are an awful lot easier when you don’t sack anyone.” – Alex Thomas

Presented by Hannah White with Emma Norris and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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100 days of Sunak Feb 03, 2023

Show notes

The Spectator’s Isabel Hardman joins the IfG podcast team to weigh up Rishi Sunak’s first 100 days as prime minister. What has he achieved? What is his style of leadership? And what problems are coming down the track?

In a week which saw the largest civil service strike in years, the IfG published its annual Whitehall stocktake – so what does it tell us about morale, turnover, pay and much, much more?

And what is it really like to be a minister? What does it take to succeed? And why do so many ministerial careers end in failure? A new batch of the IfG’s Ministers Reflect interviews reveal the secrets of life on the inside.

Hannah White presents.

With Emma Norris, Rhys Clyne and Maddy Bishop

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Sunak’s slipping standards? Jan 27, 2023

Show notes

Rishi Sunak promised to lead a government of integrity, but how big a problem will Nadhim Zahawi’s tax affairs and Boris Johnson’s loan arrangements turn out to be for the prime minister? Tortoise’s Cat Neilan joins the IfG podcast team to take a closer look at the latest standards crisis.

Talking of crises, will the government’s emergency measures help the NHS through its difficult winter? A new IfG report is far from convinced – its author drops in on the podcast.

And how does a new minister know what to do on day 1 in the job? What do civil servants need to know about working in government? And how should people on the outside approach working with government? The new IfG Academy has the answers.

Hannah White presents.

With Tim Durrant and Stuart Hoddinott.

Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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Blasts from the past: Live at the IfG Conference 2023 with guest DAN SNOW Jan 20, 2023

Show notes

In a special live edition we welcome guest Dan Snow, author, historian and host of the History Hit podcast, to take a very long view of power and politics. What lessons should Government learn from history? Can any year rival 2022 for Cabinet chaos and Prime Ministerial turnover? Which PMs were “broken” by the office? And who thought his party were “the shabbiest set of dirty politicians that was ever seen”?

Chair Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, closes out the IfG’s Government 2023 conference with this special podcast featuring Dan Snow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Gemma Tetlow, and Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Find all our podcasts on the IfG’s new-look website: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/our-work/research-analysis/podcasts

Presented by Hannah White with Gemma Tetlow and Giles Wilkes. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

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Payday Groans Jan 13, 2023

Show notes

How much money are MPs making on top of their day jobs? Who is topping up their earnings? And how much should they be paid? The IfG podcast team are joined by Sky’s deputy political editor Sam Coates, who this week has unveiled some eye-catching findings in his Westminster Accounts project.

From one pay dispute to another as strikes continue to hit public services across the country. Is the government any closer to reaching a settlement, and is anti-strike legislation really the right way to go about it?

Plus: Are we on the verge of a Brexit breakthrough – and what would that mean for the Northern Ireland protocol and the political stalemate at Stormont?

Hannah White presents. With Alice Lilly, Nick Davies and Jess Sargeant

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Buckle up for 2023 Jan 06, 2023

Show notes

After that chaotic year of three prime ministers, surely 2023 will be a little calmer? But while we’ve heard optimistic start-the-year speeches from Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer, the country has been driven to a standstill by strikes across public services, the NHS is in crisis, the cost-of-living crisis shows no sign of easing – and Boris Johnson is said to be plotting a comeback. Will Sunak’s five promises boost the Conservatives’ dire poll ratings? Can Keir Starmer’s vision for government convince voters that he should be given the keys to No10. The IfG team are joined by David Runciman, former presenter of the Talking Politics podcast, to look ahead to what the next 12 months might hold in the in UK.

And how might events across the globe play into domestic politics? The war in Ukraine shows no sign of ending, while China is making increasingly threatening noises about Taiwan. Meanwhile temperatures rise and Covid cases – in China at least – continue to soar.

Hannah White presents, with Alex Thomas and Gemma Tetlow

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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Constitutions under pressure: Lessons for the UK Dec 28, 2022

Show notes

The UK Constitution is uncodified and a product of centuries of evolution, makes it hard to compare directly to the constitution of other countries. However, there are still important observations to be made from around the world.

In this podcast we examine constitutional challenges and reflect on what lessons we can learn for the UK constitution. We speak to the Head of Research in the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights Professor Tarun Khaitan to discuss Narendra Modi’s approach to the Indian Constitution and his ‘chipping away’ at democratic institutions through amendments to the law and changes to constitutional practice

We also speak to Dean of Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez Law School Isabel Aninat, academic at the university of Santiago, Chile and academic coordinator at the new constitution observatory Dr Pamela Figueroa, who discuss the 2019 protests that led to Chile writing a new constitution, and why the new draft was rejected.

Finally senior editor at 444.hu Peter Erdelyi discusses the constitution in Hungary under Fidesz and Viktor Orbán.

Presented by Maddy Thimont Jack with Dr Catherine Haddon and Jess Sargeant

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The IfG Review of 2022 – The year of living dangerously Dec 22, 2022

Show notes

We review a year of chaos, with its three Prime Ministers, four Chancellors, scores of resignations and wild rides for the pound and inflation. Who was the best and worst Prime Minister? Who emerges from 2022 with reputations shredded or enhanced? And who among our panel will mount a spirited defence of Liz Truss? Politico's Jack Blanchard joins Hannah White, Jill Rutter and Giles Wilkes to look back at a year which raised the bar for political chaos and confusion.

Presented by Hannah White with Jill Rutter, Giles Wilkes and guest Jack Blanchard. Audio production by Alex Rees and Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

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The Winter Of Discontent 2.0 Dec 16, 2022

Show notes

The worst concurrence of public service strikes since the 70s is rocking the Government’s authority. Does the Government’s refusal to talk look too unreasonable, and can Labour maintain its own precariously tough line? Plus NHS reform is back on the agenda. What does Steve Barclay have in store? And a whistle stop tour of what’s coming up in 2023.

Our special guest today is Rachel Sylvester, columnist and interviewer at The Times.

“These strikes just add to the impression that Rishi Sunak is losing his grip and the Government is losing control.” – Rachel Sylvester
“The Government’s line that its hands are tied by the pay review bodies is pretty disingenuous.” – Nick Davis
“Most voters, if they had to choose between a politician and a nurse, will back the nurse.” – Rachel Sylvester

Presented by Alex Thomas with Nick Davis and Nick Timmons. Audio production by Alex Rees and Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

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Peer Pressure Dec 09, 2022

Show notes

The Times' Henry Zeffman joins the podcast team to make sense of Gordon Brown's recipe for constitutional reform - and ask whether Keir Starmer can actually reform the House of Lords.

The government needs to give more power to parliament. That's the main recommendation in a new IfG report looking at parliament's scrutiny of legislation and the quality of bills being passed.

And what is the state of diversity and inclusion in the civil service? Another IfG report crunches the data - and sets out how to make more progress.

Hannah White presents.

With Jess Sargeant, Tom Pope and Maddy Bishop.

Produced by Candice McKenzie

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