Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government
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Budget 2026: Does John Healey mean business?
23 oktober 2026 · 44 min
The budget is nearly here. So what is chancellor John Healey going to say at the Despatch Box on Wednesday? The Observer’s Ben Zaranko joins the podcast team to preview the biggest day yet in Andy Burnham’s premiership. Lees meer
The PM has said he will pull every lever he can to help with the cost of living. The chancellor has said he won’t budge from Labour’s fiscal rules - or its 2024 manifesto pledge not to raise the three main personal taxes. So are Healey’s options and what does he need to do?
Plus: How can he turn around public service performance? A new IfG report says things aren’t likely to much get better by the time of the next election. Can Healey and Burnham do anything about that gloomy prediction? We’ll reveal all.
Hannah White presents.
With Jill Rutter and Nick Davies.
Produced by Milo Hynes
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What’s on Burnham’s Brexit menu?
16 oktober 2026 · 45 min
With Andy Burnham trying to navigate the ever-precarious tightrope that is doing diplomacy with Donald Trump’s White House, Anand Menon joins the podcast team to weigh up the prime minister’s prospects.Burnham is also exploring a new relationship with Europe, but could that really mean reversing Brexit?Plus: Can the government fix the criminal justice system. A new IfG report has given its verdict on the performance of prisons, courts, the police and more - some good, some bad, lots of decisions for the PM to make.Presented by Alex Thomas.With Jill Rutter and Cassia Rowland.Producer by Podmasters
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Can Zack fight back?
9 oktober 2026 · 44 min
Another by-election, another win for Andy Burnham - with the Greens defeated in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Deltapoll's Joe Twyman joins the pod team to explore what the PM’s by-election double really tells us about his electoral prospects. Lees meer
It was another bad day for Green leader Zack Polanski, who was already under pressure after a difficult conference in Brighton.
Kemi Badenoch, on the other, was all smiles in Birmingham - but does the Conservative party really have grounds for optimism?
Plus: How well are schools performing? A new IfG report has the answer.
Hosted by Hannah White.
With Cath Haddon, Thomas Pope and Amber Dellar.
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Burnham goes big: What difference does it make?
30 september 2026 · 35 min
No lectern. No tie. And quite a few tears. Andy Burnham promised a different kind of speech. But did the prime minister deliver? Lees meer
After watching Burnham's first Labour conference speech as party leader and prime minister, Hannah White is joined in the IfG's pop-up studio in Liverpool by the IfG's Alex Thomas, IfG senior fellow (and former executive director of policy to Keir Starmer) Claire Ainsley, and More in Common's Sophie Stowers to share their instant reactions on the big speech, dissect the policy announcements, and explore what the Burnham agenda means for government.
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Mersey Mersey Me: Will Burnham pass his Labour conference test?
25 september 2026 · 47 min
From meeting Donald Trump in New York to heading to his first Labour conference as prime minister, it's quite some week for Andy Burnham - so what does he need to do to make a success of Labour's Liverpool gathering? LabourList editor Emma Burnell joins the podcast team to review Burnham's Trump test and preview his conference challenge. Lees meer
Plus: We take a closer look at an issue that saw Keir Starmer stumble badly, and that’s benefits reform. How could Burnham approach this thorniest of issues? A new IfG report has the answers.
Alex Thomas presents.
With Cath Haddon and Ben Paxton
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The 72 million pound questions
18 september 2026 · 41 min
With Westminster been rocked by the news of a record-breaking – and maybe game-changing – £72 million donation to Reform UK, new Lib Dem peer Tim Leunig joins the podcast team to assess how the government might respond, and what comes next for party political donations. Lees meer
Next up on the conference circuit are the Liberal Democrats. So how much pressure is leader Sir Ed Davey under as his party gather in Brighton this weekend?
Plus: These are uncertain times... but just how uncertain are they?
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Is Ed Miliband rethinking UK foreign policy?
10 september 2026 · 35 min
Foreign secretary Ed Miliband has announced UK sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. So what does this change of position say about UK foreign policy under Andy Burnham - and what are the possible consequences for UK domestic policy? The i's Kitty Donaldson joins the podcast team to assess the PM's big move. Lees meer
On the domestic front it was chancellor John Healey’s turn to make headlines, with a big pre-Budget speech on growth and the economy. So does this mark the dawn of a new economic policy?
Plus: Angela Rayner has hit the pause button on the Local Government Reorganisation plans. What has happened and has it all gone wrong?
Presented by Alex Thomas.
With Giles Wilkes and Akash Paun
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Burnham down the House - the new PM's Parliamentary debut
3 september 2026 · 46 min
The summer recess is over. Parliament is up and running. And the new prime minister gave a mammoth statement in the Commons. There were no new policy announcements, but there was a promise to do things differently. Henry Hill joins the podcast team to make sense of Andy Burnham's first day back in Parliament.Kemi Badenoch has been busy too, with the Conservative leader reshuffling her top team and bringing in, amongst others, a new chancellor and foreign secretary. So what is she trying to do and what difference could it make?Plus: Farewell to Keir Starmer. As the former prime minister is quitting parliament, we give the Inside Briefing verdict. Lees meer
Hannah White presents
With Cath Haddon
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Totally Rewired - Can Burnham really do government differently?
28 augustus 2026 · 57 min
Andy Burnham has clocked up a month mark in Number 10. As the long recess draws to a close and Parliament prepares to return, the Guardian's Kiran Stacey joining the podcast to look back on a summer of speeches, policy announcements, guitar-playing and a lot of social media game. Lees meer
How has Burnham handled the familiar problem of prison capacity and the headache of early release schemes? Do his devolution plans really add up and will Number 10 North make any difference to government? Is this PM's plan for social care finally going to deliver reform? And after a relatively quiet summer recess, what are the challenges heading his way once Parliament returns?
Plus: Is the new prime minister really going to play in the big Labour v the Lobby football match at Labour Party conference?
Hannah White presents.
With Jill Rutter, Cassia Rowland, Matthew Fright and Stuart Hoddinott
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Mid-term prime ministers – Episode 3: Adjusting to the role
20 augustus 2026 · 37 min
Every new prime minister arrives in No.10 with a view about what brought down their predecessor as well as a ringside seat to the downfall. So after convincing their colleagues why a change of PM is necessary, what happens when the new PM's belief in his or her skills and talents meet the reality of the biggest job in British politics? Lees meer
How easy it is to learn on the job? What is the right balance between continuity and reinventing the government? And how good is the UK at preparing for mid-term changes of PM?
In this final episode of this special IfG podcast series we’re going to look at how incoming mid-term prime ministers adjust to the role, the dilemma of whether to call an early general election, and what lessons former mid-term transitions hold for Andy Burnham’s premiership – or for future mid-term PMs.
Presented by Catherine Haddon
Featuring Gus O’Donnell, Mark Sedwill, Helen MacNamara, Simon Case, Stewart Wood, Salma Shah, Lee Cain, Asa Bennett and Rupert Yorke.
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Mid-term prime ministers – Episode 2: The Transition
13 augustus 2026 · 41 min
Becoming prime minister is a job like no other. The arrival of Andy Burnham is the latest in the UK’s recent history of prime ministers coming to the job mid-way through a parliament. Mid-term prime ministers often take over after crisis, political upheaval or the sheer weight of the job have put paid to their predecessor. And mid-term prime ministers come to the job through very different means – a leadership contest rather than a general election, or sometimes even without that. They have less time to make a difference, a party looking for change, and a policy platform that is already well underway. Lees meer
In this three-part series, the Institute for Government takes you behind the scenes of the mid-term changes of prime minister from John Major to Rishi Sunak. Speaking to the senior officials and advisers who were there to explore how prime ministers, their teams and the civil service prepare, what the transition is like, how they build their teams, how they change policy, and the lessons from these premierships on what it takes to succeed as a mid-term prime minister.
Mid-term prime ministers – Episode 2: The Transition
Many politicians have ambitions to become prime minister but however long a would-be prime minister, their advisers and civil servants spend preparing for a transition of power, that first day walking through the famous No.10 door is the moment that reality hits and the job instantly begins. In episode two we take a closer look at what happened in the first weeks and months of the mid-term premierships from Major to Sunak. How did they go about reshuffling the ministers they inherited? How did they build their No.10 team? And how did they manage the fundamental question that affects mid-term prime ministers far more than those coming in from a general election: how much do they change their predecessor’s agenda?
Presented by Catherine Haddon
Featuring Gus O’Donnell, Mark Sedwill, Helen MacNamara, Simon Case, Stewart Wood, Salma Shah, Lee Cain, Asa…
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Mid-term prime ministers – Episode 1: Preparing for change
6 augustus 2026 · 38 min
Our first episode explores the recent history of mid-term changes of prime minister from John Major to Rishi Sunak. Speaking to senior officials and advisers involved, we go behind the scenes of the preparation and leadership contests, the context in which they took over, and find out what kind of experience makes a difference when inheriting the top job in UK politics. Lees meer
Featuring Gus O’Donnell, Mark Sedwill, Helen MacNamara, Simon Case, Stewart Wood, Salma Shah, Lee Cain, Asa Bennett and Rupert Yorke.
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Andy Burnham: How is the new prime minister changing the direction of government?
31 juli 2026 · 48 min
One week on from becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham has now appointed his cabinet, reshuffled ministers, launched a series of machinery of government changes, and set out a range of immediate policy decisions. Lees meer
So what have these early choices revealed about the way Burnham wants to govern? How will his restructured No10 make a difference to the way Burnham leads? What does his reshuffled cabinet reveal about the PM's priorities? And how will the new prime minister set about delivering a "new political model and a new economic model" for the UK?
An expert IfG panel assessed Burnham's early decisions, his key appointments, and the way he is approaching the job of prime minister.
Hannah White hosts.
With Stuart Hoddinott, Tom Pope and Jill Rutter.
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He wants to be adored – Burnham’s people-pleasing policy debut
24 juli 2026 · 44 min
Andy Burnham finally takes over No.10 with promises to focus on the cost of living and to make politics better. Can he succeed? Is he the ruthless leader portended by his clearout of Starmerites, or someone more conciliatory? And how will unexpected new Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and surprise Chancellor John Healey work out alongside Shabana Mahmood, who’s staying at the Home Office? Plus, Burnham takes the IfG’s advice by finally creating a new Office for the Prime Minister and Cabinet. How will that work out? Lees meer
IfG associate director Hannah Keenan and our devolution expert Akash Paun join special guest Joshi Herrmann of independent news site the Manchester Mill join Alex Thomas to look at Burnham: Week One.
Presented by Alex Thomas. Produced by Jade Bailey for Podmasters.
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Full Time for Starmer: Can Burnham Find a Way to Win?
17 juli 2026 · 49 min
Keir Starmer has bowed out of his final PMQs. Andy Burnham is about to become Britain's next prime minister. But after two turbulent years in Downing Street, what went wrong for Starmer? Can Burnham avoid the same mistakes? And will a change of leader be enough to turn Labour's fortunes around? Lees meer
Keir Starmer's former director of communications, Steph Driver, joins the podcast to reflect on the outgoing prime minister's biggest successes and failures - and what Burnham must do differently from day one.
Plus: can the next government finally fix England's broken SEND system? We explore the findings of the Institute's latest report and the reforms needed to make it work.
Hannah White hosts.
With Jill Rutter and Amber Dellar.
Produced by Milo Hynes.
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Burnham, Binface and Starmer's final flight
10 juli 2026 · 39 min
Reform UK may have dominated the headlines this week, but Westminster's attention is already turning to a far bigger political moment: the arrival of Britain's next prime minister. Mirror political editor Lizzy Buchan joins the podcast team to explore who Andy Burnham might appoint to his cabinet, the priorities that will define his first weeks in office, and whether he can succeed where Keir Starmer could not. Lees meer
As the Prime Minister attends his final NATO summit, we ask what mark he is trying to leave on foreign affairs and how much of Burnham's time will be consumed by international crises?
Plus, the Institute's latest report sets out seven lessons for delivering digital transformation in public services. Its author joins the podcast to explain what governments too often get wrong and how they can do better.
Presented by Alex Thomas.
With Tim Durrant, Stuart Hoddinot and Cassia Rowland.
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Northern Soul: Burnham's Manchester No10 plan
2 juli 2026 · 44 min
The King of the North says he will remain - for some of the time - in his kingdom, but how will Andy Burnham's vision for a devolution circuit breaker - powered by a new Number 10 in Manchester - really work? Former de facto deputy prime minister David Lidington joins the podcast to discuss the would-be PM's big speech. Lees meer
How would No.10 North work alongside the original? Who calls the shots? Who is in charge? And what does it mean for the balance of power across the centre of government?
Plus: Keir Starmer’s parting gift/parting shot. What is in the Defence Investment Plan and how much will it cost?
Alex Thomas presents.
With Hannah Keenan and Tom Pope.
Produced by Milo Hynes.
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Brexit at 10: A decade of drama, deals and disruption
29 juni 2026 · 53 min
A decade after the UK voted to leave the EU, the IfG's Jill Rutter and UKICE's Anand Menon are joined by the BBC's Adam Fleming - the former Brussels correspondent and Brexitcast presenter who followed every twist and turn of the UK's EU drama - to share their front row experiences of some of the most significant events in recent British and European political history. Lees meer
From the night of the referendum to the painful Brexit deal negotiations, the endless parliamentary votes and the rapid turnover of prime ministers, Jill, Anand and Adam get together for this special joint IfG/UKICE Brexflections episode to back on ten years of key Brexit moments and explore what they told us about Britain and the world.
Jill Rutter is an IfG and UKICE senior fellow.
Anand Menon is the Director of UKICE.
Adam Fleming is the Presenter of BBC's daily Newscast on BBC Sounds.
Produced by Milo Hynes.
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What does Andy Burnham really stand for?
25 juni 2026 · 42 min
Keir Starmer has resigned. Andy Burnham is preparing for power. But what will a mid-parliament change of prime minister mean for the government? Lees meer
How should an incoming prime minister prepare for the biggest job in government? What can an outgoing leader do to ensure a smooth transition? And after seven prime ministers in a decade, could another change at the top finally bring greater stability to British politics—or is volatility now the new normal?
The Economist's Hugo Gye joins the podcast to discuss what happens when power changes hands mid-parliament, and what Burnham's arrival could mean for the government, the Labour Party and the country.
Presented by Hannah White.
With Cath Haddon and Alex Thomas.
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Burnham v Starmer: The King of the North heads South
19 juni 2026 · 45 min
As Andy Burnham returns to Parliament after winning the Makerfield by election, the Guardian's Rafael Behr joins the podcast team to discuss a huge week for British politics. Lees meer
How should the prime minister - who insists he would compete in any leadership contest - respond? What does this period of volatility mean for how government works? And what would a prime minister Andy Burnham mean for the way Britain is governed?
Hannah White presents.
With Giles Wilkes and Cath Haddon.
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The way you Makerfield
12 juni 2026 · 32 min
There is just a week to go until the people of Makerfield vote in what could turn out to be the most important by election in decades. More in Common's Luke Tryl joins the podcast from Makerfield to discuss the mood on the ground – and how this peculiar by-election, with both local and national consequences, is shaping how voters are thinking. Lees meer
Burnham is, presumably, both campaigning to win the seat and preparing for government if he makes it to Westminster. So how should he, Keir Starmer and others be thinking about what a transition of power would mean for government?
Plus: Kemi Badenoch's headline-making speech at the IfG.
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Protests, politics and the killing of Henry Nowak
4 juni 2026 · 42 min
With the murder of 18 year old Henry Nowak sending shockwaves through Westminster and beyond, IfG senior fellow - and former BBC home affairs correspondent - Danny Shaw joins the podcast team to discuss a fraught week for the police and for politics. Lees meer
What questions do the police need to answer? What could an inquiry explore - and what might need to change? And how could the events of this week shape British politics in the months ahead?
Plus: The footage of the riots in Southampton has knocked the Mandelson files off the front pages, but the ongoing saga has left some questions for government - not least how its key figures communicate with each other. WhatsApp is Westminster’s preferred way of talking - but is this good for scrutiny, for making decisions, and for transparency?
Hannah White presents.
With Alex Thomas and Alice Lilly.
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The Blair Necessities
28 mei 2026 · 52 min
With a promise to abolish the position of Cabinet Secretary and scrap the Cabinet Office, Reform UK’s Danny Kruger has launched his party’s plans for reforming the civil service. IfG senior fellow Henry Hill joins the podcast team to explore the Kruger blueprint for government. Lees meer
Tony Blair has entered the Labour leadership race! Well, sort of. The former PM's 5000 word essay sets out his vision for government. But is it a sensible plan for the current - or future - prime minister to follow?
Plus: Everyone is talking about Brexit again. Weeks away from the 10th anniversary of the referendum, we look at where things are with the reset and where they might go.
Hannah White presents.
With Alex Thomas and Jill Rutter.
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May 2026 elections: what are the implications for local government reorganisation?
22 mei 2026 · 51 min
How has England’s political landscape changed after the May 2026 elections? How will new local leaders go about their new roles? And what does this mean for the delivery of the government’s local government reorganisation (LGR) agenda? Lees meer
In this special episode of Inside Briefing, Matthew Fright, the Institute for Government’s LGR anorak, has been gathering views across three areas - Surrey, Essex and Kent – at the forefront of LGR delivery to see how the government’s aims to remove two-tier local government will be impacted by May’s elections.
PLUS: An expert panel to unpick the election results and consider the demanding in-tray facing new local leaders as they get up to speed on this once in a generation transformation of local areas.
Featuring:
Ed Hammond, Director of Public Sector Audit at Grant Thornton UK
Heather Jameson, Editor of MJ
Vicky Elliot, Director of the IfG Academy
Akash Paun, Programme Director for Devolution at IfG
Plus interviews with:
Cllr Tim Oliver OBE, Leader of Surrey County Council
Mari Roberts-Wood, Chief Executive of Reigate and Banstead District Council
Cllr Stephen Robinson, Leader of Chelmsford District Council
Cllr Kevin Bentley, former leader of Essex County Council
Cllr Linden Kemkaran, Leader of Kent County Council
Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of Medway Council
This podcast was produced with the kind support of Grant Thornton UK.
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Burnham Issues
21 mei 2026 · 40 min
With Andy Burnham inching closer to a return to Westminster, Sam White, Keir Starmer's former chief-of-staff, joins the podcast team to explore what happens next - and what the prime minister can do while this drama plays out around him. Lees meer
If Burnham makes it to Number 10, then he will follow a path once trodden by Boris Johnson in being a mayor turned prime minister. So what skills does the mayoralty provide - and how might they be transferable to Downing Street?
Plus: What is in Rachel Reeves's economic support package and will it meet the scale of the Iran crisis?
Catherine Haddon presents.With Hannah Keenan and Tom Pope.
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Starmer, Streeting and the fight for No10
13 mei 2026 · 40 min
With Keir Starmer's premiership on the rocks, Claire Ainsley - a former adviser to Starmer in opposition - joins the podcast team to make sense of an explosive week in Westminster. Lees meer
Can the PM reassert his authority? How could a leadership contest play out? And what have the bust-ups of the last few days revealed about the failings of Starmer’s premiership - and what can he, or someone else, learn from these mistakes?
Plus: On a day of pomp and pageantry, what stood out in the King’s Speech - and how much of it will actually make it onto the statute book?
Hannah White presents.
With Cath Haddon and Tim Durrant.
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Elections 2026: Fragmentation nation
8 mei 2026 · 1 uur 2 min
Keir Starmer and Labour government have just faced their biggest electoral test since the 2024 general election. Reform are on the rise. The SNP have made big gains. And Plaid Cymru are making history in Wales. The consequences for British politics could be huge. So what happens next? Lees meer
What will results mean for who governs in Holyrood? Is Wales ready for a whole new governing party? What will the changes - big changes - to England's electoral map mean for Keir Starmer's prospects? And how significant will Thursday night's votes be for the future of the United Kingdom?
Hannah White and Akash Paun present.
With Matthew Fright, Harriet Shaw and Megan Isaac.
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Is Keir Starmer in the last chance saloon?
30 april 2026 · 41 min
After avoiding an ethics inquiry into the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal, what can Keir Starmer do to get the government agenda back on track? James Lyons, former director of communications in Number 10, joins the podcast team to assess the Prime Minister's options as the days count down to a big set of big local and devolved elections. Lees meer
For lessons on relationship rebuilding - and delivering the positive vibes - perhaps the PM should turn to King Charles? The monarch is over in the US, where he seems to be doing a good job of flattering Donald Trump. So is the special relationship special again?
Plus: Children’s social care. A new IfG report has dug into a system in crisis, weighed up the government’s reforms, and come up with - what we say is - a better plan.
Alex Thomas presents.
With Cath Haddon and Amber Dellar.
Produced by Milo Hynes.
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Starmer vs Robbins: Why the Mandelson row keeps getting worse
23 april 2026 · 42 min
Seven days in, Westminster is still consumed by the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal. The PM has had his say. Olly Robbins - the permanent secretary that Starmer dismissed - has also given his account. So where does this leave Keir Starmer? Foreign Office permanent secretary Peter Ricketts joins the podcast team to work out where a week of blame and counter-blame has left the government - and what it means for an already damaged relationship between civil servants and ministers. Lees meer
Plus: new IfG research on how civil servants should handle policy making in major crises.
Hosted by Hannah White.
With Alex Thomas, Cath Haddon, and Vimbai Dzimwasha.
Produced by Milo Hynes
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The Peter Mandelson scandal: What are the lessons for Keir Starmer's government?
22 april 2026 · 42 min
The government is reeling from the revelation that Peter Mandelson was appointed as UK ambassador to the US despite having failed a security vetting process. Lees meer
With the blame-game dominating the week in Westminster, what will we learn from Keir Starmer's 'judgment day' Commons statement? What will Olly Robbins – who was sacked by the PM as Foreign Office permanent secretary – reveal in a crucial select committee appearance? What has the vetting row shown about the way decisions are made at the top of government? How should the vetting and appointments process be overhauled? And what does this row mean for relations between civil servants and ministers?
An IfG expert webinar answered these questions and more.
The webinar featured:
Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government
Hannah Keenan, Associate Director at the Institute for Government
Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.
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Is the UK (and Keir Starmer) under attack?
16 april 2026 · 41 min
"We are underprepared. We are underinsured. We are under attack. We are not safe." George Robertson, former defence secretary and co-author of the government's strategic defence review, has issued a stark warning about Britain's national security. So how serious is it - and what should Keir Starmer do? Lees meer
PLUS: From defence to employment. A new IfG paper argues the government should go further and faster on devolving employment support - we talk to its authors about a potentially better route back into work.
Hannah White presents.
With Jill Rutter, Ben Paxton and Martha Ford.
Produced by Milo Hynes.
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Who will pay the prices of war?
2 april 2026 · 49 min
Oil is in short supply as the Middle East conflict continues. Donald Trump has told the UK to “build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.” Economist Duncan Weldon joins the pod team to discuss what the government can actually do to respond to rising energy prices. Lees meer
The message to consumers so far is keep calm and carry on as usual. But will this messaging hold - and, if not, how bad could things get - and how quickly?
And finally: It’s a long time since we first heard about Universal Credit. But this major government project has, albeit a little late, nearly reached completion. Nick Timmins, author of a new IfG report on UC, takes a look at a troubled but ultimately successful - maybe - journey.
Alex Thomas presents.
With Jill Rutter.
Produced by Milo Hynes.
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Money talks: Influence and interference
27 maart 2026 · 43 min
What should the government do about overseas election funding and cryptocurrency donations? Philip Rycroft, who ran the newly-published Rycroft Review into foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics, joins the podcast team to explain the problem and how it could be fixed. Lees meer
From election funding to funding public services. Labour came into power with a promise to reform the way public services are delivered. But what has actually been done, and is it working? The IfG has issued our verdict.
Plus: Energy bills. Rachel Reeves has been issuing frequent updates on what the government would, or wouldn’t do, to support people. The pod team review her plans.
Alex Thomas presents.
With Catherine Haddon and Stuart Hoddinott.
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Can Rachel Reeves protect both households and the public finances from the energy price shock?
20 maart 2026 · 1 uur 2 min
As war in the Middle East disrupts energy markets across the world, what are the implications for households and businesses in the UK and how should government respond to the price shock? Lees meer
This IfG webinar explored Rachel Reeves’s options for supporting consumers – and what the ongoing conflict could mean for energy policy, the transition to net zero and for the public finances.
What are the implications of different scenarios for oil and gas shipments from the Middle East? What do they mean for the design of support packages? How would different approaches impact government objectives on inflation and growth? Has the government learned the lessons from the response to the 2022 price shock?
And do events in the Middle East accelerate or slow the transition to net zero? Should they lead to a rethink on North Sea licensing?
This webinar featured:
Nick Butler, former Head of Strategy for BP and then senior policy adviser to Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Dan Haile, Senior Economist at the Institute for Government
Emma Pinchbeck, Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee and former CEO of Energy UK
Andrew Sissons, Director, Sustainable Future Mission at NESTA
This webinar was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.
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Can the UK weather the Middle East storm?
20 maart 2026 · 32 min
How prepared is the government - and how healthy is the economy - for dealing with another energy bill crisis? The podcast team review the prime minister's response and assess the UK's resilience. Lees meer
The chancellor has delivered a big speech promising more financial devolution to English mayors and closer practical alignment with the EU, but do Rachel Reeves's plans add up?
Plus: Should we fire all the permanent secretaries and directors general and replace them with true believers throughout the civil service? No, not a new IfG report but the latest policy from Reform UK.
Hannah White presents. With Giles Wilkes, Rosa Hodgkin, and Hannah Keenan.
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Keir Starmer and the cost of security
13 maart 2026 · 42 min
The conflict in the Middle East has already seen Keir Starmer fall out with Donald Trump - but will the economic fallout of war cause even bigger problems for the government? Lees meer
Former government adviser Tim Leunig joins the podcast to discuss what the prime minister and Rachel Reeves could do to ease a growing cost of living crisis.
In a big week for the government, the controversial courts and tribunals bill returned to the House of Commons. The government is - in its words - “throwing the kitchen sink” at the problems facing the criminal justice system, but will its radical reforms have the desired effect?
And Digital ID is back, with the government setting out its plans for “government by app” . But will it convince people of the merits of going digital?
Presented by Catherine Haddon
With Jill Rutter, Cassia Rowland and Tim Leunig
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International Women's Day special: The inside story of life as an MP
6 maart 2026 · 34 min
What it is really like to be an MP in 2026? How unusual is the life of a politician? How does power work in parliament? And how can MPs try to have an impact from government or the opposition benches? Lees meer
For this special International Women's Day episode of Inside Briefing, three MPs – Conservative Karen Bradley, Labour's Beccy Cooper, and Ellie Chowns of the Green Party – head to the IfG podcast studio to explore the challenges, surprises and perhaps frustrations of life in parliament as one of the 263 female MPs (as a point of comparison there were just 27 female MPs in 1975 when International Women's Day was first recognised by the UN) sitting in Westminster today.
Presented by Dr Catherine Haddon.
Featuring:
Dame Karen Bradley MP – Conservative MP for Staffordshire Moorlands since 2010, a former secretary of state for Northern Ireland and at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, and the current chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee.
Dr Ellie Chowns MP – has been the Green MP for North Herefordshire since 2024 and is the Green Party group leader in Westminster and their spokesperson on 6 different ministerial portfolios.
Dr Beccy Cooper MP – has been the Labour MP for Worthing West since 2024 and sits on the Health and Social Care Committee.
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Trump vs Iran: Is the UK ready for war?
4 maart 2026 · 41 min
The Middle East is at war - but how does the conflict end and what role will the UK play? Sir Alex Younger, the former head of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) joins the podcast team to discuss what the US strikes on Iran mean for the region, for the UK and for global security. Lees meer
Keir Starmer has said the UK will “not join regime change from the skies”, but huge questions remain over the extent of British involvement in the crisis - and the conflict is certain to have lasting consequences for this country. But just how ready is the UK to respond to a shock of this scale?
Plus: Spring Forecast fall-out? The economy is sure to be affected but global events, but Rachel Reeves struck a bullish tone in her spring forecast on Tuesday. We review the numbers - and assess the chancellor’s plan.
Hannah White and Alex Thomas present.
With Dan Haile and Jill Rutter.
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Will Rachel Reeves spring a forecast surprise?
26 februari 2026 · 43 min
Fire up the forecasts. Read up on the rules. Study the spending plans. And get ready for Rachel Reeves' big day in Parliament. Rupert Harrison, former chief of staff to George Osborne, joins the Inside Briefing team to preview the chancellor's spring forecast. It’s not a budget. It’s not a fiscal event. So it doesn’t get a primetime post-PMQs slot in the Commons timetable. So what exactly is it for and how significant is this forecast for the government? What will we hear from Rachel Reeves? And what are chancellor’s options - and the risks and possible rewards? Lees meer
Plus: The government's big spending announcement was on SEND reform. Do the sums add up and just what is the government trying to do?
Hannah White presents.
With Giles Wilkes, Dan Haile and Amber Dellar.
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All roads lead to Romeo
20 februari 2026 · 40 min
Antonia Romeo has been appointed as the new Cabinet Secretary and is the first woman to hold the post. So what can she do to turn the civil service, and perhaps the government, around? Lees meer
Keir Starmer's administration is still reeling from resignations, apologies, suspensions and the latest Peter Mandelson scandal. With questions around ethics and standards back in the news, and both Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor facing Misconduct in Public Office investigations, what does the government need to do to tackle standards in public life and can the PM show his government really is different from the last?
Plus: Postponed local elections are now un-postponed and need to be held in just over three months’ time. Just how did the government end up taking such a chaotic approach?
Presented by Alex Thomas
Featuring Hannah White, Tim Durrant, Rebecca McKee, Matthew Fright
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Resets and resignations: Starmer's worst week yet
12 februari 2026 · 40 min
Former Downing Street chief of staff Gavin Barwell joins the podcast to discuss another explosive week at the heart of government. Lees meer
On Sunday afternoon the prime minister’s chief of staff and closest adviser, Morgan McSweeney, handed in his resignation, followed on Monday by Tim Allan, Downing Street’s director of communication – for just five months. The cabinet secretary, Sir Chris Wormald, too will be leaving his post, also after a brief tenure. But the prime minister remains in office – despite the best attempts of Anas Sarwar, Labour’s leader in Scotland, who arranged a press conference on Monday to call for his resignation.
So, what does all this churn at the centre mean for the prime minister, for No.10, and for the cabinet secretary’s brief of ‘rewiring the state’? Can Keir Starmer really reset his government all over again? And what does this all mean for the actual business of government?
Presented by Hannah White. With Alex Thomas and Catherine Haddon.
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Keir Starmer's Mandelson Scandal
6 februari 2026 · 33 min
The revelations about what contact Peter Mandelson had with Jeffrey Epstein, what the government knew, and what it did or is now doing about it is the story that is dominating Westminster. Lees meer
The FT’s Jim Pickard joins the podcast team to look back at an explosive week in UK politics, and the serious questions being asked about Starmer’s judgement, the vetting process, and the ability to eject unfit members from the Lords – from which Peter Mandelson is on a voluntary leave of absence.
Presented by Hannah White. With Alex Thomas.
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Growth strategy pains, trains and regional deals
29 januari 2026 · 41 min
Of all its manifesto pledges, missions and milestones, Labour has been most keen to tell the public that it is ‘going for growth’. But does the government have a robust and well thought-through plan to deliver that growth? Or is it, like so many before it, struggling to really take the ‘tough decisions’ required to drag UK GDP growth rates up to meet – and indeed surpass – those of our fellow G7 nations? Lees meer
This government has not been short of plans and strategies, but what it has not produced is a strategy for growth that helps it make hard choices nor the right support in place for the PM to follow through on them. This is a problem, as a new paper out this week from IfG and Imperial College London explores.
Meanwhile, regional inequalities are one barrier to growth, and transport is both a symptom and a cause of this. Many regions lag far behind the capital on funding and transport connectivity, preventing people from getting new jobs, travelling to existing ones or otherwise moving about the country – all harming productivity. The authors of another new IfG report supported by Arup join us to discuss their findings – including a case study of the mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham’s work on the Bee Bus Network.
Hannah White presents
With Giles Wilkes, Akash Paun, Harriet Shaw and special guest Soumaya Keynes
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Starmer’s Trump diplomacy and Darren Jones’s fast fixes
21 januari 2026 · 37 min
In a week when Donald Trump has been escalating his threats to NATO member states over Greenland, Darren Jones was on the home front ensuring that the government’s desire to transform government was also continuing. So what is the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister planning? Is it enough to meet the challenges he has identified, and what will they need to do to actually see change? We get stuck into the latest government reform plans, joined by Francis Maude, a previous minister for civil service reform. Lees meer
And of course it is still 2026, it is still January. So Donald Trump is still dominating all other news. We will discuss the latest challenges he has thrown at the UK government and reflect on what it means for UK-US relations, the Starmer approach to Trump diplomacy and what we learned at a special event we held this week reflecting on the President’s first year back in office.
Presented by Hannah White
Featuring Alex Thomas, Hannah Keenan, Catherine Haddon and special guest Francis Maude
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Wes Streeting’s government health-check
16 januari 2026 · 36 min
Drop the excuses culture. Stop complaining about civil servants. And just get it right the first time rather than repeatedly u-turning. Wes Streeting didn’t hold back at the IfG conference this week - so what does the health secretary’s verdict on the government say about Keir Starmer and the challenges he and his ministers face in 2026? Lees meer
Wes Streeting, Mel Stride, Darren Jones, Louise Casey, Andy Burnham, Michael Gove, Ayesha Hazarika and Ed Balls all joined the IfG Annual Conference to discuss what government is doing right, what it is getting wrong, and what it needs to do differently. We discuss the fascinating, headline-making and thought provoking day.
The performance of the civil service was a theme that recurred throughout the conference. What does rewiring the state really mean? Is it even happening? What are the reforms that Whitehall really needs? This week also saw the publication of the IfG’s annual Whitehall Monitor, our flagship stocktake of the size, shape and performance of the civil service. It’s packed with data and analysis - and its lead author joins the podcast to tell us all about it.
Presented by Hannah White
Featuring Hannah Keenan, Tim Durrant and Ben Paxton
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Donald Trumps Starmer’s New Year Plans
9 januari 2026 · 37 min
With US military strikes on Venezuela dominating headlines, Lawrence Freedman joins the podcast team to ask what Donald Trump's foreign plans mean for the UK - and assess whether Keir Starmer’s Trump strategy will hold in 2026. Lees meer
The prime minister found his January announcements knocked off the front pages - but was anyone really listening? We explore the government challenges facing Starmer and his team in the year ahead.
Plus: Ed Balls, Wes Streeting, Mel Stride, Louise Casey, Ayesha Hazarika, Andy Burnham and more. We preview the IfG annual conference.
Hannah White presents.
With Alex Thomas and Hannah Keenan.
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2025 in Review: Starmer's Year of Drama
22 december 2025 · 46 min
A year is a long time in the podcasting world, especially for podcasts keeping a close eye on the highs, lows, trials and tribulations of government. Because it has been quite some year for Keir Starmer and his team - and for British politics more generally. Lees meer
We’ve had reshuffles, resignations and resets. The rise of Reform. The breakthrough of the Greens. Promised policy blitzes. A planned rewiring of the state. The start - apparently - of the government’s delivery phase. A government-defining budget. Some government-disrupting leadership challenges - real or imagined. And every now and then someone called Donald Trump crashes into the picture.
The IfG team and the Financial Times’s Public Policy Editor look back on an eventful 12 months and pick out the big moments of 2025 - the most significant stories, the big political developments, and the key appointments that could shape the year ahead. Not all of these will have made huge headlines. Perhaps they should have done - let’s see.
Presented by Alex Thomas
Featuring Chris Smyth, Jill Rutter, Stuart Hoddinott and Catherine Haddon
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The Trump challenge: Chaos, confusion and government communications
16 december 2025 · 1 uur 1 min
According to the Washington Post, Donald Trump made 30,573 false or misleading claims during his first term as US president – and Trump 2.0 has also shown little regard for facts or evidence. Unexpected presidential announcements are made on social media or in press conferences, and Trump’s positions can appear to change overnight. Leaders of other countries, including Keir Starmer, find their own plans and statements overshadowed or knocked off course. Lees meer
Despite this chaos and confusion, Trump appears authentic and able to galvanise his base while other, more conventional, political communicators struggle to get their message across.
So is Trump rewriting the rules for government communications? Does the UK have sufficient safeguards against our political leaders adopting Trump’s attitude to facts? Does the UK have robust enough rules to ensure that government communications serve the public not partisan interest? And how is it possible to plan government communications when those plans are constantly blown away by overnight developments in the US?
To discuss these questions and more, the Institute for Government, in partnership with Vuelio, was delighted to bring together an expert panel including:
Katy Balls, Washington Editor for The Times
Simon Baugh, Chief Executive of Government Communications, 2021–25
Alastair Campbell, former No.10 Chief Press Secretary (1997–2000) and No.10 Director of Communications (2000–03) and presenter of the Rest is Politics podcast.
Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government
This webinar was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.
We would like to thank Vuelio for kindly supporting this event.
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Four mayors delayed, three ministers reflect, and a House of Lords battle renewed
12 december 2025 · 39 min
The government announced that elections for new mayors in four regions will now be delayed. Voters in Greater Essex, Sussex and Brighton, Hampshire and the Solent, and Norfolk and Suffolk will be waiting until 2028 instead. Why has the government done this? Is this part of a clever strategy or a desperate last-minute fumble? Lees meer
Meanwhile, the government is installing yet more peers into the House of Lords after a series of battles between the government and the second chamber. So what lies behind the battle, what might happen and will it make a difference to the long-running debate about Lords reform?
And finally... Sajid Javid says he lost faith in Boris Johnson’s leadership, Simon Hart says the Sunak government nearly collapsed over the Rwanda bill and Theresa Villiers says that WhatsApp group chats were critical to defeating Theresa May’s Brexit deal. We speak to the team behind our latest Ministers Reflect series.
Hannah White presents
With Akash Paun, Jack Pannell and Rebecca McKee
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Should the U.K. do budgets differently?
3 december 2025 · 41 min
The chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility has gone, the Chancellor is being accused of misleading the public. So how did that budget go? Lees meer
Richard Hughes has taken responsibility for the accidental leak of the budget and resigned. What does this mean for the OBR’s future and political trust in it?
Meanwhile, the Chancellor has been accused of misleading the public over the state of public finances. So what did happen in the budget pitch-rolling and what does this tell us about how well the UK does budgets? Could we, should we, do them differently?
Plus - the Justice Secretary has revealed his plans for changes to jury trials. We dig into the latest news.
Hannah White presents
With Gemma Tetlow, Alex Thomas and Cassia Rowland
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