Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

The Blair Necessities 28.05.2026 52min

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

May 2026 elections: what are the implications for local government reorganisation? 22.05.2026 50min

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

Burnham Issues 21.05.2026 40min

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

Starmer, Streeting and the fight for No10 13.05.2026 39min

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

Elections 2026: Fragmentation nation 08.05.2026 1h 2min

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

Is Keir Starmer in the last chance saloon? 30.04.2026 41min

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

Starmer vs Robbins: Why the Mandelson row keeps getting worse 23.04.2026 42min

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

The Peter Mandelson scandal: What are the lessons for Keir Starmer's government? 22.04.2026 41min

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

Is the UK (and Keir Starmer) under attack? 16.04.2026 41min

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

Who will pay the prices of war? 02.04.2026 49min

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

Money talks: Influence and interference 27.03.2026 42min

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

Can Rachel Reeves protect both households and the public finances from the energy price shock? 20.03.2026 1h 1min

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

Can the UK weather the Middle East storm? 20.03.2026 32min

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

Keir Starmer and the cost of security 13.03.2026 42min

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

International Women's Day special: The inside story of life as an MP 06.03.2026 34min

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

Trump vs Iran: Is the UK ready for war? 04.03.2026 40min

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

Will Rachel Reeves spring a forecast surprise? 26.02.2026 42min

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

All roads lead to Romeo 20.02.2026 40min

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

Resets and resignations: Starmer's worst week yet 12.02.2026 39min

Former Downing Street chief of staff Gavin Barwell joins the podcast to discuss another explosive week at the heart of government. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keir Starmer's Mandelson Scandal 06.02.2026 32min

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