Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

Full Time for Starmer: Can Burnham Find a Way to Win? 17.07.2026 48min

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

Burnham, Binface and Starmer's final flight 09.07.2026 39min

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

Northern Soul: Burnham's Manchester No10 plan 02.07.2026 44min

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

Brexit at 10: A decade of drama, deals and disruption 29.06.2026 53min

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

What does Andy Burnham really stand for? 24.06.2026 42min

Keir Starmer has resigned. Andy Burnham is preparing for power. But what will a mid-parliament change of prime minister mean for the government? 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Burnham v Starmer: The King of the North heads South 19.06.2026 44min

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

The way you Makerfield 12.06.2026 32min

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

Protests, politics and the killing of Henry Nowak 04.06.2026 42min

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

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 1godz 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 1godz 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