Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

Channel 4’s political editor Gary Gibbon joins the IfG podcast team to examine whether the government’s controversial new asylum bill will actually work, and whether the politics of promising to stop the boats will win the Conservatives support – and pose a headache for Labour. Boris Johnson wants to knight his father. So is it time for Rishi Sunak to do away with the increasingly farcical tradition of prime ministerial resignation honours? And talking of abolitions, why do governments so often seek to abolish public bodies – and why does it so often go wrong? A new IfG report has the answers. Hannah White presents. With Alex Thomas, Rhys Clyne and Grant Dalton. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To mark International Women’s Day, IfG director Hannah White is joined by Polly Curtis, director of Demos, and Charlotte Pickles, director of Reform, to record a fascinating episode of Inside Briefing. What is it like to be a woman in public life, working in government, parliament, the civil service – and for a think tank? What are the barriers that women face entering and working in these professions? What more could be done to bring more women into politics and policy-facing roles – think tanks included? And why does diversity of thought matters when designing policy? Presented by Hannah White. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will Sunak’s new deal with the EU solve the vexed issue of a customs border in the Irish Sea? Can the “Windsor Framework” finally bring the rancorous Brexit debate to an end? How will it work? What about the “Stormont Brake”? And what’s in the small print? To examine the Windsor Framework the IfG’s Jill Rutter and Jess Sergeant are joined by special guests Georgie Wright of the Institute Montaigne, John Campbell of BBC Northern Ireland and Sam McBride of the Belfast Telegraph. “This deal gives business most of what it was asking for.” – John Campbell “We can’t be certain of how the deal will work but it’s a hell of a lot better than the previous one.” – Sam McBride “There’s trust for Sunak in the EU that just wasn’t there for Boris Johnson.” – Georgie Wright “You do have to ask, how much are UK products really going to diverge from EU standards in future?” – John Campbell Presented by Jill Rutter with Jess Sargeant. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Sue Gray making headlines again, the IfG podcast team are joined by former Conservative MP Sir David Lidington to make sense of a big Whitehall and Westminster career move and ask what it might mean for Labour and the civil service. Plus: What do Matt Hancock's WhatsApp messages tell us about how government works – and how it didn't during the pandemic? How did Rishi Sunak come up with a Brexit deal that seems to please everyone – except maybe Boris Johnson and the DUP – and is the Windsor Framework actually any good? And why doesn't the centre of government seem to work very well? The IfG is launching a new Commission to examine the problem – and come up with solutions. Presented by Hannah White. With Alex Thomas, Jill Rutter and Tim Durrant Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia invaded Ukraine one year ago. Peter Ricketts, the UK’s former national security adviser, joins the IfG podcast to reflect on how the war has changed Europe – and changed UK government – and what might happen next. At the time of recording there was still no Brexit breakthrough, but just how close are we to a deal on the Northern Ireland protocol and what could it look like? And with Jeremy Hunt’s Budget just a few weeks away, a new IfG report takes stock of performances across nine key public services. The report’s author joins the podcast to reveal where the problems are – and how they might be solved. Hannah White presents With Alex Thomas, Jess Sargeant and Matthew Fright Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who had “Nicola Sturgeon quits” on their 2023 bingo card? Not us. We look at the pressures behind the First Minister’s resignation and what her departure means for Scottish independence. Plus, as Yvette Cooper tells the IfG that the Government has “broken the justice system” we ask what a Labour government could do about it. And Keir Starmer closes the door on Jeremy Corbyn. Our special guest is Jess Elgot, Deputy Political Editor at the Guardian. “The past few months have been difficult for Sturgeon and her authority has been waning.” – Akash Paun “It’ll be hard to maintain the SNP’s reputation as insurgents when there are so many problems with health and eduction on Scotland.” – Jess Elgot “Sturgeon seems to have been very affected by the resignation of Jacinda Ardern. She saw that as a model of how to leave politics.” – Jess Elgot “Sunak has lost two big attack lines this week: the idea of Labour in the pocket of the SNP, and the return of Jeremy Corbyn.” – Jess Elgot Presented by Emma Norris with Cath Haddon and Akash Paun. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Matt Hancock has come home. Football might be coming home. But Rishi Sunak's problems on the home front are going nowhere. With the Conservative Party threatening rebellion on multiple fronts, what can the prime minister do to make progress on his legislative agenda? The IfG podcast team dissect the PM's parliamentary problems. Sunak also has a ministerial headache to contend with, as accusations about ministerial behaviour - with Dominic Raab still making awkward headlines - find their way into the press. So does the civil service need a new complaints process? Plus - Why is the civil service failing to recruit outside talent, and what does it mean if it lacks enough specialist skills? Emma Norris presents. With Alice Lilly, Alex Thomas, Cath Haddon and Jordan Urban. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Liz Truss put economic growth front and centre of her premiership, but does Rishi Sunak even have a coherent growth policy? The Guardian’s City Editor Anna Isaac joins the IfG team to go in search of the prime minister’s plan. Could Sunak take a new approach towards Brexit? What exactly is a Swiss-style deal? And is the Conservative Party in the mood for compromise? Plus: What does the Supreme Court verdict mean for SNP’s plans to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence? And: Do Labour’s plans for reforming the House of Lords make sense? Hannah White presents. With Jill Rutter and Jess Sargeant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jeremy Hunt has unveiled the government's economic plans, with the chancellor handing out giveaways now but setting out tax rises - and spending cuts - to come. So now what? The IfG podcast crunch the chancellor's numbers. The Dominic Raab claims are causing problems for the justice secretary, but do multiplying leaks about ministerial behaviour point to a wider breakdown of trust inside government? And a new joint paper for the Institute for Government and Cambridge University’s Bennett Institute explores 25 years of erratic government attempts to update and reform the British constitution. The paper's author, former DEXEU permanent secretary Peter Rycroft, drops into the studio. Presented by Hannah White, with Gemma Tetlow and Giles Wilkes Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We didn't have to wait long for the first ministerial resignation of Rishi Sunak's premiership, and it's Gavin Williamson who is out of government - again. ConservativeHome's Henry Hill joins then podcast team to weigh up what Williamson's exit means for the PM and explore how Rishi Sunak can prove his commitment to integrity is genuine. The PM decided, in the end, to attend the COP27 summit - but does this government even have a credible net zero plan? Plus: Next week the government unveils its endlessly rescheduled, rebadged, and rewritten fiscal plan. The podcast team crunch the numbers and look ahead to next Friday's big event. Hannah White presents, with Cath Haddon and Tom Sasse Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While Matt Hancock’s bushtucker trials will be making all the headlines, Westminster is wondering how Rishi Sunak will manage his ongoing Suella Braverman challenges. The IfG podcast team are joined by John Stevens, the Daily Mirror’s new political editor, to reflect on a bruising week for the restored Home Secretary. Also: the rearranged fiscal statement is looming. With the Prime Minister dropping plans to axe 91,000 civil service jobs, a new IfG paper sets out how to cut budgets with care. And is Keir Starmer on course for election success or is Labour in danger of a Sunak bounce? Hannah White presents, with Jill Rutter and Rhys Clyne. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another podcast, another prime minister. Liz Truss is out after just 50 days in No.10. Rishi Sunak is in, with the former Chancellor avoiding a showdown with Conservative party membership after both Boris Johnson and Penny Mordaunt dropped out of the race. So what next for the UK’s 57th PM? The IfG podcast team, with guest Emilio Casalicchio of Politico, analyse Sunak’s first days in the job – and weigh up the tricky challenges coming down the track. Restoring the economy to rude health, or at least getting it out of intensive care, is top of Sunak’s in-tray. But where can he find the spending cuts needed to balance the books? A new IfG paper warns that a re-run of austerity will be more difficult – and damaging – than the 2010 era. The pod team crunch the numbers. Presented by Gemma Tetlow with Tom Pope and Cath Haddon. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a feverish week in Westminster and a chaotic 24 hours in government, Liz Truss has called time on her record-breakingly short stay in Number 10. The IfG podcast, with special guest Henry Newman, a former adviser to Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, assemble at the very moment Truss was preparing to announce her departure. The podcast team pick apart Truss’s failures in No10, the economic decisions that face new chancellor Jeremy Hunt, and how the next few weeks and months might play out. Plus: Could Boris Johnson really make a comeback? Alex Thomas presents. With Giles Wilkes and Gemma Tetlow. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As pressure piles up on the prime minister, the IfG podcast team assemble - with guest Aubrey Allegretti of the Guardian - to work out what Liz Truss might do to calm both the markets and Conservative MPs The Halloween fiscal event isn't the only date in the Commons that will be spooking the PM - so join the Inside Briefing team on a walk through the government's autumn parliamentary minefield. And remember Brexit? A new IfG paper says that MPs aren't doing enough to scrutinise the UK's post-Brexit EU relationship. So what's the problem and how can it be fixed? Presented by Hannah White With Jill Rutter and Alice Lilly Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Academic, author and former Talking Politics host David Runciman joins the IfG podcast team to take stock of the state of British politics. As wearing Conservative politicians make their way back from Birmingham, and with Labour MP's having left Liverpool, just how health are Westminster's largest parties right now? Is growth the new dividing line in Westminster and beyond - and is there really an anti-growth coalition? And what on earth is going to happen next in the never-ending, unpredictable rollercoaster ride of British politics? Hannah White presents With Alex Thomas and Gemma Tetlow Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The fallout from Kwasi Kwarteng's budget continues, so what can the chancellor do to calm the nerves? Guest Soumaya Keynes of the Economist joins the IfG podcast team to discuss what has gone wrong for Kwarteng and Liz Truss, and the lessons to be learnt from a week of economic turmoil. No drama for Starmer? We take a look back at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool and what Keir Starmer's speech tells us about the direction of travel for His Majesty's Opposition. And as the Conservative Party assembles in Birmingham, we look ahead to what could be a lively few days for Liz Truss - and what awaits at her first party conference since becoming PM. Presented by Hannah White With Giles Wilkes and Tom Pope Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With winter fast approaching, politicians across Europe have been taking dramatic steps to address the ongoing energy crisis. The IfG team are joined by Alice Hancock from the FT and Elisabetta Cornago from the Centre for European Reform to assess different countries’ responses. Is Europe ready for the winter ahead? Why is the UK’s support package so expensive? Are the public up for cutting their energy use? And what should countries be doing to tackle the crisis in the longer term? Presented by Tom Sasse with Olly Bartrum Produced by Candice McKenzie https://www.cer.eu/insights/eus-energy-plan-difficult-winter-what-are-options https://www.bruegel.org/dataset/national-policies-shield-consumers-rising-energy-prices https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/tackling-energy-efficiency-problem.pdf https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Addressing-rising-energy-bills_0.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Liz Truss has been to New York, Keir Starmer is on his way to Liverpool, and the IfG podcast team assemble in the studio to discuss a week where politics began to return to normal – albeit against the unpleasant backdrop of Vladimir Putin’s threat of nuclear war. Guest Ayesha Hazarika dials in to discuss the new prime minister’s first steps on the world stage, some big government policy announcements at home, and what to look out for at Labour’s annual party conference. Plus: If Liz Truss is all about delivery, then how can she make government departments deliver? The team discuss a new IfG report which recommends the step she should – and shouldn’t – take. Hannah White presents. With Alex Thomas and Rhys Clyne. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The FT’s Stephen Bush joins the IfG team in the podcast studio, just a few hundred metres away from Buckingham Palace, to make sense of an extraordinary moment in British history. What does the death of Queen Elizabeth II, after a record-breaking 70-year reign, mean for the Royal Family? How will King Charles III approach the role of monarch? And what questions will now be asked about the role of the monarch in the constitution, how the King interacts with politics and how ministers engage with the King? Presented by Hannah White with Catherine Haddon and Maddy Thimont-Jack. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The epic Conservative Party leadership contest is finally over, and Liz Truss is the new prime minister. After a flight to Balmoral to meet the Queen, and a drive through London in lashing rain, Truss stepped straight from the prime ministerial car to the podium outside No10 and set out her vision for the country So, what happens next and what should we expect from this country’s 56th prime minister? Former special adviser Salma Shah joins the podcast team to weigh up Truss’s Downing Street speech, her Cabinet appointments, and how she might handle a daunting in-tray. Hannah White presents. With Giles Wilkes and Catherine Haddon. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The long, hot summer of endless Conservative leadership contest hustings is over, and next week the winner will be announced. The FT’s Seb Payne joins the podcast crew to discuss the battle to become Prime Minister. Will Liz Truss emerge victorious as all the polls predict? Can Rishi Sunak spring a surprise? And just how daunting is the next prime minister’s in-tray? And as Boris Johnson’s premiership comes to an end, how should we look back on a dramatic - and sometimes controversial - stint in No10? With Hannah White, Jill Rutter and Alex Thomas Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every autumn the UK’s political parties decamp from Westminster for the annual party conference season. From Brighton to Blackpool, Manchester to Birmingham, Liverpool to Glasgow, Britain’s cities take turns to host politicians, activists, party members, journalists, and lobbyists for long days (and nights) of keynote speeches, breakfast fringe meetings, endless schmoozing, too much warm white wine and endless political intrigue. Is this where key decisions are taken and political history is made? Or i it just a gossip-soaked get together which serves no value? Michael Crick, a veteran of decades of conferences, joins political journalist Marie Le Conte, former special adviser Peter Cardwell, and the IfG’s Jill Rutter to reminisce about conferences past and weigh up whether party conferences deserve a future. Presented by Alex Thomas Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Centuries of British political history has played out across Whitehall, with key decisions taken in the many government buildings that line the streets around the Palace of Westminster. But what secrets are contained within their walls and behind their doors? How have the buildings changed over the years? And what secret tunnels lie beneath the basements of Whitehall? Special guest Gus O'Donnell joins the IfG’s Cath Haddon and Alex Thomas to reveal the secret map of Whitehall. Presented by Hannah White Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From being appointed to the job to that first overwhelming day’s work, from taking key decisions to ultimately being reshuffled back to the backbenches, and with a whole load of unexpected moments along the way, the lifetime of a government minister is a whirlwind of new experiences. From a grip on the levers of power to inevitable disappointment, it is a career like no other. With special guests – and former ministers – Jim Murphy and David Gauke, and featuring original audio from the IfG’s unique Ministers Reflect series, this Inside Briefing summer special goes behind the scenes to explore the twists and turns of serving in government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Boris Johnson’s Number 10 veered between the anarchic and the chaotic, marked by resignations, sackings, resets, cake ambushes and work events. So, what can the next prime minister do to make No10 work in a way that can deliver their priorities? What are the key decisions they must take on their first day in the job? What appointments do they need to get right? Does it matter where people sit? And is 10 Downing Street really the right building from which to run a government? Sally Morgan, Kate Fall and Giles Wilkes, three veterans of No10, share their experiences of working at the centre of government for three different prime ministers, and give their advice on how to reshape No10 in the post-Johnson era. Presented by Emma Norris. With Cath Haddon. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After six years, three prime ministers and 178 episodes of Inside Briefing, outgoing Institute for Government Director Bronwen Maddox chairs her final episode looking at the big themes that have dominated U.K. government during her time at IFG. Where have Brexit and covid left the UK's economy and where does Johnson's departure leave the prospect of levelling up the country? Why does government fail and what do we need to do about it? And how far should we go in reforming our constitution after the seismic events of the last six years? Hosted by Bronwen Maddox. Featuring Hannah White, Giles Wilkes, Jill Rutter, Alex Thomas, Matthew Gill, Maddy Thimont-Jack and Cath Haddon. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the Conservative leadership contest now down to battle between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, the podcast crew assemble to assess the pitches, pledges and promises on offer - and weigh up who might become the next prime minister. And what about the man they will replace? As Boris Johnson clocks up there years as PM, who should we judge his premiership - and is a comeback really on the cards? Mo Hussein, a former No10 chief press officer, joins Bronwen Maddox, Cath Haddon and Giles Wilkes. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Conservative leadership contest is gathering speed, but what are the candidates offering their fellow MPs, what does the party membership think, and have the front runners caught the attention of the public? BBC Newsnight’s Lewis Goodall joins the IfG podcast team to weigh up the men and women battling to become the next prime minister. Most of them are offering tax cuts. Smart long-term policy or crude short-term politics? And what exactly could, or should, the caretaker government do if the cost-of-living crisis gets even worse in the coming weeks and months? Presented by Bronwen Maddox. With Giles Wilkes, Jill Rutter and Olly Bartrum. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After an extraordinary day in Westminster, and a record-breaking number of resignations, the Prime Minister finally quit Downing Street. But Boris Johnson will stay on in No.10 until his successor his chosen. The IfG podcast team assemble to ask what this period of caretaker government will look like, how the next Prime Minister will be chosen, and what Boris Johnson’s record in office looks like. And at the very moment Johnson announced his resignation, his predecessor Theresa May was giving a speech at the IfG on how to restore trust in politics. And as the resignations began to pile up on Wednesday, the IfG was hosting a one day conference on how to reform government. Big themes, big questions, and, it turned out, taking place at a very big moment in politics. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. With Alex Thomas, Cath Haddon and Tim Durrant. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Three big international summits have kept Boris Johnson thousands of miles away from by-election defeats, a Cabinet resignation and growing disquiet at home, but what did the prime minister actually achieve on his foreign adventures? The Telegraph’s Camilla Turner, who travelled with the PM to Rwanda, joins the podcast team to reflect on Johnson’s travels. While the prime minister was away the cabinet secretary endured a gruelling questioning by a parliamentary select committee, but the IfG team were unimpressed with Simon Case’s performance. And from transactional to transformational, how do ministers approach the art of leadership in different ways? That’s the subject of new IfG report. We take a closer look on the podcast. Bronwen Maddox presents. With Alex Thomas and Jill Rutter Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After two bruising by-election defeats and a Cabinet resignation, is Boris Johnson fighting to hold on to his job? Pollster James Johnson joins the podcast team to crunch the numbers and work out how the tectonic plates of British politics might shift in the weeks and months ahead. And should more powers be given to England’s mayors? That’s what a new IfG report argues, and its author – fresh from a visit to Manchester to interview Andy Burnham – drops in to explain why. Bronwen Maddox presents. With Hannah White, Giles Wilkes, Akash Paun. Produced by Candice McKenzie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Inside Briefing team assemble minutes after Lord Geidt’s explosive resignation letter was published. So just how careless is it of the Prime Minister to lose his second independent adviser on ministerial interests? In a week where government policy has collided with legal opinions and rulings, Jonathan Jones, the former head of the Government Legal Department, joins the podcast to discuss the problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill and Priti Patel’s plan to fly migrants to Rwanda. And what exactly can the Government do to intervene in next week’s planned rail strikes? Bronwen Maddox presents, with Alex Thomas, Jess Sargeant, Matthew Gill and guest Jonathan Jones. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Technically, Boris Johnson is safe for another year. But is he really? Deputy Political Editor of the Spectator Katy Balls joins the IFG to discuss the policy challenges ahead for the Prime Minister, as he attempts to unite his party following a devastating confidence vote. Plus, IFG senior researcher Jess Sargeant has the rundown on the government's proposed changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol. “Boris Johnson has been very clear that he’d have to be dragged kicking and screaming from Downing Street.” - Katy Balls “In Wakefield, Labour are 20 points ahead of the Tories. Hammering that result home will be the most important moment of Keir Starmer’s leadership so far.” - Emma Norris “We’ve seen already the EU warning quite strongly about changing the Northern Ireland protocol. The UK’s been hoping that they may get some sympathy from countries like Poland - but that doesn’t look to be happening.” - Jess Sargeant “Hunt has had a fairly good pandemic. He’s kept his profile high while getting hard work done. But it’s hard to see someone like him coming out the other side of this as leader.” - Tim Durrant “What does ‘Benefits to Bricks’ really mean? It sounds like another grand, ill-defined vision that doesn’t end up amounting to much.” - Emma Norris “The Tories won’t change the rules of the 1922 Committee just because they don’t like the by-election results. If they really want rid of them, they’ll find a way to oust him.” - Katy Balls Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Jess Sargeant, Emma Norris and Tim Durrant. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With 148 votes against him, was Boris Johnson’s vote of confidence victory a Pyrrhic one? The IfG team convene to look at the unfolding civil war in the Conservative Party and Big Dog’s prospects for survival. Does Johnson’s fate really rest in the hands of just 30 waverers? Can his more controversial policies such as privatising Channel 4 survive in a new, “listening” No.10? And what can we expect from the by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton? “What pulled Margaret Thatcher was her Cabinet telling her the game was up. For now it looks like Johnson’s Cabinet is sticking by him.” – Cath Haddon “They know there are 148 rebels. They just don’t know who they are yet.” – Alice Lilly “Whenever Johnson has come out as humble and contrite, things have tended to go wrong for him.” – Alex Thomas Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alice Lilly, Alex Thomas and Cath Haddon. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New Zealand is often seen as a poster child for government reform. In this special edition of Inside Briefing Professor Rodney Scott, the chief policy advisor to the New Zealand Public Service Commission, joins Alex Thomas, Emma Norris and Rhys Clyne to discuss the history of government reform in New Zealand, explore similarities and differences with the UK and explain what difference reform has made in New Zealand. From the new public management of the 1980s to the 2020 public service reforms, this conversation covers a range of topics including: cross-government co-ordination, long-term policy making and ‘stewardship’, and accountability in government. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The long wait is over, and the Sue Gray report is out. So, what does it tell us about Boris Johnson’s No10? What have we learnt about the culture in Downing Street during the pandemic? And what questions need to be asked about how the prime minister attempted to handle allegations of rule-breaking under his watch? ITN’s UK news editor Paul Brand, whose run of scoops have led the way in the reporting of partygate, joins the IfG podcast team to talk through another extraordinary week in Westminster. Hannah White presents, with Alex Thomas and Jill Rutter. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Breaking news special! The podcast team assembled in the studio as the Met confirmed it had finished its partygate inquiry - and would not issue any more Fines to Boris Johnson. So what does this mean and what happens next? Why is everyone so angry about the Northern Ireland Protocol? The UK government and the EU are arguing over its future, and Northern Ireland's political parties are unable to come up with a power-sharing deal. The BBC's John Campbell dials in from Belfast to discuss the latest - and just how bad things might get. Back in Westminster, the government is under increasing pressure to respond to the cost of living crisis. Is a windfall tax on the cards? The team weigh up the government's options. With Bronwen Maddox, Jill Rutter and Jess Sargeant. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Queen’s Speech without a Queen, but was it a Queen’s Speech without a theme? The Guardian’s Rafael Behr joins the podcast team to dissect Prince Charles’ big day – and make sense of the whopping list of 38 bills unveiled by the government. And just what could Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson have been talking about as they strolled awkwardly together through Parliament to hear the Speech? As the partygate and beergate sagas continue to unfold, which leader is in the most difficulty and what happens next? Presented by Bronwen Maddox, with Alice Lilly and Alex Thomas. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Election results were landing by the time the IfG podcast team - with guest Anoosh Chakelian of the New Statesman - assembled in the studio. What do the votes all mean for Boris Johnson and who emerged as the night’s big winner? The latest twist in the beergate story broke while the pod was recording - so what will Keir Starmer do next? And with Northern Ireland on the cusp of a historic election result, what happens next (or doesn't) at Stormont? Hannah White is joined by Cath Haddon, Alex Nice and Jess Sargeant. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With less than a week to go until a series of elections across the UK, the FT's Jim Pickard joins the podcast team to discuss what's at stake - and what the results could mean. The cost of living crisis will no doubt be featuring on the doorstep, so is there more the government could be doing to help? And as Emmanuel Macron secures a second term as French President, the Institut Montaigne's Georgina Wright dials in from Paris to talk through an eventful - and crucial - election. Presented by Hannah White, with Akash Paun and Olly Bartrum Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices