Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

The prime minister avoided another explosive day in Westminster by heading to India, but is the home front becoming ever-more precarious for Boris Johnson? The i paper’s Paul Waugh joins the Inside Briefing team to make sense of the seemingly never-ending partygate row. And as ministers do their best to knock stories about parties and police fines off the front pages, the podcast crew pick apart the government’s much-criticized plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda and dissect the latest briefings against civil servants who are choosing to work from home. Emma Norris presents with Catherine Haddon, Jill Rutter and Rhys Clyne. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Boris Johnson’s Fixed Penalty Notice for breaking COVID rules makes him the first sitting Prime Minister who, as far as anyone can remember, has been found to have broken the law while in office. Is this the beginning of the end of the Partygate saga? Or merely the end of the beginning? We discuss what it means for Boris Johnson, his party, the public and for the UK’s system of standards that is supposed to hold our politicians to account. And it has been a tough week for the Chancellor. Even before being fined for walking in on a birthday party, Rishi Sunak was facing a difficult time with revelations over his wife’s tax arrangements and criticism of his department’s response to the cost of living crisis. As Sunak’s popularity plumets, the podcast team weigh up his performance – and what he does next. Senior UK correspondent at Politico Europe Esther Webber joins presenter Hannah White, Tim Durrant, and Jill Rutter. Produced by Candice McKenzie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Propaganda in warfare is an ancient concept, but has Russia’s information campaign since it invaded Ukraine taken things to a new level? Are Russia’s state-controlled media and troll factories all about domestic support or an attempt to win international support? And how does the West counter fake news and help ensure that people can trust the information they see? In this special edition of Inside Briefing, Bronwen Maddox is joined by Marianna Spring, the BBC’s specialist disinformation and social media reporter, Full Fact director Will Moy, and Ian Garner, historian and translator of Russian war propaganda and author of the forthcoming Stalingrad Lives: Stories of Combat & Survival. Produced by Candice McKenzie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Boris Johnson reckons he is now more popular in parts of Kyiv than parts of Kensington, so how worried should the prime minister be as Partygate returns to the frontpages? With the UK at the heart of the West’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the podcast team weigh up Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin’s comments at the IfG on UK defence priorities. And if it wasn’t for crises – of very different natures – we might be talking more about policy, so was the government’s new education white paper worth the wait? Former Department for Education adviser Sam Freedman joins the podcast to discuss another eventful week in British politics. Bronwen Maddox presents, with Alex Thomas and Tim Durrant. Produced by Candice McKenzie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After Rishi Sunak's spring statement was met with a barrage of bruising headlines, we crunch the numbers and assess what the chancellor announced - and what he didn't say - with guest John Rentoul, the Independent's chief political commentator. Who authorised an airlift of animals in the midst of the UK's chaotic evacuation from Kabul? That was the subject of an excruciating select committee session this week, but what does it say about how well the Foreign Office is functioning? And what's up with WhatsApp? Westminster's favourite way to communicate may not be great for good government - and a new IfG paper sets out the problems, and what could be done to fix them. Bronwen Maddox presents. With Jill Rutter, Tim Durrant, Tom Pope and guest John Rentoul. Produced by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Britain’s economy survived omicron relatively unscathed, but soaring inflation and energy price rises exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine mean Rishi Sunak has a tough job on his hands to ease the worst cost of living crisis in decades. Ahead of Wednesday’s spring statement, we discuss what options the chancellor has available to him to ease the squeeze. Former Treasury advisor Tim Pitt and National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses Martin McTague are our special guests. “Unless wage growth can match inflation, the cost of living squeeze is going to be much worse than expected.” - Tom Pope “Ukraine produces a lot of the world’s grain, so food prices are rising because of the conflict.” - Tom Pope “The Chancellor can only take the edge of the pain for people, it will be a difficult period for millions.” - Tim Pitt “Helping the vulnerable has to be the priority, but swathes of middle England are also about to be slapped.”- Tim Pitt “I’ll be very interested to see if the Chancellor mentions the phrase net-zero.” - Jill Rutter “Small businesses are having to compete for a shrinking pool of labour, so there will be pay rises.” - Martin McTague This budget preview edition is supported by the Federation of Small Businesses. Find out more at www.fsb.org.uk Presented by Gemma Tetlow with Tom Pope and Jill Rutter. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia faces a raft of sanctions amid global disgust at the invasion of Ukraine. We discuss nations severing ties with Vladimir Putin’s regime, and what long term ramifications there might be. Plus, as oligarchs hit the headlines, we discuss Russian money in Britain. Financial Times correspondent Polina Ivanova, King’s Russia Institute director Samuel Greene, and Butler to the World author Oliver Bullough join Bronwen Maddox to unpack these issues. “These are speeches and addresses [from Putin] that are meant to make Russian’s angry.” — Samuel Greene “As long as they’re his [Putin’s] friends, he doesn’t really see them as oligarchs.” — Oliver Bullough “This is about punishment and about changing the power structure in Russia.” — Samuel Greene “Russian oligarchs don’t really trust the Russian legal system any more than anyone else does.” — Oliver Bullough Presented by Bronwen Maddox with . Audio production by Jade Bailey. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite peace talks taking place, Russia’s assault on Ukraine shows no sign of slowing down. With Boris Johnson jetting to the Gulf in an effort to ease the energy crisis, we discuss the latest from the conflict. Also, in light of Partygate plans to streamline the prime minister’s team have emerged. Will they work? And we take a look at a new IFG report on how Brexit is affecting agricultural support. Former Sky News editor Adam Boulton is this week’s special guest. “We’re in a different time, Russia is aggressive in a way that it wasn’t for much of the Cold War.” - Adam Boulton “The Government have changed their relationship with Russian donors, but Johnson has gone to another dictator looking for oil.” - Cath Haddon “British foreign policy is all over the place… Brexit means we’re not identifying with a common European effort.” - Adam Boulton “The Cabinet Office has grown to over 8,000 people as it has taken on the operational aspects of Government.” - Alex Thomas Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon, Alex Thomas and Jill Rutter. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The war in Ukraine shows no sign of easing, and its impact is being felt across UK government. What will it mean for bills if Russian energy imports are cut off? And why is the Home Office making such a mess of the Ukraine refugee crisis? Robert Colvile, director of the Centre for Policy Studies and Sunday Times columnist, joins the pod team to discuss. And a new IfG report looks back at the last crisis, which saw a lack of accountability and blame-gaming mark central government’s relationship with public bodies during the pandemic. So what went wrong and what needs to be done to get it right next time? We speak to the report author. Presented by Catherine Haddon, with Giles Wilkes, Jill Rutter and Matthew Gill. Produced by Candice McKenzie. “The problem with energy is that you can’t conjure it into being” – Robert Colvile “Net zero commitments are just going to be parked in a lot of countries while we deal with this crisis” – Robert Colvile “Lord knows how the internal economy of Russia works right now” – Giles Wilkes “I’m still recovering my morale … I might own a little bit of Chelsea” – Giles Wilkes “The Home Office is fundamentally a department of control – it’s lagging very badly” – Jill Rutter “It’s not an accident that the phrase ‘not fit for purpose’ was coined about the Home Office” – Robert Colvile Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The awful scenes of war and violence in Ukraine show no sign of ending. Will an unprecedented barrage of sanctions be enough to shift Vladimir Putin’s strategy? If not, what other options are available to the West? The IfG team are joined by Georgina Wright of Institut Montaigne to discuss where the crisis might go next, assess a notably coordinated EU response, and make sense of a stunning shift in German policy. We then switch attention to the UK, where questions at the heart of the IfG’s mission – how good governments function, how to strengthen institutions, and how to ensure politicians follow the rules and are held to account – look more relevant than ever. Two new IfG reports set out what can be done to reform and strengthen the civil service. “Other than some kind of major event in Russia, it is hard to see a route of this that isn’t incredibly depressing” - Catherine Haddon “The threat that Putin could put his missiles on an even higher standing of readiness is hanging over this” – Bronwen Maddox “It is absolutely incredible what we are seeing happen in Germany. You have a government that is giving way completely to radical new policy” – Georgina Wright “We saw how difficult it was to leave the EU. It’s just as difficult to join. Can the EU realistically grant Ukraine, a country at war, candidate status?” – Georgina Wright “Confused accountability undermines the civil service’s confidence. Bolstering its legitimacy will help bolster its confidence and authority inside government” – Alex Thomas Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alex Thomas, Cath Haddon, and guest Georgina Wright. Produced by Candice McKenzie for the Institute for Government in association with Podmasters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia invades Ukraine and shocks the world, with casualties already reported and citizens fleeing Kyiv. What does Putin want? And can a raft of sanctions introduced by Western governments force him to change his mind? Former chair of the Intelligence and Security committee DOMINIC GRIEVE joins us to discuss the crisis and its ramifications for Europe. “Ukraine’s status as an independent state on Russia’s borders has become intolerable to Putin.” - Alex Nice “The signs have been clear for a long time that Putin will use any means if it furthers his agenda.” - Dominic Grieve “This crisis could extend to the Baltic states. If Putin thinks there is a weakness, then he will exploit it.” - Dominic Grieve “BBC Russia does an excellent job, and removing RT might result in a ‘tit-for-tat’ response from Russia.” “This refugee crisis will primarily focus on Poland, but other states including the UK should be involved in this.” - Alex Nice “Three decades of German foreign policy has been washed away by this crisis.” - Cath Haddon Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon and Alex Nice. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ukraine Crisis is still unresolved. What exactly does Putin want, is he determined to use force to achieve it – and can Britain do anything about it? Plus, Boris Johnson plans to create a new ‘Office of the Prime Minister’. But what exactly is the Cabinet Office, how does this “odds and sods department” work – and is the idea of creating a whole new department wise, Prime Minister? Ex-Cabinet Office minister and Justice Secretary David Lidington and former (founding) head of the National Cyber Security Centre Ciaran Martin are our special guests. “Any Ukrainian will tell you they’ve been at war with Russia since 2014… They’ve been under severe cyber-harassment from Russia ever since.” – Ciaran Martin “If Ukraine makes a success of democracy and a Euro-Atlantic way of looking at the world, that’s a mortal threat to Putin and his regime.” – David Lidington “When you’re doing civil service reform, don’t hide behind jargon because that might be the thing that sinks it.” – Cath Haddon “Ukraine is Russia’s cyber playground… The Russians constantly use it to undermine Ukrainians’ faith in their society and their government.” – Ciaran Martin Presented by Alex Thomas and Cath Haddon. 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

Bronwen Maddox gives the Institute for Government’s annual Director’s Lecture, followed by a response from New Statesman political editor Stephen Bush and a discussion chaired by Sir David Lidington, the former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for the Cabinet Office, and Justice Secretary. In her speech, Bronwen reflects on the Government’s handling of the pandemic, expectations of government now, and the reforms that are needed. Audio production by Candice McKenzie for IfG #IfGDirector Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will Boris Johnson’s panic reshuffle provide the hard reset he needs? Can reorganising the No.10 backroom dispel the shadows of the Gray Report and the Met investigation into parties at Downing Street? Plus Sir John Major launches stinging criticism of the PM at an IfG event this week. Will it tip the scales for Boris Johnson? And the big question… what’s wrong with British government? Political commentator Steve Richards – host of the Rock’n’Roll Politics podcast – is our special guest this week. “This is the most blistering attack from a former occupant of No.10 to a current occupant that I can recall.” – Steve Richards “This was John Major battling for the heart and soul of the Conservative Party… He was calling out the entire Cabinet for tolerating this Prime Minister.” – Jill Rutter “Blair told me one of his reshuffles was a two-year project. This one took place over a weekend. It’s shallow.” – Steve Richards “You can have the most tightly organised government in the world but unless Johnson becomes more serious and focused, it won’t matter.” – Emma Norris Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Emma Norris and Jill Rutter. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Institute for Government is delighted to welcome Sir John Major KG CH to give a keynote speech on the issue of trust and standards in British democracy. The event is chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Watch the keynote here. Sir John Major was Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997. He served as MP for Huntingdon from 1979 to 2001. Audio production by Candice McKenzie for IfG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sue Gray has finally published her report into Downing Street parties, and despite it being a diminished version, it was damning about the culture and structure of No. 10. What does it mean for Boris Johnson - and what happens next? The Met Police’s decision to launch their own investigation stymied Gray’s report, and reports of misogyny within the Met has put chief commissioner Cressida Dick under huge pressure. And the long-awaited levelling up white paper has been released. Was it worth the wait? - “The party in the Downing Street flat on 13th November is most dangerous for Johnson.” - Emma Norris - “Most people do think the rules were broken in Downing Street, it doesn’t really matter what the Prime Minister says.” - Tim Durrant - “No matter how independent Civil Servants are, they are not the right person to investigate the Prime Minister, who is also their boss.” - Emma Norris - “When Sue Gray announced she was going to slim down her report, the odds of Johnson staying past June went up 20%.” - Giles Wilkes Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Emma Norris. Tim Durrant and Giles Wilkes. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As tensions rise on the Ukrainian border, are we at risk of Europe’s first ground war since 1945? Sir Lawrence Freedman joins the panel to discuss the situation, and to lay out the role the UK will play in the crisis. Back in Britain we still await the Sue Gray report, but now the Met are involved. What does the police investigation mean for Number 10? And in some good news it’s the end of Plan B COVID restrictions in England, but is our battle against the pandemic really over? “It would be really stupid for the Russians to invade a country of 40 million people, many of whom don’t like them.” - Lawrence Freedman “Nobody expects Western powers to fight in Ukraine, if the war takes place it’ll be between Ukraine and Russia.” - Lawrence Freedman “If Boris Johnson is spending so much time meeting MPs, is he giving the Ukraine crisis all the time it needs?” - Cath Haddon “It may be that many Conservative MPs have made their minds up, they’re just waiting for the Sue Gray report.” - Cath Haddon “The question now is, does the Conservative Party do more damage to themselves while they try to resolve this?” - Cath Haddon “As plan B ends there might be a temptation to declare ‘freedom day’, I don’t think that would be wise.” - Alex Thomas Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Red Wall MP has defected to Labour, and David David has publicly called for the PM to go. But we’re still waiting for Sue Gray’s report, and Boris Johnson is still Prime Minister. LBC’s IAIN DALE joins us to discuss the past few days in Parliament, and the bigger questions about what could come next. “The way that Boris Johnson has diminished the office, if he left in the next few months he would go down in the bottom quartile of PMs.” - IAIN DALE “Calling it operation ‘save big dog’ also invites other names like ‘Dead Dog’ or ‘Dog’s Dinner’.” - IAIN DALE “Number 10 in particular, the tone is really set by the Prime Minister.” - ALEX THOMAS “It is going to come down to Conservative MPs holding their leader to account. Parliament can’t do that.” - CATH HADDON “A lot of people in 2019 voted Conservative for the first time because of Boris Johnson. He’s lost their trust.” - IAIN DALE Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Boris Johnson makes an uncharacteristic apology to the House for No.10’s lockdown garden party – but is the PM reaching for a narrow legalistic self-justification when the court of public opinion has already passed its verdict? What can the Sue Grey Report uncover about the culture of Downing Street? And will anyone carry the can for this apparent breach of the COVID rules? Our special guest in a seismic week in Westminster is the Evening Standard’s political editor David Bond. “The mood in PMQs was absolutely extraordinary… We saw a very different Boris Johnson from the one we’ve become use to. He looked broken.” – DAVID BOND “It’s not just legal jeopardy that Johnson is in. Has he lied to the House?” – HANNAH WHITE “Compared to the massive support you usually see for the Prime Minister at PMQs this was a very, very different spectacle.” – DAVID BOND “There’s a wide expectation that Sue Grey will be able to pass judgment on the Prime Minister – but that’s not actually her job.” – TIM DURRANT “There is nothing in Boris Johnson’s past which suggests he is going to be a crusader for tougher rules…” – DAVID BOND Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Tim Durrant and Hannah White. 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

As 2022 kicks off with rising inflation, soaring energy bills and taxes set to increase, what sort of state is Britain’s economy in - and how bad are things for the Government? Another issue is levelling up, is it the answer to the Number 10’s problems? And as Liz Truss takes over the Brexit reigns, how will she be different to Lord Frost? The FT’s Economics Editor CHRIS GILES joins us this week. “Inflation means a lot of things for this Government, none of them good.” - GILES WILKES “Inflation is every bit as dangerous for Governments as unemployment because it’s so broad-based.” - GILES WILKES “The promise of higher wages is going to look a little thin.” - CHRIS GILES “This government has demonstrated a desire to loosen the purse-strings when it comes to public services, that means higher taxes.” - GEMMA TETLOW “Departments do seem to have an incentive in delivering levelling-up, but it’s not entirely clear what it is.” - GEMMA TETLOW “The most immediate issue in Liz Truss’s in-tray is the Northern Ireland protocol.” - JOE MARSHALL Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Gemma Tetlow, Giles Wilkes and Joe Marshall. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We look back on a tumultuous year in politics, from the Owen Paterson debacle to the endless Christmas party scandals, from the shame of Afghanistan to Lord Frost melting away. Has Boris Johnson’s approach of muddling through at the last minute run out of road? And will he try to reassert control by amping up conflict with the EU? Plus what’s coming in 2022, from the Levelling Up White Paper, to elections across the UK and especially Northern Ireland, to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. “In a matter of weeks Boris Johnson went from looking like nothing could stop him to a journalist asking if everything was OK.” – CATH HADDON “I wonder if the Christmas party stories would have been so big if the narrative hadn’t already started to move against Johnson.” – ALEX THOMAS “Johnson has clearly alienated a huge tranche of his backbenchers… Johnson looks like a prisoner of his own party.” – JILL RUTTER “This is the end for the moment of the Johnson playbook of ‘never apologise, never explain’.” – ALEX THOMAS “We’ve seen repeated questioning of No.10’s ability to handle crises – or just escalated them and make them worse than they ever were.” – CATH HADDON “If Johnson keeps asking his backbenchers to vote for things he himself then fails to support, that creates real focused anger on the backbenches.” – ALEX THOMAS Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon, Jill Rutter and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve all had quite enough reality for another year. So the IfG podcast team escape back into the worlds of fiction and fantasy to discover what they can teach us about governing. Which power struggle at the heart of Succession has echoes of the government’s attitude to Parliament? Does the idyllic world of Peppa Pig offer a template for modern government? And when does James Bond find the time to do all his necessary paperwork and deal with HR? Patrick Kidd, the Times’ diary writer, joins Inside Briefing for this special Christmas episode. Presented by Cath Haddon with Gavin Freeguard, Alice Lilly and Patrick Kidd. Audio production by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A seismic North Shropshire by-election result rocks the Johnson government, handing a seat that’s been almost exclusively Conservative for 200 years to the Lib Dems. Can the Prime Minister put an end to his scandals and self-inflicted troubles – or are we looking at the beginning of the end for Boris Johnson? Plus, scientific advice from Chris Whitty and SAGE falls out of sync with No.10’s messaging. Is the Government really at war with its scientists? And if Plan B was so hard to get through, what are the chances for Plan C? Our special guest is JACK BLANCHARD of Politico. “There’s no two ways about it. Boris Johnson took a hell of a kicking last night.” – JACK BLANCHARD “What’s most worrying for the Tories is the ghost of the mid-90s when voters got a taste for finding ways to vote them out.” – GILES WILKES “The party story has cut through like nothing since Barnard Castle.” – JACK BLANCHARD “It doesn’t feel like Boris Johnson can get through the next few months without putting his foot in it… and getting into a Gordon Brown Death Spiral.” – JACK BLANCHARD Presented by Hannah White with Cath Haddon and Giles Wilkes. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a week of denying that any party took place at Downing Street last Christmas, Boris Johnson has asked Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to investigate. We discuss the row, the response, and what comes next. In the midst of all of this, the PM announced Plan B Covid measures for England. What do they mean in practice? And in other developments, a Foreign Office whistleblower testified about the ‘chaotic’ Afghanistan withdrawal this summer. We look at the fall-out. Laura Hughes, Diplomatic and Political correspondent for The Financial Times, is our guest this week. “The constant denials of this party encouraged journalists to keep digging. Now it’s completely out of control for the PM.” - LAURA HUGHES “The attempted cover-up is as bad as the crime. This suggestion by Labour that the public have been take for fools does stand.” - LAURA HUGHES “It beggars belief that Johnson didn’t have a conversation in the last week where he asked ‘Was there a party? What’s my line?’.” - CATH HADDON “Allegra Stratton’s resignation has evoked quite a lot of sympathy for her from the public, but her position was untenable.” - JILL RUTTER “If I was a cynical journalist, announcing a huge raft of new COVID measures might be a diversion tactic from rumours of parties in Number 10.” - LAURA HUGHES “This line of ‘don’t go to work but have a Christmas party’ doesn’t make sense.” - CATH HADDON Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon and Jill Rutter. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Angela Rayner stood up to set out her vision for restoring trust in public life, news broke that Keir Starmer had started to reshuffle his team. Was it a conspiracy, a cock-up, or something in-between? ELENI COUREA, political reporter at The Times who broke the reshuffle story, joins to discuss Labour’s internal politics, and the new-look Shadow Cabinet. And, the new strain of COVID is here. Will Omicron result in another cancelled Christmas, or will the measures brought in be enough to save the festive season? “Angela Rayner’s team were convinced Starmer wanted to overshadow her speech, but the leader’s office have denied this.” - ELENI COUREA “Many Labour MPs do have close links with Blair and Brown, so referring to the factions isn’t inaccurate.” - ELENI COUREA “The Government are suffering because they don’t have a clear decision making framework.” - ALEX THOMAS “The Conservative Party is united in not wanting to impose any domestic restrictions.” - ELENI COUREA “The common sense message has become lost because different people are saying different things.” - ALEX THOMAS Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Prime Minister’s speech to the CBI, in which he enthused about Peppa Pig and lost his place for 20 excruciating seconds, has caused concern in Government. Is all ok inside Number 10, or was this just the PM being himself? It’s not all plain sailing in the Commons either, as the Government suffered a big rebellion over plans to reform social care, and the row over standards in public life continues. Our special guest ROBERT SHRIMSLEY, Chief Political Commentator at the FT, joins us to discuss. “The problem is, this is the Prime Minister. He thrives on this chaotic approach and he has always relied on it.” - ROBERT SHRIMSLEY “The vaccine task force did well, but when you have money and momentum behind you that task becomes easier.” - ALEX THOMAS “Those who will benefit the most from social care plan are those with the most expensive houses, inevitably in the South.” - ROBERT SHRIMSLEY “The whips need to get a handle on this because the more MPs get a taste of rebellion, the more likely it is to happen.” - HANNAH WHITE “Johnson was elected as good-time premier, but COVID has wrecked the finances.” - ROBERT SHRIMSLEY Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Hannah White, Alex Thomas and Graham Atkins. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Boris Johnson struggles to shake off questions about standards and MPs’ second jobs, what’s the latest in the never-ending row gripping Westminster? Also how did the Government scramble supplies of PPE during the pandemic peak? The data has been released so we take a closer look. And John Swinney, Deputy First Minister of Scotland gave a talk at the IFG, and he didn’t hold back. Our special guest is HENRY DYER, politics reporter for Business Insider, specialising in political financing, appointments and data-driven investigations. “We all lose when people don’t have faith in Parliament as an institution” - ALICE LILLEY “The UK’s stockpile of PPE was much too small, we hadn’t prepared for this” - TOM SASSE “According to John Swinney, the Government is undermining devolution” - AKASH PAUN “A lot of MPs currently in jobs are thinking ‘am I going to be able continuing doing these jobs or not?’” - HANNAH WHITE Presented by Tim Durrant with Hannah White, Alice Lilley, Tom Sasse and Akash Paun. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Owen Paterson mess unspools to expose Geoffrey Cox’s novel approach to working from home and much more, has the Government set off a multi-polar controversy it can’t control? Did Boris Johnson do himself any favours by refusing to face the Commons in contrition? And how does it play outside Westminster when someone on £80,000 a year claims they needs a second or third job? Our special guest is ROB HUTTON, veteran lobby journalist and now sketchwriter at The Critic. • “What did I make of last week in Parliament? It was objectively hilarious.” – ROB HUTTON • “Rees-Mogg and Mark Spencer had to sit silently on the benches and take their punishment – and that was quite the sight.” – CATH HADDON • “It’s not important to say you’re not a corrupt country. It’s important not to HAVE to say you’re not a corrupt country…” – ROB HUTTON • “If MPs like Geoffrey Cox have time to do all this extra work, why don’t they spend it trying to improve Parliament?” – CATH HADDON • “The fact that Geoffrey Cox had massive outside jobs was known ten days ago and it wasn’t news back then. It is now.” – ROB HUTTON Presented by Hannah White with Cath Haddon and Tim Durrant. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a series of unforced errors, the Government first whips its MPs to rescind the suspension of OWEN PATERSON MP for lobbying and rethink the entire Commons standards process… then suffers a rebellion and a roasting in the press… and then reverses their decision entirely. How damaging is this episode? And is there a case for reforming the system? Plus, we hear the latest on COP26 from RICHARD BLACK, senior associate of climate change non-profit the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, who’s on the spot in Glasgow. • “Yes, there is a case to be made for reforming the standards process, but not when you’re investigating a former Cabinet Minister.” – JILL RUTTER • “If you have a PM who is willing to use his political capital to protect someone who has broken the rules, there is no recourse in our system” – TIM DURRANT • “Upending a whole system to protect one of your own laid the Government open to charges that it would just protect its friends.”– JILL RUTTER • “If the country is going to become carbon neutral then the countryside is going to have to become carbon negative” – RICHARD BLACK Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Tom Sasse, Jill Rutter and Tim Durrant. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On 27 October, Rishi Sunak presented his third budget and the first multiyear spending review since 2015. Now the dust has settled, what did we learn? Why was the fiscal windfall so large? How did the chancellor choose to spend it? Was there evidence of a Brexit dividend? Did the spending review settlements meet the needs of public services? Can government become more productive to achieve much more with only a bit more money? Our special guest for this special edition was Chris Francis, government affairs director for SAP. This special Budget edition comes with welcome support from SAP. Find out more at www.sap.com/uk Audio Production by Candice McKenzie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fuelled by a Twix and a can of Sprite, Chancellor Rishi Sunak finally set out his budget and multi-year spending review on Wednesday, we take a look at his plans will mean for Britain’s economy. Also, COVID hasn’t gone away, but what would the introduction of plan B look like? Is the public ready for it? And COP26 begins at the weekend. MO HUSSEIN, former advisor to Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd joins to tell us what these conferences are really like, and what needs to happen to make the event a success for both Britain and the world. * “The rhetoric of the budget speech didn’t match up to the forecasts.” - GEMMA TETLOW * “When Sunak receives bad news, he raises taxes. When he gets good news, he raises spending.” - GEMMA TETLOW * “It was noticeable how little ‘net-zero’ was mentioned in the budget, especially with COP26 next week.” - ROSA HODGKIN * “The Conservatives are matching, even outdoing Labour on spending in some areas.” - MO HUSSEIN * “Lots of geopolitics happens at COP summits, countries need to cut through that.” - MO HUSSEIN * “Failure would look like coming out COP26 with the same climate targets as we have now.” - ROSA HODGKIN Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Gemma Tetlow and Rosa Hodgkin of the IfG. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s Budget is Rishi Sunak’s third – but the first he’s undertaken outside of firefighting mode. What can we expect? Will Sunak be able to finally put some meat on the bare bones of levelling up? How much room to manoeuvre does he have in the midst of crises on the cost of living, staffing and productivity? And what should he do for small business? Our special guests for this special edition are SONIA KHAN, former special advisor to Sajid Javid; and CRAIG BEAUMONT from the Federation of Small Businesses. This budget preview edition is supported by the Federation of Small Businesses. Find out more at www.fsb.org.uk * “Even if we get back to a pre-pandemic economy, that wasn’t so rosy… Unless we get a step change in productivity it’s not going to feel like the Roaring Twenties.” – TOM POPE * “When Chancellors deliver growth or investment, it’s often the Chancellor after them that reaps the credit.” – SONIA KHAN * “Small businesses have had a torrid 18 months and they’re expecting a torrid autumn-winter… We’ve lost over 400,000 small businesses.” – CRAIG BEAUMONT * “We’re seeing Sunak shake off his Mr Nice Guy image… We’re seeing the start of the definition of what he’s about.” – SONIA KHAN * “The economy is smaller than it was for small businesses and the recovery looks like it’s running out of steam.” – GRAHAM ATKINS Presented by Gemma Tetlow with Tom Pope of the IfG. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The murder of Sir David Amess MP has shocked the political world deeply. With the threat level to MPs now assessed as “significant”, how will this terrible event affect the face-to-face contact with parliamentarians that British democracy depends upon? Plus, are the Government’s voluminous climate change plans in shape for Boris Johnson’s big moment at COP26? As energy prices soar, has the Government got its Net Zero tax sums rights? Tim Ross, executive editor (politics) of the New Statesman, is our special guest. “The mood in Westminster is incredibly sad… David Amess and also James Brokenshire were two of the nicest and kindest MPs.” – Tim Ross “If leaders want the public to treat MPs with respect, it needs to start from the top. We can’t have Prime Ministers bashing Parliamentarians.” – Jill Rutter “What is driving this aggressive culture? There is a profound cynicism about Parliament – but most parliamentarians are decent people who are trying to help.” – Alice Lilly “I question whether the country cares enough about its democracy. Do we care enough to protect our MPs?" – Tim Ross “You can’t spin shortages on the shelves as a brilliant idea.” – Giles Wilkes Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alice Lilly, Jill Rutter and Giles Wilkes. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the EU produces sweeping new proposals on previous red-line issues, can the Government really rewrite the Northern Ireland Protocol to everyone’s satisfaction? If Britain always intended to sign now and ditch it later, what will that do future relations with the EU? Plus, we read every page of the Coronavirus: Lessons Learned report to tease out what really matters. Adam Payne of politicshome.com is our guest. “Will Johnson ever be able to say that Brexit is done? It’s more a case of, will he ever WANT to say that Brexit is done?” – Jill Rutter “Any future COVID inquiry will inevitably be hugely damaging to the Conservative brand – but this report is not going to damage this particular government.” – Adam Payne “It’s amazing that a report covering perhaps the biggest public health failure ever is a one-day news story.” – Jill Rutter “From the COVID report there’s perhaps too much emphasis on the advice and not enough on the political decision-making.” – Tom Sasse Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Joe Marshall, Jill Rutter and Tom Sasse. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Boris Johnson used his conference speech to promise higher wages, productivity and economic growth. But against a backdrop of petrol shortages, empty shelves and a mass cull of healthy pigs, is he really leading an economic revolution akin to Thatcher’s? And the fallout from Germany’s federal election continues. Berlin-based author and commentator John Kampfner joins us to discuss who will form the next government, and the issues that could define Europe’s biggest power in the years ahead. “Johnson’s speech did the job for the party, but it felt incongruent with events happening elsewhere.” - Alex Thomas “If you look at the state of Britain, Labour should be on a roll, but Johnson carries the floor with unbridled optimism.” - John Kampfner “It wasn’t an anti-business conference, but there was a different attitude towards the state from previous years.” - Gemma Tetlow “Germany shows us that levelling-up is a vast, national project” - Alex Thomas Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alex Thomas and Gemma Tetlow. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a bruising Brighton conference, has Keir Starmer strengthened his position as Labour leader? And did Rachel Reeves do enough to convince Britain that Labour can be trusted on the economy, green issues and value for public money? Our special guest, the Daily Mirror’s senior political correspondent Rachel Wearmouth, helps us to rate Starmer’s relaunch. Plus, what can we learn from a good old-fashioned fuel crisis? “The key job at a Labour conference is to look like you’re in control of the madness that is the world of Labour.” – Rachel Wearmouth “Troops on the street isn’t a good look – but the impression of things being done urgently in a crisis IS a good look.” – Alex Thomas “Conservative MPs have told me that if they lose the motorists, they lose the next election.” – Rachel Wearmouth “40,000 HGV drivers have left the UK in the last year - and most of them haven’t come back.” – Gemma Tetlow Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Gemma Tetlow and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Levelling-up” was one of the key Conservative manifesto pledges at the last election, and now it even has its own government department and minister, but what exactly does it mean? A new IFG paper takes a look what the Government has been saying on the subject, and the spending promises made so far. Plus, next week sees the expiration of the £20 Universal Credit uplift, but how much pressure is chancellor Rishi Sunak under? And what should we expect from Keir Starmer’s first conference as Labour leader? The I’s deputy political editor Arj Singh joins us on today’s show. “Experts compare levelling-up to the difference between East and West Germany, which took decades” - Arj Singh “The Government are gearing up for the next election to be fought on levelling-up” - Cath Haddon “A big question is how much are we going to level-up politically with local government and city mayors?” - Cath Haddon “The problem for the Government is that they made a big increase in benefits, they now look like they’re trying to make a big cut” - Nick Timmins “This Universal Credit cut hits the areas the Government wants to level-up hardest” - Arj Singh “Keir Starmer does need to put some meat on the bones of his offer or the public will stop listening to him” - Arj Singh “Angela Rayner is positioning herself to take advantage of any slip ups from Starmer” - Arj Singh Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon, Eleanor Shearer and Nick Timmins. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Boris Johnson’s long awaited cabinet reshuffle finally took place, who were the winners and losers from a day of drama in Whitehall? The Daily Telegraph’s Political Editor Ben Riley-Smith joins to take a look at the ministerial movements, and what effect they will have on government and policymaking. And in another prime-ministerial pick, William Shawcross looks set to become Commissioner of Public Appointments. We take a look at the role, and the person who the PM wants to fill it. “Downing Street sees this period as a pivot point, away from COVID and towards delivering on their manifesto” - Ben Riley-Smith “This was about Johnson reshuffling the team that were loyal to him, rather than promoting rising stars” - Cath Haddon “Michael Gove has been the PM’s problem solver in the cabinet, taking on issues like the Union and Brexit planning” - Ben Riley-Smith “Deputy Prime Minister is a great title for Dominic Raab, but whether or not Johnson deputises to him is another matter” - Cath Haddon “Liz Truss has held Cabinet posts under three different Prime Ministers, it’s been a remarkable rise” - Ben Riley-Smith Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon, Tom Pope and Matthew Gill. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parliament only returned on Monday, but is Boris Johnson already in trouble after his rise in National Insurance threatens to hit the working age young hardest? Conservative commentator Tim Montgomerie joins us to look at the Prime Minister’s internal party problems, and ask if his social care plans add up. Plus, the Autumn Budget takes place next month, but with Government spending rising, does Rishi Sunak face a difficult few weeks of saying “no”? And has COVID provided a cover for the Government to evade scrutiny? Alice Lilley explains a new IFG report. “It’s been a very bad week to be a Conservative. There will be a political backlash” - Tim Montgomerie “The Government has lost control of spending, and I don’t see a strategy from them to be fiscally responsible” - Tim Montgomerie “The promise not to raise taxes was always going to be hard to keep. Coronavirus has made that even more difficult” - Gemma Tetlow “The Government might have the votes in the Commons, but it’s losing the support of the Parliamentary party” - Tim Montgomerie “The Conservative party is going through an identity crisis. It’s becoming the party for the older voter” - Tim Montgomerie Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alice Lilley, Gemma Tetlow and Graham Atkins. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Western intervention in Afghanistan has petered out in ignominy. Who will carry the can for Britain’s biggest foreign policy disaster in half a century? As the Foreign Office and MoD squabble, is Dominic Raab telling the truth when he blames military intelligence for this fiasco? And what does an introverted America mean for NATO and the security of the West? We look at the fallout with special guests Dan Sabbagh, The Guardian’s Defence and Security Editor, and Lucy Fisher, Deputy Political Editor at the Daily Telegraph and former Defence Editor at the Times. “The West is completely shellshocked by America’s decision to withdraw on its own timetable… This has huge repercussions for NATO which is already hanging by a thread.” – Lucy Fisher “If Britain had decided to commit more troops as America leaves, would the British people really have gone for it?” – Dan Sabbagh “The raw intelligence was absolutely correct, that the Taliban would be fast and ruthless But as it went up the food chain it went wildly wrong.” – Lucy Fisher “There are two ways the intelligence could have got diluted. One is overt politicisation, the other is treating it as TOO authoritative.” – Alex Thomas “My jaw was on the floor when I read that Raab and his senior team had not made a single call to the Afghan or Pakistani foreign ministries in six months.” – Lucy Fisher “There’s a clear winner here – Ben Wallace and the MoD – and a clear loser, Dominic Raab and the Foreign Office.” – Dan Sabbagh Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This edition recorded before the emergency of Afghanistan. What is it like running the country over the Summer recess in normal times? Should certain Foreign Secretaries take account of the idea that a wise Minister never, ever goes on holiday? What happens when Foot And Mouth, floods, a sudden General Election or a pandemic blows up? What did our poor political reporters do for material? And did Blair and Cameron really share a Single Transferable Shirt for the obligatory holiday photo op? The IfG’s Alex Thomas explores the sandpits and riptides of summer governing with former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, David Cameron’s former Chief of Staff Kate Fall, Sam Coates of Sky News, and Steve Richards, host of the Rock’n’Roll Politics podcast and author of The Prime Ministers: Reflections on Leadership from Wilson to May. “Is it nice when the boss is away? Depends on the boss…” – Jacqui Smith “Quite a lot of the time ministers are miserable and neurotic… August gives them presentiments of the tense September ahead.” – Steve Richards “During the summer the media team is cut in half, but you’re still expected to fill an entire newspaper…” – Sam Coates “If you’ve got any sense as a shadow minister, you save a few choice questions to hit ministers with when the news agenda is empty.” – Jacqui Smith “Decision-making requires a hyperactive Prime Minister… You need their physical presence more than a Zoom from their holiday hideaway.” – Steve Richards Presented by Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The recall of Parliament in the wake of Afghanistan’s catastrophic collapse produced one of the most passionate days the Commons has seen in many years – and a punishing experience for Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab. What will this week mean for Britain in the world and especially the Integrated Defence Review? We look at the fallout in Westminster from an historic week, with special guest Peter Ricketts, the UK’s first National Security Adviser, former Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Office and ex-Permanent Representative to NATO. “The raw passion and power was back in the Commons… It showed that the mood of the House can sway with just a few powerful speeches.” – Peter Ricketts “There’s a pretty unedifying spat breaking out between the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence – and that is doing nobody any good.” – Alex Thomas “This was a very sharp reminder that we are a middling power and when the big decisions are made in Washington, we have to go along with it.” – Peter Ricketts “Global Britain was always a slogan without a strategy. And now it’s caught up with the Government.” – Peter Ricketts Presented by Tim Durrant with Alice Lilley and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Prime Ministerial careers tend to end abruptly and in tears. So what does an ex-PM do next? Are today’s Prime Ministers too young to fade away gracefully? Should they avoid lobbying jobs? And when it comes to backbench politics, should they stay or should they go? The IfG’s Tim Durrant discusses the mystery of the Prime Ministerial afterlife (and the lure of the comeback) with ex-Justice Secretary David Gauke, Politico’s senior political correspondent Esther Webber, Engage Britain’s Director of Advocacy and former Times political editor Francis Elliot, and the IfG’s Catherine Haddon. “The end of your Prime Ministership can come suddenly and unexpectedly… It’s quite hard to see what you’re going to do.” – David Gauke “PMs tend to be younger now and they’re less likely to want to fade into obscurity – which going to the Lords would achieve quite easily.” – Esther Webber “Moments of maximum crisis like COVID are exactly when ex-PMs miss the office most.” – Francis Elliott “It’s an absorbing job, it consumes all your waking hours and it’s utterly fascinating. You’ve got status and international connections. For that to end is a wrench.” – David Gauke Presented by Tim Durrant. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Boris Johnson notches up two years in No.10, are we any closer to understanding what drives him? Is there such thing as an ideology in Boris’s world – a Johnsonism? Do Prime Ministers even need a guiding philosophy? To plumb the Johnson mystery, we assemble a star panel of Times columnist Matthew Parris, The Spectator’s Isabel Hardman and Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University. “We’ve already seen the real Boris Johnson. He’ll do and say anything to maintain his position.” – Matthew Parris “Johnson is a chameleon. He doesn’t like sitting in a tribe and he doesn’t have friends.” – Isabel Hardman “The lack of censoriousness is where Johnson connects with traditional Toryism, and you can take it all the way back to Cavaliers and Roundheads.” – Tim Bale “Leaders don’t need ideology, they just need power. Thatcherism was a bit of a mirage…” – Matthew Parris Presented by Catherine Haddon. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Parliament breaks up, how will the Government look back on this unique and turbulent term? As Boris Johnson tries to reset his leadership after some missteps and missed opportunities, what are the post-pandemic problems he needs to fix? Two years in, his policy platform has still to take shape, so how long has the Prime Minister got? An IfG panel gets out its red pen to give marks to Johnson: Year Two. “Looking back, it’s quite hard to remember how grim January and February were.” – Joe Marshall “The excuse that ‘we just need to get on and deal with the virus’ just isn’t there anymore.” – Hannah White “Politics is going to unfreeze in the autumn, and a lot of difficult debates are going to re-emerge.” – Alex Thomas Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Hannah White, Alex Thomas, Tom Pope and Joe Marshall. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Freedom Week, a Pingdemic Party, or just a temporary holiday from restrictions that will inevitably come back in autumn? Does the Government really know what it’s doing on unlocking? Plus, who did Dominic Cummings’s latest drive-by really damage: Boris Johnson or Cummings himself? And as the rise of NEDs or Non-Executive Directors is made public by the unfortunate Gina Coladangelo, do they really add value to Government, or just more cronyism? “People watching Cummings just think, We elected the Prime Minister, not you, mate.” – Jill Rutter “Being cautious at the same time as celebrating Freedom Day just doesn’t stack up.” – Alex Thomas “There's a huge difference between what you're advised to do, and what you're required to do.” – Jill Rutter Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Jill Rutter, Alex Thomas. Matthew Gill and Tom Sasse. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Boris Johnson finally tells us what “levelling up” means – or does he? Is it about fixing up towns, enhancing job prospects or just more Boris boosterism? We look inside the PM’s big Levelling Up launch with special guest Ben Chu, Economics Editor of BBC Newsnight. Plus the Government narrowly wins its widely-denounced bid to cut the International Aid Budget. Will voters care that Johnson has broken a key manifesto promise? And a new report the Commission For Smart Government says government must reform urgently or fail. Is it right? “Even after this speech we’re still not quite clear what levelling up means.” – Gemma Tetlow “If your levelling up has a redistributive element then it’s got to be paid for. Whatever Johnson says, that means the more prosperous parts of the country.” – Ben Chu “Johnson did seem to address his appeal for ideas from local leaders only to Conservative authorities, not Labour areas…” – Alex Thomas Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alex Thomas and Gemma Tetlow. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Government’s rationale for unlocking aggressively is that the vaccine has broken the link between COVID infections and deaths. Is it a gamble, a sensible move or just a victory for the Cabinet’s Economic hawks? We ask special guest John Rentoul, chief political commentator of the Independent. Plus, how much substance is there to the Government’s ‘Green Recovery’ programme? And with England in the Euro 2020 final, does sporting success really give Governments a bounce? “The ‘irreversible’ aspect doesn’t matter. People are quite used to Boris Johnson reversing on anything and everything.” – John Rentoul “We’re now experiencing a major outbreak of infections. The question is how is the Government going to ride the exit wave?” – Tom Sasse “Footballers used to be of interest only for their wives and girlfriends. Now they’re sympathetic tribunes of the people. It’s extraordinary.” – John Rentoul Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alex Thomas, Tom Sasse and Rosa Hodgkin. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What have we learned from the Hancock Affair and the messy defenestration of the former Health Secretary? In a murky world of ‘non-executive directors like Gina Coladangelo, what on earth is “NED-washing”? And the much-battered Ministerial Code is back in focus. We hear from special guest Paul Harrison, former No.10 spokesman and former Health Dept advisor. Plus, what’s in new Health Sec Sajid Javid’s in-tray? “If you’re appointing your mates then you’re probably not bringing in the best people.” – Alex Thomas “The system of regulation ministerial conduct is kind of mad and medieval… The PM decides if you’ve broken the Code, and that’s often subjective.” – Paul Harrison “It sounds like Gina Coladangelo’s role was to advise Matt Hancock personally – which is not what a non-executive director is supposed to do.” – Cath Haddon “The extent of the outcry on Hancock is actually quite encouraging, because it shows how little corruption actually happens.” – Paul Harrison Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon, Alex Thomas and Graham Atkins. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Britain signs its first entirely new post-Brexit trade deal, with Australia. What does it mean for British farmers? Will shoppers notice the savings of 70p per person per year? And will Brits really want to p-p-pick up a Tim-Tam? Will Grant Shapps’ new “Great British Railways” fix the mess of Britain’s trains? Plus, how does Michael Gove plan to transform government – and what is “accountability fudge”? • “In Australia there’s a sense that the deal rights the historic wrong of the UK ‘abandoning’ Australia when it joined the EU.” – Sarah Nickson • “People will be relieved that the Australian deal is done – but it’s not earth-shattering.” – Matthew Gill • “The acid test of Great British Railways is, does it mean we’ll never have a timetabling fiasco again?” – Jill Rutter Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Jill Rutter, Matthew Gill, Sarah Nickson and James Kane. Audio production by Robin Leeburm. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices