Institute for Government

Productivity in public services has never been more important. Most services are struggling to return to pre-pandemic performance levels, and the new Labour government have indicated that spending will remain tight. Improvements in performance will likely come from frontline workers finding new, innovative ways of delivering services. So what can be done to improve productivity? By highlighting outstanding examples of innovation across public services, Productivity Pitches, a series of events hosted by the IfG, aims to share and support ways to improve performance levels. This event was the fourth in the series and focused on local government. Each speaker had 10 minutes to present their innovation, followed by 10 minutes of audience questions. The chair and a guest from the Productivity Institute – who are kindly supporting this event series – then brought together the common themes from the pitches and discussed the lessons for improving productivity. The speakers for this edition of Productivity Pitches were: Gill Wilson and Tim Pearse, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, on joining up previously disparate datasets across the local authority to better understand the needs of their residents and forecast demand for their services. This allows them to support residents at an earlier stage and making the best use of scarce council resources. Vicky Schofield and Cheryl Whitehouse, Wakefield Council children's services, on the council providing residential care and improving outcomes for care leavers. With the cost of commissioning children’s residential care with private providers increasing rapidly, Wakefield decided to operate and run its own children’s homes, with more stable staffing and fewer restrictions than traditional children’s homes. As a result, the cost of providing care has dropped dramatically and children have far better outcomes. Cllr Bridget Smith, South Cambridgeshire Council, on the outcomes of shifting to a four-day working week. The Covid-19 pandemic led to the council changing the way that it worked, making better use of technology, flexible and home working. As a result, council employees now complete 100% of their work in 80% of the time. An independent evaluation of the reforms found that the council was performing better on 22 of 24 metrics, including a large drop in turnover and reduced use of expensive agency staff. The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Andy Westwood, Professor of Public Policy, Government and Business at The University of Manchester joined the discussion of common themes. Follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @IfGEvents or on Bluesky @instituteforgov.bsky.social, and join the conversation using #ProductivityPitches Productivity Pitches is kindly supported by The Productivity Institute.

The government has promised to restore the target to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030. The zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate also requires that 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain will have to be zero emission by 2030. However, car makers have expressed concerns about their ability to hit these targets without further support, and the sale of electric vehicles (EVs) is lagging behind the government target. So what are the barriers to EV uptake? Charging infrastructure is one reason consumers hesitate to make the switch, with a lack of on-street charging, bottlenecks with motorway charging, as well as concerns about price differential and different rates of VAT for on- and off-street parking. More also needs to be done to ensure the electricity network can cope with demand, and that charge points can be easily and cheaply connected to the grid. So what could be done to accelerate the rollout of EV charging infrastructure? How does the new government plan to address these challenges? And where in the country are these problems most acute? To discuss these questions and more, our panel included: Lilian Greenwood MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Future of Roads) Rosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for Government Ian Howells, Executive Vice President of Honda Motor Europe Bharat Pathania, Head of New Technologies at Midlands Connect This event was chaired by Nehal Davison, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Labour’s first 100 days in power have been marked by reports of conflict, dysfunction and delay at the centre of government. Sue Gray’s short tenure as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff has come to an end, with the prime minister choosing to reset his No.10 team just months after Labour won the general election. What reforms are needed to radically improve the centre of UK government? What does Morgan McSweeney – Starmer’s new chief of staff – need to do to make No.10 work for the prime minister and deliver for the country? What lessons should Starmer take from the way former PMs ran their centres of government – and from those who tried to reset their No.10? To answer these questions and more were: Tom Baldwin, author of Keir Starmer: The Biography and Labour’s Director of Communications (2010–15) Theo Bertram, Director of the Social Market Foundation and a former Special Adviser in No.10 Henry Newman, former Special Adviser at the Cabinet Office and in No.10 Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government and Chair of the Commission on the Centre of Government The panel was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

Reports of dysfunction and unhappiness at the centre of government have led to Sue Gray’s departure as the prime minister’s chief of staff. In an effort to reset his top team, Keir Starmer has replaced Gray with Morgan McSweeney, and has also made a number of other key appointments to his No.10 operation. So what does this restructuring tell us about how Starmer wants to run his centre of government? What lessons should be taken from the difficulties – and disagreements – at the centre that have hindered Labour’s first 100 days in power? And what else needs to change to ensure No.10, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury deliver for the prime minister? The IfG’s final report of the Commission on the Centre of Government examined why the centre has failed successive prime ministers – and the early experiences of Keir Starmer’s administration have underlined, yet again, the urgent need to implement the Centre Commission’s seven recommendations for radical reform to create strengthened, united political leadership at the heart of government. This webinar explored Gray’s exit, assess Starmer’s reset, and discuss the IfG’s recommendations for reform. Our expert panel included: Sam Freedman, Author of Failed State and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Kate Bell, Assistant General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress Alwin Magimay, Global Head of AI at PA Consulting Gaia Marcus, Director of the Ada Lovelace Institute Gordon McKee MP, Member of Parliament for Glasgow South This event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with PA Consulting.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Katy Balls, Deputy Political Editor at The Spectator Daniel Bruce, Chief Executive of Transparency International UK Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Joe Powell MP, Chair of APPG on Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax and Member of Parliament for Kensington and Bayswater This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Transparency International UK.

This event was held at the Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham. Speakers: Andrew Griffith MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Professor Nigel Brandon OBE, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Professor of Sustainable Development in Energy at Imperial College London Rain Newton-Smith, Chief Executive of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Imperial College London.

This event was held at the Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham. Speakers: Councillor Anne Handley, Leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at The University of Manchester Councillor Tim Oliver OBE, Leader of Surrey County Council and Chairman of the County Councils Network Laura Shoaf, Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Policy@Manchester.

This event was held at the Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham. Speakers: Steve Brine, former Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee Polly Curtis, Chief Executive of Demos Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Sam Rowlands MS, Welsh Shadow Minister for Health This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.

This event was held at the Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham. Speakers: Baroness Neville-Rolfe, former Cabinet Office and Treasury minister Dan Butler, Head of Government Affairs at Google Cloud UK Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Professor Mark Thompson, Professor of Digital Economy at the University of Exeter This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Google Cloud UK and the University of Exeter.

This event was held at the Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham. Speakers: Rt Hon Damian Green, former First Secretary of State and Minister for the Cabinet Office Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Joe Twyman, Co-Founder and Director of Deltapoll Henry Newman, former Special Adviser at No10 and the Cabinet Office This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

This event was held at the Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham. Speakers: Rt Hon John Glen MP, Shadow Paymaster General The Lord Norton of Louth, Conservative Peer and Professor of Government at the University of Hull Kartina Tahir Thomson, President of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

This event was held at the 2024 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham. Speakers: Rt Hon Claire Coutinho MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Sam Hall, Director of the Conservative Environment Network Rosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for Government Professor Karl Whittle, Professor of Zero Carbon and Nuclear Energy at the University of Liverpool This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with The Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place, University of Liverpool.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Mete Coban MBE, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy at Greater London Authority Clem Cowton, Director of External Affairs at Octopus Energy Ed Cox, Executive Director for Strategy, Economy & Net Zero at West Midlands Combined Authority Rosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for Government Professor Karl Whittle, Professor of Zero Carbon and Nuclear Energy at the University of Liverpool This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with The Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place, University of Liverpool.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Josh Simons MP, Member of Parliament for Makerfield and former Director of Labour Together Clare Moriarty, former Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Kartina Tahir Thomson, President of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Jim McMahon MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) Kim McGuinness, Mayor of the North East Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at The University of Manchester Jen Williams, Northern England Correspondent at the Financial Times This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Policy@Manchester.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Georgia Gould MP, Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office) Dan Butler, Head of Government Affairs at Google Cloud UK Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Professor Mark Thompson, Professor of Digital Economy at the University of Exeter This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Google Cloud UK and the University of Exeter.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Andrew Gwynne MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care) Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Dr Jennifer Dixon DBE, Chief Executive of The Health Foundation Paul Kissack, Group Chief Executive of Joseph Rowntree Foundation This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with The Health Foundation.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Lord Patrick Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation Peter Foster, Public Policy Editor at the Financial Times Professor Mary Ryan, Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) at Imperial College London Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Imperial College London.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Treasury Select Committee Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Tom Sasse, Britain Public Policy Editor at The Economist Moira Wallace, former Permanent Secretary This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with the Association for Project Management.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Rt Hon Darren Jones MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research and the REAL Centre (Research and Economic Analysis for the Long term) at the Health Foundation Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Phillip Woolley, Partner at Grant Thornton UK LLP This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Grant Thornton UK LLP.

With Labour seeking to reassert its credentials around upholding public standards - and avoid standards issues distracting from its wider agenda for government – a significant reset is required. This event explored how key reforms such as the creation of the long-promised Ethics and Integrity Commission and establishment of the Modernisation Committee will work and what else needs to be done to restore trust in politics. Speakers: Rt Hon Lucy Powell MP, Leader of the House of Commons Stephen Bush, Associate Editor and Columnist at the Financial Times Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Duncan Hames, Director of Policy and Programmes at Transparency International UK Dr Susan Hawley, Executive Director of Spotlight on Corruption This event will be chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government. This event is in partnership with Spotlight on Corruption, Transparency International UK, and the UK Anti-Corruption Coalition.

The UK’s productivity record since the financial crisis has been dismal. In the long term, the country cannot become more prosperous and afford the public services it needs without reversing this trend. The new Labour government has committed to boosting growth as one of its five missions for government and set out its intention to put industrial strategy at the heart of its policy making. But how can industrial strategy help to restore productivity growth? This event explored the relationship between growth and industrial strategy.

Britain’s housing market is unfair. House prices are over eight times average earnings. Social housebuilding rates have sharply declined, and homelessness is high. How can the Liberal Democrats ensure the government delivers the sustainable and affordable housing Britain needs? Speakers: Lee Dillon MP, Member of Parliament for Newbury Max Wilkinson MP, Member of Parliament for Cheltenham Anna Clarke, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at The Housing Forum Sophie Metcalfe, Researcher at the Institute for Government Tristan Robinson, Director of External Affairs and Social Value at Thakeham This event was chaired by Nehal Davison, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Civil servants are already using AI for a variety of purposes, from summarising and analysing data to drafting correspondence. The new Labour government sees AI as a route to greater productivity and growth, both within government and beyond. Bringing together the themes of two private roundtables hosted by the Institute for Government in partnership with Scott Logic, this public event explored the use of AI in policy and communications, and for civil service effectiveness. How are public servants making use of AI in their work? How should government’s own use of AI inform its broader approach to AI’s development and regulation? And how can government distinguish between panic, hype and useful applications of AI and other emerging technologies? To discuss these questions and more, this event brought together an expert panel featuring: Duncan Brown, Head of Software Engineering at the Incubator for AI Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Jess McEvoy, Principal Consultant at Scott Logic Jeni Tennison, Founder and Executive Director of Connected by DataThe event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The biggest challenges UK government faces, from tackling low economic growth to addressing regional inequalities, adapting to climate change and transforming public service performance, will need to be addressed by harnessing the insight and expertise of people from outside government itself. So what can be done to bring more external expertise into the heart of government? This event explored a core conclusion of the IfG Commission on the Centre of Government – that external voices need to be more embedded in decision making in No.10, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury. The Commission's final report concluded that successive governments had failed to do enough to systemically recruit talented people from outside government and use their skills and insight. On Tuesday 10 September, we reflected on the Commission’s recommendations and discuss how to improve decision making by amplifying expert voices from outside government. The panel were: Baroness Diana Barran, former Minister for Civil Society Sir Ian Cheshire, Chair of Channel 4 and former government lead non-executive director Neil Heslop, Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation Dame Helen Stephenson, former Chief Executive of the Charity Commission for England and Wales The panel was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

The government’s approach to procurement is entering a new era. Significant reforms to the UK's post-Brexit procurement legislation, set out in the Procurement Act, will redefine how public sector organisations acquire goods, services, and human resources as new rules and opportunities emerge. So with almost £400bn a year spent on public procurement, how ready are public bodies and suppliers for the Procurement Act’s profound implications? Drawing on IfG's extensive research and analysis on government procurement and outsourcing, this event convened a panel of experts to explore the following key questions: What are the main changes that will be implemented under the new Procurement Act? How prepared are public bodies and suppliers for these changes? What impact will the changes have on procurement practice? What are the key risks and opportunities for public bodies and suppliers? We were joined by an expert panel, including: Lindsay Maguire, Deputy Director for Procurement Reform Implementation at the Cabinet Office Andy Milner, Chief Executive Officer of Amey Peter Schofield, Head of Integrated Commissioning and Procurement at Manchester City Council Laura Wisdom, Partner at Burges Salmon The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. The event is a follow-up to a previous briefing on the Procurement Bill in 2022.

Keir Starmer has appointed more than 100 ministers to his government since Labour won the general election on 4 July. Some were ministers in the last Labour government; for many this was their first time in ministerial office. So, who makes up this latest generation of government ministers? And who held office before them? The Institute for Government’s brand new Ministers Database holds information about all government ministers since 1979 – who served as a minister, in what role, and for how long. On Thursday 5 September the IfG launched the database for public use, so that everyone can benefit from this unrivalled source of information and use it in their work. So what can we learn from the IfG’s Ministers Database? Which ministerial roles have seen the most churn? How has turnover among ministers changed over time, and what does it mean for government? And how can academics, journalists and others use the IfG Ministers Database in their work? To explore these questions and more, we were joined on this webinar by an expert panel, including: Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Philip Nye, Senior Data Scientist at the Institute for Government Dr Jessica Smith, Lecturer in Politics with Quantitative Methods at the University of Edinburgh The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Release date: 5 September 2024

Spending reviews, which decide how at least half a trillion pounds of annual public spending should be allocated across different public services, are one of the most consequential processes in government. The new government has announced a new review, to conclude in Spring 2025, that will determine departmental budgets for much of the current parliament. But how should ministers choose how to prioritise for spending? Should more money be spent on roads, skills, or police? What is the best way to judge the costs and benefits of each decision? A new report from the London School of Economics, Value for Money calls for a radical change in policy making. It argues that policies should be judged using a cost-benefit analysis which includes a comprehensive valuation of their effects on wellbeing. The report argues that, judged this way, therapies for mental health and guaranteed apprenticeships give much better value for money than most new roads. To discuss this topic, we were joined by a panel, including: Professor Lord Richard Layard, Co-Director of the Community Wellbeing Programme at the Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics and co-author of Value for Money Lord Gus O’Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary Amanda Rowlatt, former Chief Economist at the Department for Transport, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and Department for Work and Pensions Conrad Smewing, Director General of Public Spending in His Majesty's Treasury and Joint-Head of the Government Finance Function The panel was chaired by Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

The chancellor has set out her audit of public spending to MPs. Revealing what she calls a multi-billion pound “black hole” in the government finances, Rachel Reeves has vowed “to fix the mess we inherited” from the Conservative government. So do these sums add up and what do they mean for public services? Should this inheritance come as a surprise to Labour and what does it mean for the party’s manifesto pledges? And what is Rachel Reeves’ plan – which could involve tax rises or spending cuts – for dealing with the problem? To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Olly Bartrum, Senior Economist at the Institute for Government Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government The webinar was chaired by Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

A daunting public services to-do list awaits Keir Starmer and his newly-elected Labour government. Most services are performing worse than on the eve of the pandemic and substantially worse than in 2010, but future funding is set to be tight. Ministers will need to make best use of existing budgets and carefully choose targets for any additional investment. So what are the most pressing public services issues facing the new government? What will happen to service performance if Labour sticks to existing spending plans? How can services be improved without substantial spending increases? And where should any extra funding be prioritised? To discuss these questions, and a new Institute for Government and Nuffield Foundation report on the topic, this event brought together an expert panel featuring: Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Sam Freedman, Author of Failed State: Why Nothing Works and How We Fix It Patricia Hewitt, Chair of Norfolk & Waveney NHS and former Secretary of State for Health The event was chaired by Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

The King’s Speech on 17 July set out Sir Keir Starmer’s legislative agenda for government and revealed his priorities for the parliamentary session. While Labour’s attention and resources have been focused on the general election campaign, Starmer and his team will also have been preparing for this major constitutional moment. Legislation to nationalise the railways, reform planning, and establish Great British Energy are all expected, but could the government spring some surprises? Will there be any Conservative policies – such as the smoking ban – that Labour might resurrect? Following the State Opening of Parliament, this IfG webinar – with guest Chris White, who for half a decade was responsible for managing and planning the last government’s legislative programme – explored what the King’s Speech reveals about Keir Starmer’s plans for government. What are the most controversial bills? Where might Labour face opposition in parliament? And what lessons should Starmer take from the legislative programmes of previous administrations? To discuss these questions and more, we will be joined by an expert panel, including: Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Chris White, former special adviser in both the Leader of the Commons and Government Chief Whips’ offices between 2009 and 2015 The webinar was chaired by Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

Since 2010 the UK’s capital spending on prisons, hospitals and schools has been consistently lower than many other countries – leading to crumbling buildings, creaking IT and a lack of equipment. But the size of the budgets is only part of the problem – these budgets have also been badly spent. This will continue to hamper public service performance unless the new government takes a new approach to capital spending. So what could it do differently to achieve better outcomes? How can ministers, select committees, the Treasury, and other central government departments rethink their approach? And what steps could be taken in the next multi-year spending review? The event began with a short presentation from Thomas Pope, outlining the main findings of a recent IfG and Grant Thornton report on this topic, Capital spending in public services: Fixing how the government invests in the NHS, schools and prisons. To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Wayne Butcher, Director at Grant Thornton UK Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research at the Health Foundation Sir Jon Coles, Group Chief Executive of United Learning and former Director General for Schools at the Department for Education Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. The panel was chaired by Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Grant Thornton UK for kindly supporting this event.

A general election brings the appointment of a whole host of new ministers, and on day one in government they begin a job like no other. Former shadow ministers may be familiar with their new policy portfolio, but ministerial life is very different to opposition. The switch from leading a small team to heading up departments with hundreds or thousands of civil servants, and from issuing press releases to making life-changing policy decisions, happens overnight. But ministers too often overlook how they can move beyond ‘on the job’ learning and get the most out of their ministerial careers. So how can ministers get the support they need to succeed in government? What benefits are there in investing in professional development? What skills do ministers and other executives need to be effective leaders? And what support is available to ministers seeking to develop their skills in government? To explore these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Rt Hon Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top, former Chief Whip Dr Paul Chapman, Senior Fellow at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford Rt Hon Chloe Smith, former Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Ruth Turner, Senior Director at the Forward Institute and former Director of Government Relations in the Prime Minister’s Office The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Keir Starmer used his first speech as prime minister to declare that the “work of change begins immediately”. But how will the Labour government approach the complex policy challenges that it has inherited? And how will it start making progress on new promises? From freeing up space in crowded prisons to turning around struggling public services, delivering clean energy and kickstarting economic growth, the government’s to-do list is daunting. Labour has promised to “change how Britain is governed” in order to deliver its aims in government – but how will this work in practice? What does Labour’s ‘mission-led’ approach mean for the way government operates? How will central government work with locally elected mayors? And what do Keir Starmer’s cabinet appointments – and the way he has structured his centre of government – tell us about how his plan for government will work? This Institute for Government webinar will look at what Keir Starmer’s first week as prime minister tells us about how he intends to govern Britain. To explore these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government Joe Owen, Director of Impact at the Institute for Government Jen Williams, Northern England correspondent at the Financial Times The event was chaired by Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

Follow our live-blog for all our general election coverage: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/general-election-2024 We hosted a special livestreamed recording of the Institute for Government podcast, as a team of IfG experts – bleary eyed but full of coffee – gathered in the podcast studio to make sense of a momentous night in British politics. What does the general election result mean for how the UK will be governed? What decisions and duties await the prime minister over the next days and weeks? How are governments formed and what does it mean civil servants? And what are the big challenges facing the government – and how can it meet them? Hannah White, Giles Wilkes, Tim Durrant and Catherine Haddon share their instant reaction, expert analysis, and essential insights.

This Friday will be day one in government for the winner of the general election. But there will be no chance for anyone to catch their breath after a gruelling campaign. The job begins at once. So what should civil servants be braced to expect as ministers are appointed to their new roles? How can special advisers best prepare for that frenetic first 24 hours? And what actually awaits a prime minister as they step through that famous No10 door? This IfG webinar will take you behind the scenes of the first day in government after a general election – and reveals what civil servants, officials and ministers can expect to happen next. Read our explainer on the first 72 hours of a new prime minister here: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/new-prime-minister-first-72-hours-general-election

Episode 6 explores the first days, weeks and months of a new government. We speak to those who've entered No.10 alongside the prime minister on day one, found themselves suddenly running a government department, or have welcomed a brand new political team into office as a senior civil servant, including: Ed Balls, Jonathan Powell, Gus O'Donnell, Harriet Harman, Polly Mackenzie and Nick Macpherson. What actually happens on a prime minister’s first day? How can a new government make the most of the first months in office? And what’s it like for civil servants, adjusting to having a whole new team of politicians in charge?

Episode 5 explores the role that manifestos play in – and after – an election campaign. How do political parties write their manifestos? What does a good manifesto look like? What are the questions that Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will be considering when signing off on their manifestos for the 2024 general election? And how hard is it to deliver manifesto promises once a government is formed? Packed with insight and revelations from key figures behind past manifestos – including Oliver Letwin, Jonathan Powell and Polly Mackenzie – and former civil servants who were asked to turn manifesto pledges into workable policy, this episode of Preparing for Power reveals the inside story of this key part of a general election campaign.

Episode 4 explores how the governing party prepares for an election while continuing to govern, with ministers, civil servants and special advisers – including Oliver Letwin, Harriet Harman, Gus O'Donnell, Polly Mackenzie and Nick Macpherson – revealing how they approached the work of government during an election campaign. How does a governing party balance a gruelling campaign alongside running the country? What are the advantages of being the party in power as the election approaches? And how can a governing party make the most of those final months before polling day? Veterans of the 2010 and 2015 elections share their stories.

Episode 3 explores how opposition parties prepare for a potential transition of government, with ministers, civil servants and advisers, including Jonathan Powell, Harriet Harman, Gus O’Donnell and Oliver Letwin, revealing how they got ready for the possibility of a change of government. How does an opposition develop policies that would actually work once they are in office? How can shadow teams ready themselves for taking over departments? What is the role of the chief of staff in these preparations? And what lessons could the approaches of Tony Blair and David Cameron provide for opposition parties preparing for the possibility of being in government? Veterans of the 1997 and 2010 transitions share their recollections – and their advice for Keir Starmer’s Labour party as a general election approaches.

Episode 2 explores how the civil service prepares for a potential transition of government, with five former permanent secretaries revealing how they readied themselves and their departments for a potential change in their political bosses. How does Whitehall prepare for a change in the party in power? What can civil servants do to get ready for a hung parliament? And how do they continue to serve the current government while these preparations are going on? In this episode of Preparing for Power, we speak to former senior civil servants to discover how they prepared for that all important election result and its aftermath, hear their secrets, and work out the lessons for 2024.

Whoever forms the next government will need to be prepared. The job begins almost as soon as the votes have been counted. So what is it like to go from opposition to government overnight? How do civil servants get ready for the possibility of a transition of power or a hung parliament? And what is it like for a governing party to continue in power after a bruising campaign? In this six-part series, the Institute for Government takes you behind the scenes to find out how our politicians, their advisers and officials block out the noise of a general election campaign to get ready for being in government. We’ll be speaking to former ministers, special advisers and senior civil servants to discover how they prepared for that all important election result and its aftermath, to hear their secrets, and to work out the lessons for 2024.

The Conservatives have been warning voters of the 'dangers' of Labour winning a huge – or 'super' – majority at the general election on Thursday. But what exactly is a supermajority, and do these warnings add up? With just under a week to go until polling day, this Institute for Government webinar explores the Conservatives' claims – and set out what a government with a large majority would mean for parliament and British politics. Does it really make a difference if the government has a majority of 100 or more? How hard is it to be a small opposition party? And what is most important in enabling parliament to scrutinise government properly and hold it to account?

Despite historically large tax increases since 2019, the current government’s plans imply debt continuing to rise for several years and only barely beginning to fall in five years’ time – and then only on the basis of implausible plans for public spending and rises in fuel duty that no government since 2011 has managed to implement. Drawing on Ipsos polling, this Institute for Government event discussed: What are the problems that will face a new government? How would the public like the next government to address these issues? How can the next government make progress on delivering its ambitions while maintaining fiscal sustainability?

Public services are a key election battleground. The NHS is consistently cited in surveys as one of the top two issues facing the country, while social care and schools have played a critical role in deciding recent elections. Rishi Sunak made improving NHS performance one of his key pledges, Keir Starmer included healthcare and schools in his six “first steps”, and both the Conservatives and Labour will use their manifestos to set out their public services policies. So just how well are public services performing across the country – and what impact could they have on the election campaign? In this expert briefing, the Institute for Government and Ipsos UK presented analysis of how public service performance and public satisfaction have changed over this parliament. What are the key public services challenges facing an incoming government? How much variation is there in public service performance across the country? And how does public satisfaction with services differ by constituency? To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Zoë Grünewald, Westminster Editor of the Lead UK and a freelance political journalist and broadcaster Gideon Skinner, Head of Politics, Public Affairs at Ipsos UK Phillip Woolley, Partner at Grant Thornton The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government.

Manifesto launches are a significant moment in any general election campaign, and Thursday’s publication of Labour’s manifesto is a big chance for Keir Starmer to set out how his party would govern if it wins the general election on 4 July. So how plausible are the manifesto’s plans? What are the big dividing lines with the Conservatives? How would a Labour government pay for public services? And what does the manifesto tell us about the priorities of a Labour government after 14 years in opposition? In this General Election 2024 webinar, the Institute for Government gives an expert briefing on what is in the Labour manifesto – and what it would mean for government. Panellists included: Sam Freedman, author of Failed State Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government (chair) For further IfG insight and analysis on the Labour manifesto, read our comment piece, 'Ten things we learned from the Labour manifesto': https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/general-election-2024-labour-manifesto

Manifesto launches are a significant moment in any general election campaign, and Tuesday’s publication of the Conservative manifesto is a big opportunity for Rishi Sunak’s party to set out its vision for government if it wins the general election on 4 July. So what are the flagship policies? Do the tax and spending numbers add up? How plausible and credible are the manifesto’s plans? And, after 14 years of power, how much of a break is this manifesto from previous Conservative policies and priorities? In this general election 2024 webinar, the Institute for Government gives you an essential expert briefing on what is in the Conservative manifesto – and what it would mean for government. Panellists included: Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government (chair) For further IfG insight and analysis on the Conservative manifesto, read our comment piece, 'Seven things we learned from the Conservative manifesto': https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/general-election-2024-conservative-manifesto

With attention focused on politicians, and politicians focused on winning votes, a general election campaign is an unusual time for civil servants. Their top priority remains serving the government of the day, but they must also prepare for a potential transition of power, and be ready to work with whoever forms the next government. Civil service activity is also restricted during the formal ‘pre-election period’, with civil service impartiality protected by government guidance and measures to stop public funds being used for campaigning purposes. So how should civil servants navigate this period of heightened political sensitivity? How does the work of the civil service change in the campaign? And what can civil servants do to prepare for a potential transition of power? Ahead of the general election on 4 July, this IfG webinar explored all these questions and more, and asked what lessons can be learned from previous election campaigns and past transitions of power. To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by: Sir David Bell KCB DL, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sunderland and former Permanent Secretary Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government and former senior civil servant The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow, Institute for Government.