The first Labour government in 14 years is facing a daunting to-do list and complex challenges at every turn. Public services are under strain. The civil servic...
Spring has nearly sprung, but the fiscal forecasts made for a rather gloomy spring statement for Rachel Reeves. Stewart Wood, a Labour peer and former adviser to Gordon Brown, joins the podcast team to assess the state of the economy - and Reeves’s attempts to turn it around.
How much will welfare cuts upset Labour backbenchers? What could Donald Trump's tariffs mean for Reeves's plans? And just how difficult are the choices awaiting the chancellor as the spending review approaches?
Plus: New IfG research focuses on left behind groups - and sets out some of the tensions in how the government is approaching one of its missions and milestones.
Presented by Alex Thomas.
With Jill Rutter, Gemma Tetlow and Sophie Metcalfe.
Produced by Candice McKenzie.
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48:53
Will Rachel Reeves and Darren Jones’ sums add up?
With Rachel Reeves just days away from setting out her spring statement to parliament, chief secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones MP drops into the podcast studio to discuss the Treasury’s new plans for watching the pennies.
So what could the chancellor do? What shouldn’t the chancellor do? The podcast team weigh up her options - and analyse the government’s controversial welfare reforms.
Plus: IfG senior fellow and public policy expert Nick Timmins gives his expert take on the big decision to abolish NHS England.
Presented by Emma Norris.
With Cath Haddon and Tom Pope.
Produced by Candice McKenzie.
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45:23
Keir Starmer rewires the state: An interview with the prime minister
Minutes after setting out his plans for reforming the civil service, abolishing NHS England, and ending ministerial reliance on quangos, Keir Starmer joined Inside Briefing for an exclusive interview with IfG director Hannah White.
So what type of civil service does the PM need to deliver his missions? Why does he want to close down NHS England? And what should officials and ministers prepare for as the PM’s reform agenda becomes reality?
Following the prime minister’s interview, Hannah was joined by Alex Thomas, Emma Norris, Stuart Hoddinott and former cabinet secretary Gus O’Donnell for expert analysis of the PM’s speech and his interview.
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43:26
Will Ukraine be “Keir Starmer’s Falklands - or his Iraq”?
So much has happened since that explosive – and unsettling – White House press conference bust-up between Donald Trump and Vlodymer Zelensky, but does Keir Starmer have a workable plan for peace? UKICE’s Anand Menon joins the podcast team to reflect on another extraordinary week of UK/US/EU relations.
Despite the focus on international affairs, the government also needs to deal with tough spending choices with not a lot of money to spend. After the aid budget, what could be next to face some cuts?
PLUS: What is going wrong with prisons in England and Wales? A new IfG reports reveals some stark data – and sets out how to turn performance around.
Hannah White presents.
With Jill Rutter and Anand Menon
Produced by Candice McKenzie
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38:27
Starmer and Trump: special relationship or odd couple?
Keir Starmer has completed his first visit to the White House – and delivered a letter from King Charles to Donald Trump. So just how special is the special relationship looking this weekend? Defence expert Karin von Hippel, formerly of RUSI, joins the podcast team to look back on a huge week for international relations.
Does the PM’s plan to boost defence spending by cutting the international aid budget add up. We’ll look at the sums - and weigh up the consequences of this trade-off.
PLUS: The boss of the NHS is on the way out and local government finances are under massive pressure.
Presented by Hannah White.
With Alex Thomas and Stuart Hoddinott
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About Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government
The first Labour government in 14 years is facing a daunting to-do list and complex challenges at every turn. Public services are under strain. The civil service is under pressure. And ministers must deliver the government’s missions and milestones. But could Keir Starmer’s plan to “rewire the British state” – through using AI and creating a “start-up” culture – turn these challenges into opportunities?
So where is government working well and what is it doing badly? What can be done to make No10, the Treasury and the rest of government function more effectively? What can Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves do to achieve faster economic growth? What will Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives and the other opposition parties do to hold the government to account? How might Donald Trump shape British politics – and how could the UK’s relations with the EU change in the years ahead?
Get behind the scenes in Westminster, Whitehall and beyond on the weekly podcast from Britain’s leading governmental think tank, where we analyse the latest events in politics and explain what they mean. Every week on Inside Briefing, IfG director Hannah White and the team welcomes special guests for a thought-provoking conversation on what makes government work – and how to fix it when it doesn’t.
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