The webinar featured:

• Heloise Dunlop, Researcher at the Institute for Government and co-author of Whitehall Monitor 2026
• Becky Noble, Public Services AI Lead at PA Consulting 
• Jack Worlidge, Senior Researcher at the IfG and co-author of Whitehall Monitor 2026

The event was chaired by Hannah Keenan, Associate Director at the IfG and lead author of Whitehall Monitor 2026.

Whitehall Monitor 2026, the IfG’s annual data-led assessment of the size, shape and performance of the civil service, examines how the workforce changed in 2025.

We would like to thank PA Consulting for kindly supporting this event.

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The first Whitehall Monitor webinar – kicking off a three-part series exploring the IfG’s annual flagship report on the civil service – looked at the context in which much needed strategic workforce planning should be taking place: how the size and shape of the civil service has changed in the past year, against a backdrop of multiple exit schemes and a complex recruitment landscape.

The webinar featured:

• Heloise Dunlop, Researcher at the Institute for Government and co-author of Whitehall Monitor 2026
• Daniel Howes, Research Assistant at the IfG and co-author of Whitehall Monitor 2026
• Liz Tolcher, Associate Partner – Skills & Workforce Transformation Expert at PA Consulting

The event was chaired by Hannah Keenan, Associate Director at the IfG and lead author of Whitehall Monitor 2026.

Whitehall Monitor 2026, the IfG’s annual data-led assessment of the size, shape and performance of the civil service, examines how the workforce changed in 2025.

We would like to thank PA Consulting for kindly supporting this event.

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With Reform UK predicted to win a sizeable number of seats in Scotland for the first time, this webinar saw Malcolm Offord set out his policies and plans for Scotland, and discussed how Reform UK would govern if in a position of power at Holyrood. He was in conversation with Institute for Government Programme Director Akash Paun, and answered questions submitted by the online audience.

This event is part of a series the Institute for Government is holding with political leaders from Scotland and Wales.

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On 25 February, in Manchester, we held our fourth IfG DevoLab event, where three speakers set out how the powers and profile of mayors are being used to increase the supply of affordable homes within their regions.

The three case studies presented at IfG DevoLab #4 were:

• ‘Increasing the supply of affordable homes in the West of England’, by Stephen Peacock, Chief Executive of the West of England Combined Authority
• ‘From housing growth to good growth - experiences delivering housing growth in Greater Manchester’, by Andrew McIntosh, Director of Sustainable Growth & Infrastructure at Greater Manchester Combined Authority
• ‘Supporting regions to increase the supply of affordable homes’, by Jackie Rigby, Assistant Director - Place, Partnerships and Capacity at Homes England

The three speakers were joined by Ben Denton, Head of Strategic Growth – Affordable Housing at L&G, for a broader discussion of the benefits of devolution and mayoral leadership for this agenda, how mayors can support the government make progress toward its challenging house-building targets, and how further devolution could help accelerate the supply of affordable homes.

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Insights from this discussion will inform a published policy briefing containing the three case studies and a synthesis of key lessons.

The Institute for Government would like to thank L&G for its support of this event and for its wider support of the IfG DevoLab series.

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Watch our event recording to hear the Plaid leader deliver a short speech on how he would govern as first minister, followed by a conversation with Akash Paun, Programme Director for Devolution at the Institute for Government, and a Q&A with the live and online audience.

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Government is consulting the public and stakeholders, but ultimately it will fall to ministers to make these decisions – requiring potentially contentious judgements. Some local authorities favour fewer, larger geographies that offer greater efficiencies, others smaller councils that keep decision making closer to local communities. Final decisions will create winners and losers, and some outgoing authorities may resist the outcome.

So how will these decisions shape the success of incoming unitary authorities? What weighting should ministers give to competing LGR criteria? How can ministers balance consistency of decisions with the need to tailor decisions for local areas? How can the government do this transparently?

To answer these questions and more, this IfG event – the first in a new Making a Success of Local Government Reorganisation series – brought together an expert panel, including:

• Councillor Kay Mason Billig, Leader of Norfolk County Council
• Joanne Brown, Partner, Public Sector Audit at Grant Thornton UK LLP
• Dr Matthew Fright, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.
• Councillor Bella Sankey, Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council (joining remotely)

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government would like to thank Grant Thornton UK LLP for their support of this event, the first in a series on how to make a success of local government reorganisation (LGR).

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What are the risks and opportunities associated with abolishing NHS England? How much progress has been made to date? What can be learnt from previous structural changes to the NHS and other parts of government? How can the government get the reform process right?

To answer these questions and more, this webinar from the IfG and the Nuffield Trust brought together an expert panel featuring:

• Mark Dayan, Policy Analyst and Head of Public Affairs at the Nuffield Trust
• Stuart Hoddinott, Associate Director at the Institute for Government
• Sarah Reed, Senior Fellow at the Nuffield Trust

The webinar was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This webinar was kindly supported by the Nuffield Trust.

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On 22 January, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Eluned Morgan to discuss how devolution to Wales has evolved since 1999, her priorities as First Minister, how the Labour governments in Cardiff and Westminster can cooperate on shared goals, and Welsh Labour’s vision for Wales’s constitutional future.

The first minister was in conversation with Akash Paun, Programme Director of Devolution at the Institute for Government, followed by a Q&A with the live and online audience.

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The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister was introduced by Dr Hannah White OBE, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

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What do the next three years hold for relations between the UK, US and EU? Are current tactics and strategies working for the UK and Europe or do leaders need to change course? Will the prime minister finally be forced to choose between Washington and Brussels?

On the first anniversary of Trump’s 2025 inauguration, the Institute for Government and UK In a Changing Europe are delighted to invite you to a panel to discuss these and other questions, with:

• Sir Simon Fraser, Chair of Flint Global, Chair of Chatham House and former Permanent Under-Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2010-15
• Fiona Hill, Chancellor of Durham University, Senior Fellow at Brookings Institution and former Presidential Adviser on Foreign Affairs
• Professor Anand Menon, Director of UK in a Changing Europe

This event will be chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank UK in a Changing Europe for kindly supporting this event.

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How can the government ensure that the new national structure works effectively? Should any current NHSE functions remain independent of DHSC? How should the reformed DHSC work regionally, and with ICBs, strategic authorities and trusts? How can the government make a success of the emerging ICB structure? How should local delivery structures be reformed?

To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel including:

• Dr Penelope Dash, Chair of NHS England
• Dame Patricia Hewitt, former Secretary of State for Health and author of the Hewitt Review of ICSs
• Samantha Jones, Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care
• Johan Kahlström, President and Managing Director, UK and Ireland at Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK

This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK for kindly supporting this event.

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The shadow chancellor delivered a speech, followed by a conversation with Alex Thomas, Executive Director for Impact and Influence at the Institute for Government.

Followed by closing remarks from Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank Grant Thornton UK LLP for supporting this event.

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Political journalist Carolyn Quinn, former presenter of the BBC’s Westminster Hour, was in conversation with four IfG programme directors to discuss their vital work on policy making, public services, ministers and public bodies – and their verdict on the government’s performance.

• Nick Davies, Programme Director (Public Services) at the Institute for Government
• Nehal Davison, Programme Director (Policy making) at the Institute for Government
• Tim Durrant, Programme Director (Ministers) at the Institute for Government
• Matthew Gill, Programme Director (Public Bodies) at the Institute for Government

We would like to thank Grant Thornton UK LLP for supporting this event.

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The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister discussed why his role spanning both No10 and the Cabinet Office was created and the need to modernise public services. Speaking with Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government, he set out the changes being made to the centre of Whitehall to enable the government to drive action more quickly in 2026.

We would like to thank Grant Thornton UK LLP for supporting this event.

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A preview of the issues at stake in the hugely significant elections taking place across the UK in May 2026.

• Kezia Dugdale, former Leader of the Scottish Labour Party and Associate Director of the Centre for Public Policy
• Guto Harri, broadcaster and former No.10 Director of Communications
• Akash Paun, Programme Director (Devolution) at the Institute for Government
• Luke Tryl, Director of More in Common

This session was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank Grant Thornton UK LLP for supporting this event.

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Drawing on brand new IfG research, this panel gave its verdict on the government's attempts to reform the civil service.

Whitehall Monitor 2026 presentation from Hannah Keenan, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

Followed by a panel discussion featuring:

• Rt Hon Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester (joining virtually)
• Lord Michael Gove, Editor of The Spectator and former government minister
• Hannah Keenan, Associate Director at the Institute for Government
• Rowena Mason, Whitehall Editor at The Guardian

This session was chaired by Alex Thomas, Executive Director for Impact and Influence at the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank Grant Thornton UK LLP for supporting this event.

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An expert panel explored how well No.10 and the Treasury work together to deliver the government's economic priorities.

• Rt Hon Ed Balls, broadcaster, presenter of Political Currency, and former Education Secretary
• Kelly Beaver MBE, Chief Executive of Ipsos in the UK and Ireland
• Baroness Ayesha Hazarika, broadcaster and former political adviser

This session was chaired by Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and former No.10 Adviser.

We would like to thank Grant Thornton UK LLP for supporting this event.

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But critics argue that government has not made a clear case for digital ID, and warn that building a secure, reliable and trusted form of digital identity will be a monumental challenge to implement.

So what problem – and for whom – would digital ID solve? Are the government’s ambitions realistic? Is the right data and security infrastructure in place?  And what could this mean for digitally excluded groups?  

To discuss these questions and more, we will be joined by an expert panel including: 

• Rachel Coldicutt, Founder and Executive Director of Careful Industries
• Matthew Feeney, Advocacy Manager at Big Brother Watch
• David Normington, former Permanent Secretary at the Home Office
• Morgan Wild, Chief Policy Adviser at Labour Together and author of “Britcard: a progressive digital identity for Britain”

The event will be chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. 

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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 eighth in the series and focused on innovation across public services.

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 – which kindly supported this event series – brought together the common themes from the pitches and discussed the lessons for improving productivity.

The speakers for this edition of Productivity Pitches were:

• Aoife O'Higgins, Director of Evidence at Foundations, the What Works Centre for children and families explained how their work showing the efficacy of Family Group Conferencing (FGC) has led to the government legislating in the Children, Wellbeing and Schools Bill to mandate that councils offer parents a Family Group Decision Making meeting before referring a child to social services. This substantially expanded the use of FGCs.
• Rhian Gladman and Gary Hughes on LGA’s peer challenge programme and transformation support. For its peer challenge programme, the LGA recruits senior local government officers and political leaders to act as peer reviewers. Following a meeting with the council that will be reviewed, a small team of peer reviewers is sent in to speak to people, assess processes and documents, and use their knowledge to provide peer-led feedback. For transformation support, the LGA matches peers with transformation experience with councils that need that specific advice.

The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Joel Hoskins, Research Assistant at The Productivity Institute joined to the discuss common themes.

Productivity Pitches was kindly supported by The Productivity Institute.

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The IfG DevoLab is a new initiative from the Institute for Government dedicated to exploring the innovations enabled by devolution, learning from the results, and sharing the lessons so that places can take better decisions about how to use devolved powers and budgets.  

IfG DevoLab #2 saw speakers from three regions – West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and the North East – set out how the powers and profile of mayors and the convening role of strategic authorities have been used to secure and deliver private investment for key regional strategic projects.

• ‘Investing in the West Midlands: The Birmingham Sports Quarter’, Jonathan Gibson, Interim Director of Strategy at the West Midlands Combined Authority
• ‘Investing in Greater Manchester: The Sister Innovation District, Robert Edwards, Deputy Director of Investment at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority
• ‘Investing in the North East’, Dr Henry Kippin, Chief Executive of the North East Combined Authority

The three presenters were joined on the panel by Julia Goldsworthy, Head of Social Impact Investment at L&G, and former Director of Strategy at West Midlands Combined Authority, for a broader discussion on the benefits of devolution and mayoral leadership, the lessons less mature devolved regions can learn from those further along in the journey, and whether further devolution can accelerate growth.  

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, with an introduction by Hannah White, CEO of the Institute for Government. 

Insights from this discussion informed a published policy briefing containing the three case studies and a synthesis of key lessons.

The Institute for Government would like to thank L&G for its support of this event and its wider support of the IfG DevoLab series.  

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This means harmonising service provision, staff terms and conditions, establishing new management structures and resolving issues such as incompatible ICT systems, culture clashes between teams and overcome incompatible business processes.

What are the challenges and options facing local district council leaders? How long does it take to merge these services? What are the risks and opportunities? What have been the greatest barriers to successful transformation in earlier rounds of local government reorganisation? And what structures and service delivery options are available to the new unitary authorities?

To answer these questions and more, this IfG event brought together an expert panel, including:

• Professor John Denham, Research Fellow and Director of the Centre for English Identity and Politics at the University of Southampton
• Liz Elliott, Deputy Chief Executive – Transformation at Harborough District Council
• Justin Galliford, Chief Executive at Norse Group
• Rachel Joyce, Assistant Chief Executive – Local Engagement at North Yorkshire Council

The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Fright, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank Norse Group for kindly supporting this event.

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How will changes to financial flows help deliver the government’s health priorities? What impact will the 10 Year Health Plan have on allocation of resources between different parts of the NHS? And will the new accountability regime incentivise the right behaviours and ways of working?

To discuss these questions and more, we  were joined by an expert panel including:

• Thomas Cawston, Corporate Affairs Lead at Novartis UK
• Anita Charlesworth, Senior Economic Adviser at the Health Foundation and acting chair of North-West London NHS Integrated Care Board
• Sally Gainsbury, Senior Policy Analyst at Nuffield Trust
• Hardev Virdee, Group Chief Finance Officer at Barts Health NHS Trust

This event was chaired by Stuart Hoddinott, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK for kindly supporting this event.

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• Richard Fuller MP, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government
• Ryan Shorthouse, Executive Chair at Bright Blue
• Trinh Tu, Managing Director, Public Affairs at Ipsos UK

This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

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• David Simmonds MP, Shadow Minister for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Dr Tom Arnold, Research Associate at the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place
• Cllr Abi Brown OBE, Deputy Leader of the Local Government Association Conservative Group
• Helen Gbormittah, Regional Director, North West at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place at the University of Liverpool.

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• Rt Hon Jesse Norman MP, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
• Caroline Elsom, Head of Reshaping The State at Onward
• Eve Norridge, Head of Research at Onward
• Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government

This event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with Onward.

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• Mayor Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
• Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester
• Cllr Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Economic Growth and Prosperity at Essex County Council

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with Policy@Manchester - The University of Manchester.

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• Baroness Barran MBE, Shadow Minister for Education
• Dr Kieran Mullan MP, Shadow Minister for Justice
• Cllr Abi Brown OBE, Deputy Leader of the Local Government Association Conservative Group

This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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• Rt Hon Lord Willetts, Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office and former Minister for Universities and Science
• Helen Bower-Easton CBE, Director of Communications at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
• Professor Nigel Brandon OBE, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Professor of Sustainable Development in Energy at Imperial College London
• Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
• 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 held in partnership with Imperial College London.

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Speakers: 

Tim Leunig, Chief Econonist at Nesta

Dave Penman, General Secretary at the FDA

Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government

Paul Whiteman, General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers

This event was chaired by Ben Paxton, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with the FDA.

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Speakers:

Maya Ellis MP, Member of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee

Mayor Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region

Professor Lisa Collins, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation at the University of Surrey

Dr Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

This event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with the University of Surrey.

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Rt Hon John Denham, former Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Council & Corporate Portfolio Holder at City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

Katie Johnston, Devolved and Local Government Lead at PwC UK

Jessica Studdert, Chief Executive of New Local 

This event was chaired by Stuart Hoddinott, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with PwC UK.

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Lisa Bungeroth, Director of Public Affairs at Imperial College London

Thomas Cawston, Corporate Affairs Lead at Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK

Louise Hellem, Chief Economist at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

Pranesh Narayanan, Senior Research Fellow at IPPR

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 held in partnership with Imperial College London.

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Alex McIntyre MP, Member of the Health and Social Care Select Committee

Kevin McKenna MP, Officer of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Health

Professor Nicola Ranger, General Secretary and Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing

Thea Stein, Chief Executive of the Nuffield Trust

This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing.

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Jake Richards MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Ministry of Justice

Deputy Mayor Kate Green, Deputy Mayor for Safer and Stronger Communities, Greater Manchester

Clare Moody, Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon & Somerset

Cassia Rowland, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

Fiona Rutherford, Chief Executive of JUSTICE

This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with JUSTICE.

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Speakers: 

Katherine Fairclough, Chief Executive of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Council & Corporate Portfolio Holder at City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

Sue Jarvis, Co-Director at Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place

Dr Henry Kippin, Chief Executive of North East Combined Authority

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place at the University of Liverpool and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

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Chris Ward MP, Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office

Kelly Beaver MBE, Chief Executive of Ipsos, UK and Ireland

Conrad Thompson, Public Sector Lead for Innovation at PA Consulting

Moira Wallace, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

This event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with PA Consulting.

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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester

Bassam Mahfouz AM, Chair of Greater London Authority Oversight Committee

Deputy Mayor Nadine Peatfield, Deputy Mayor of East Midlands Combined Authority

Cllr Bella Sankey, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with Policy@Manchester - The University of Manchester.

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Speakers: 

Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Minister for Security at the Home Office and Minister of State at the Cabinet Office

Emma Hardy MP, Minister for Water and Flooding

Béatrice Butsana-Sita, Chief Executive at British Red Cross

Dr Hannah White OBE, Director & CEO, at the Institute for Government

This event was held in partnership with the British Red Cross.

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Michael Shanks MP, Minister for Energy at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Sam Alvis, Associate Director for Environment, Energy Security and Nature at IPPR

Sam Peacock, Managing Director for Corporate Affairs, Regulation and Strategy at SSE

Dhara Vyas, Chief Executive Officer of Energy UK This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with Energy UK and SSE.

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So how could the UK take a prevention-led approach to healthcare?

We discussed at the 2025 Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Bournemouth with an expert panel featuring:

• Andrew George MP, Member of the Health and Social Care Select Committee
• Jules Payne Chief Executive at HEART UK - The Cholesterol Charity
• Rob Thomas, Head of Public Affairs, UK and Ireland at Novartis UK

This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with Novartis UK.

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At the 2025 Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Bournemouth we explored the key steps that local places need to take to develop an effective economic strategy.

Our speakers included:

• Baroness Pinnock, Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson on Housing, Communities and Local Government
• Professor Lisa Collins, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Surrey
• Councillor Lorna Dupre, Deputy Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council
• Rebecca McKee Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

This event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with the University of Surrey.

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What can be done to make the UK become a more attractive destination for foreign investment? How should the UK deal with the US - and approach its relationship with China? How can the government help UK businesses and will its new industrial and trade strategy help secure the UK’s economic future?

We discussed at the Liberal Democrat Conference in Bournemouth with an expert panel, featuring:

• Clive Jones MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Trade
• Helen Bower-Easton CBE, Director of Communications at the Financial Conduct Authority
• Joanna Cound, Global Head of Public Policy at BlackRock UK
• Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman at the City of London Corporation
• Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with the City of London Corporation.

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In his first speech since stepping down as head of the armed forces, Admiral Sir Tony, who served four successive prime ministers, reflected on the advent of a third nuclear age, the race to artificial super intelligence and the requirement for grand national strategy to meet the demands of a new more dangerous era.

Following his speech, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

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The strategy identifies 37 different ‘Frontier Industries’ within the eight growth sectors already set out in the green paper from October 2024, with these sectors treated as enablers of productivity to other parts of the economy – not just as vehicles of growth in themselves. So how can this ambitious idea be delivered successfully? 

What combination of market and regulatory reforms can help to deliver this aim? What will be the role of public sector financial institutions like the National Wealth Fund and British Business Bank? What is the role for private finance? Is the government’s push to encourage more pension fund investment in British industry welcome or risky? And with the industrial strategy containing so many goals, industries and policy instruments, has the government taken on more than it can realistically deliver?  

To explore these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including:

Sam Lister, Director General for Industrial Strategy at the Department for Business and Trade

Paul Nightingale, Professor of Strategy at the University of Sussex

Karen Northey, Corporate Affairs Director at the Investment Association

Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

This event was kindly supported by the Investment Association.

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As its local leaders make the transition from opposition to government, what skills will they need to be successful? What are the trade-offs they will have to make? How should they design and deliver policy? And how should they work with the Labour government in Westminster to deliver for voters locally?

Speakers: 

Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government (chair)

Cllr Linden Kemkaran, Leader of Kent County Council & County Councillor for Maidstone Southeast

Akash Paun, Programme Director (Devolution) at the Institute for Government

Gawain Towler, former Head of Press for Reform UK

This event was an IfG fringe event held at the Reform UK Party Conference 2025 in Birmingham.

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FoI was designed to generate more transparency and to tackle perceived secrecy in government, and it has been a vital tool for journalists, researchers and private citizens alike. However, some politicians have been critical of the burden that FoI requests create, and there are outstanding questions about how the FoI system can be more effective.

With FoI requests more than tripling since it was introduced in 2005, this IfG event assessed the state of FoI on its double anniversary – and explored, through a series of proposals and an expert panel discussion, how the system can be improved. 

To pitch their proposals for the future of Freedom of Information, the IfG was joined by

• Jenna Corderoy, Investigative reporter at Democracy for Sale
• Dr Louise Crow, Chief Executive of mySociety
• Dr Ben Worthy, Lecturer at Birkbeck University

And to discuss the proposals and the FoI system more broadly:

• John Edwards, Information Commissioner
• Lord Charlie Falconer, Secretary for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor (2003–07)
• Lynn Wyeth, Executive Board Member of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, and Executive Board Member of The National Association of Data Protection and Freedom of Information Officers (NADPO) 

The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate of the Institute for Government.

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So what does this all say about how Keir Starmer wants to govern? How will Darren Jones’s role dovetail with chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden? Will these changes really equip the centre of government for a “relentless focus on delivery”? And what Institute for Government recommendations should Starmer now adopt as he weighs up further changes to the centre?

Alex Thomas, Hannah Keenan, Gemma Tetlow and Hannah White explain all in this expert Institute for Briefing.

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The first ever IfG DevoLab event saw speakers from three regions set out how the powers and profile of mayors are being used to address health inequalities in their regions.

The three case studies being presented at IfG DevoLab #1 were:

‘Beds for Babies: Safe Space to Sleep’, by Andy Gates, Director of Development, Collaboration and Culture at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority

‘Taking a health in all policies approach’, by Vicky Hobart, Director of Public Health at the Greater London Authority Group.

‘Working Well’, by Thomas Britton, Principal – Contracted Employment Provision at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

The three speakers were joined by Peter Babudu, Executive Director of Impact on Urban Health, for a broader discussion of how devolution can improve health outcomes, how the government can support innovation and learning, and whether there is a case for further devolution in this area.

This event, which took place in London and could also be joined online, was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Insights from this event informed a published policy briefing containing the three case studies and the key lessons for mayors and local leaders.

This event was kindly supported by Impact on Urban Health.

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So how can special advisers be most effective in government? What are the challenges they face, and how can they deal with them? And how is the current cohort of spads faring in their difficult, and misunderstood, roles? 

To discuss how the spads of today (and tomorrow) can do the job well we were joined by:

Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor at the Sunday Times and co-author of Get In: The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer

Salma Shah, Special Adviser to Sajid Javid (2014–19)

Sam White, Special Adviser to Alistair Darling (2004–10) and Chief of Staff to Keir Starmer (2021–22); Chair of Foundations: the national what works centre for children and families

The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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Tim Ryan, a former Democrat nominee for President, served in the US House of Representatives for Ohio for over two decades. He ran for President in 2020 and then the US Senate from Ohio in 2022, an election won by JD Vance – the future US Vice President.

On Monday 14 July, Tim Ryan joined Anushka Asthana, Channel 4’s US Editor, at the Institute of Government, to share his experiences of US politics – and what other countries can learn from the rise and return of President Trump. What lies behind the dissatisfaction in US voters that saw Trump return to the White House? How can the Democrats build a vote-winning agenda? And what was it like to face JD Vance – and how influential is the Vice President on Trump’s America?

This event was introduced by IfG Director and CEO Dr Hannah White.

Tim Ryan, the former representative for Ohio, was in London with PPI to champion the Campaign for Working Americans – the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) mission to develop ideas and policy proposals to help the US Democratic Party reconnect with working Americans. Ryan represented Ohio in the US Congress from 2003–23, and ran for the Senate in Ohio in 2022, an election JD Vance won and went on to become US Vice President. 

Anushka Asthana joined Channel 4 News in June 2025 as US Editor. She previously worked at ITV News, where she had been Deputy Political Editor since 2021 and co-presented Peston since 2018. Prior to joining ITV, Anushka was joint Political Editor of The Guardian, having worked for Sky, The Times, and The Observer. In 2024, her book, Taken As Red, was published as one of the first accounts of Labour's dramatic election win, with the updated paperback published in June 2025 on Labour’s first year in government.

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To mark the first year of Keir Starmer becoming prime minister, the Institute for Government and the Institute for Fiscal Studies hosted a joint event to explore what progress the government has made and whether Starmer’s government is really doing things differently to its predecessors.

Are the government’s missions realistic or do they lack ambition? Have Rachel Reeves’ tax and spending choices supported or hindered mission delivery? What did the spending review reveal about the government’s priorities? How could government be better structured – and decisions made – in a way that is more mission-driven? And one year on since the general election, can the government really say it is governing in a “new way”?

To explore these questions and more, the IfG and IFS brought together an expert panel featuring:

Stephen Bush, Associate Editor and columnist at the Financial Times

Helen Miller, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies

Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government

The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

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This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

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What are the emerging threats and opportunities in the standards landscape? 

How do politics and partisanship affect the way standards are perceived?

What does ethical public service leadership look like?

Those joining online were able to take part in a webinar discussion on the same topics. A panel of IfG and CSPL staff will report back on the themes raised in the discussions. 

This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

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Speakers:

Neil Basu, former Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan Police

Helen Buckingham, Chair of National Voices

Amerdeep Somal, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

This session was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

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This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

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This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

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After 30 years of the Nolan Principles, ethical scandals – from partygate to freebiegate – are still a regular feature of UK political life and public trust in politicians remains low. What role do politicians play in leading by example? How should politicians in Westminster, devolved and local governments demonstrate their commitment to the Nolan Principles? How can they show ethical leadership within their organisations? And what does upholding standards look like in different political and governmental contexts?

Speakers:

Paula Barker MP, member of the Commons Select Committee on Standards

Roger Gough, former leader of Kent County Council  

Dr Melissa McCullough, Commissioner for Standards, NI Assembly

Dave Penman, General Secretary, FDA

This session was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

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Introduction from Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the IfG, and Doug Chalmers, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

Chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the IfG.

This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

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So how can ministers succeed in government and reach the cabinet table? What skills do they need at each rung of the ministerial ladder? How can backbench MPs prepare to become a minister? And how does the prime minister make decisions about who should serve in government?

To explore these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including:

Kitty Donaldson, Chief Political Commentator at the i Paper

Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC, former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Rt Hon James Purnell, CEO of Flint Global and former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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This event, held in partnership with the Health Foundation, explored what the NHS can do to improve productivity – which is vital to improve the quality of services for patients, ensure the NHS is financially sustainable and provide value for money for taxpayers.  

What improvements in productivity and health outcomes can technology really deliver? What lessons are there from previous governments’ attempts to make efficiency savings? What options does Streeting really have to drive through reforms? What effect – if any – will the abolition of NHS England and cuts to integrated care boards’ budgets have on driving productivity to improve performance?

To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel including:

Helen Buckingham, Chair of Trustees at National Voices

Anita Charlesworth, Senior Economic Advisor at the Health Foundation

Caroline Clarke, Regional Director of the NHS in London

Rachel Sylvester, Political Editor at the Observer

The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with The Health Foundation.

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But what are the characteristics of effective mayoral leadership? How should existing and new mayors use their powers and their platform to bring benefits to their regions? And what lessons can England’s mayors learn from international experience?

We held a discussion of these themes, informed by insights from the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University and its director, Professor Jorrit de Jong, who was in conversation with Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government, and Akash Paun, Programme Director for Devolution.

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Twenty-five years after the introduction of the UK’s political finance regime, and a billion pounds of donations later, the manifesto also committed to “strengthening the rules around donations to political parties” – something that has become more pressing as high-profile actors flirt with introducing significant sums of money into the UK’s party funding system.

So what difference would these proposed changes make to the UK electoral system? Can they reignite voter confidence and engagement in the democratic process? What are the lessons learnt from the 2024 general election about turnout, the voter ID requirement, and candidate abuse and intimidation? And what should the government prioritise to ensure the electoral system is ready for the next general election in 2029 and able to address growing threats?

To reflect on last summer’s election and to discuss how the government’s plans will affect the way elections work, we were joined by an expert panel:

Lewis Baston, Political journalist and author

Matteo Bergamini, Founder and CEO of Shout Out UK

Professor Jane Green, Co-Director of the British Election Study

John Pullinger, Chair of the Electoral Commission

The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

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To mark the 15th anniversary of the creation of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition in 2010, the IfG was pleased to welcome the Rt Hon Sir Nick Clegg to reflect on the 2010-15 government and the lessons for today’s politics.

Following his speech, Sir Nick was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government, and took part in an audience Q&A.

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Who are the key players in parliament? How is parliament organised and run? How is the government held to account? How are laws made? And what challenges does parliament face in the future? To explore these questions and more, we were joined by the editors of Exploring Parliament – who made opening remarks, reflecting on the book’s unique approach, and a panel of the book’s authors who discussed their chapters and insights.

This was followed by a Q&A session. Panellists included:

Professor Nicholas Allen, Professor of Politics at Royal Holloway, University of London

Dr Sean Haughey, Senior Lecturer at the University of Liverpool

Chloe Mawson, Clerk Assistant at the House of Lords

Dr Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

Margaret McKinnon, Director Member and Members’ Staff Services Team at the House of Commons

Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit at University College London (UCL)

The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

Introductory remarks were also delivered by the editors Professor Cristina Leston Bandeira, Dr Louise Thompson and Dr Alexandra Meakin.

We would like to thank the Study of Parliament Group for kindly supporting this event.

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But what are the actual benefits – and costs – of the Trump administration approach? Is there anything to be learnt from DOGE, or is the whole approach misconceived? And what is the better, feasible model for reformers who want to deliver change at rapid pace while avoiding the DOGE template?  

To explore these questions and more, the IfG was pleased to bring together an expert panel featuring:

Munira Mirza, former Director of the No.10 Policy Unit

Don Moynihan, Professor of Public Policy, Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan

Jeni Tennison, founder and Executive Director of Connected by Data

Alex Thomas, Civil Service Programme Director at the Institute for Government

The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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The Chair of the Institute, Lord Sainsbury of Turville, spoke on government reform and the civil service – offering his valedictory reflections as he steps down from the role this summer. Lord Sainsbury’s speech was followed by a presentation of the Institute’s key recommendations on civil service reform, discussion with a panel of senior IfG staff and incoming IfG Chair Sir Ian Cheshire, and audience questions.

This important event highlighted the relevance of the Institute’s existing research to the government’s vital reform agenda and previewed our future research plans.

Part 1 includes:

Welcome and opening remarks

Dr Hannah White OBE, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government

Speech

Lord Sainsbury of Turville, Chairman of the Board at the Institute for Government

Q&A

Lord Sainsbury of Turville, Chairman of the Board at the Institute for Government

Sir Ian Cheshire, Deputy Chair of the Board at the Institute for Government

Part 2 includes:

Presentation

Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government 

Panel discussion

Sir Jonathan Jones KCB KC (Hon), Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

Alex Thomas, Programme Director for the civil service at the Institute for Government

Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government

This panel was chaired by Dr Hannah White OBE, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

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The Chair of the Institute, Lord Sainsbury of Turville, spoke on government reform and the civil service – offering his valedictory reflections as he steps down from the role this summer. Lord Sainsbury’s speech was followed by a presentation of the Institute’s key recommendations on civil service reform, discussion with a panel of senior IfG staff and incoming IfG Chair Sir Ian Cheshire, and audience questions.

This important event highlighted the relevance of the Institute’s existing research to the government’s vital reform agenda and previewed our future research plans.

Part 1 includes:

Welcome and opening remarks

Dr Hannah White OBE, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government

Speech

Lord Sainsbury of Turville, Chairman of the Board at the Institute for Government

Q&A

Lord Sainsbury of Turville, Chairman of the Board at the Institute for Government

Sir Ian Cheshire, Deputy Chair of the Board at the Institute for Government

Part 2 includes:

Presentation

Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government 

Panel discussion

Sir Jonathan Jones KCB KC (Hon), Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

Alex Thomas, Programme Director for the civil service at the Institute for Government

Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government

This panel was chaired by Dr Hannah White OBE, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

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So what can this and future governments learn from the delivery of this major reform programme? How was the Universal Credit project turned around from near disaster in 2013?  And, as it nears completion, what is the impact of Universal Credit?

To explore these questions and more, the IfG was delighted to bring together an expert panel featuring:

Neil Couling, the Senior Responsible Owner for Universal Credit for a decade until March this year

Tom Loosemore, Co-founder of Public Digital and Co-author of Nesta’s report on how to transform government services

Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

Tom Waters, Associate Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies

The event was chaired by Nicholas Timmins, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and author of the IfG’s 2016 report Universal Credit: From Disaster to Recovery?

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As the government’s former lead Non-Executive Director, Michael Jary CBE worked closely with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Cabinet Secretary, the Civil Service Chief Operating Officer, as well as other senior civil servants across government, and has an unparalleled view on what works in Whitehall – and beyond – and what needs to change. In a speech at the IfG, he set out his views on what needs to change – and how this change can be embedded throughout the civil service – before taking part in a panel conversation.

Alongside Michael, we were be joined by:

Josie Cluer, Partner, People Advisory Services at Ernst & Young LLP

Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

Rt Hon Sir Jeremy Quin, former Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.

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To explore these questions and more, the IfG was delighted to bring together an expert panel featuring:

Matthew Fright, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

Sarah Routley, Research Assistant at the Institute for Government

The webinar was chaired by Akash Paun, Devolution Programme Director at the Institute for Government. 

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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 sixth in the series and focused on central 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 – which is kindly supporting this event series – brought together the common themes from the pitches and discussed the lessons for improving productivity.

The speakers for this edition of Productivity Pitches were: 

Brice Dassy and Dominic Lague on how the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) has recently started using the Cabinet Office-developed Government Reporting Integration Platform (GRIP) to simplify and speed up the data collection and sharing process for major projects, providing ministers with more timely and relevant information than under the previous system.

Neil Lloyd on The National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), the first centralised record of all assets that are buried under the ground. When fully implemented, the NUAR will save a range of government agencies time and money when carrying out vital road works and other construction projects.

Freya Pinks and Laurie Thraves on the launch of The National Situation Centre (SitCen), which was established to collate up to date data and information in one place. Their dashboards allow policy makers to assess risk and respond quickly in the case of a national emergency or crisis. (This presentation is not included in the recording above)

The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. Institute for Government. Bart van Ark, the Managing Director of The Productivity Institute, joined the discussion of common themes.

Productivity Pitches is kindly supported by The Productivity Institute.

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In a speech at the IfG, Darren Jones set out his plans to reform government financial systems to achieve better strategic financial decision making going forward. This comes after the prime minister last week announced plans to reshape the way the British state delivers and serves working people by becoming more tech-driven, productive, agile and mission focused.

Darren Jones was then in conversation with IfG Chief Economist Gemma Tetlow and took part in an audience Q&A. 

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Ahead of his speech, Keir Starmer told officials he wants to unshackle them from bureaucracy to stop their talent being "constrained”, and to create an “agile, mission-focused and more productive” civil service.

But planned job cuts across the civil service and a clampdown on quangos and regulators have seen the government’s reform blueprint dubbed “Operation Chainsaw” – echoing Elon Musk’s DOGE plans for reforming the US government.

So what is in the PM’s plan? What will it mean for delivering Labour’s missions and its milestones? What should civil servants expect in the coming weeks and months? And how can Whitehall leaders best put the government’s reform agenda into action?

To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel including:

Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

Hannah Keenan, Associate Director at the Institute for Government

The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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At this event, to mark the launch of a new IfG report on lessons from past policy reviews, a panel of former reviewers and commissioners of reviews explored when reviews can lead to real change – and what needs to be done to ensure they succeed.  

When is it the right time to launch a review? How should ministers best set up, work with and respond to reviews? And has the prime minister changed his view of reviews – and, if so, why?

Discussing these questions, and more, were: 

Rt Hon Ed Balls, former Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and Special Adviser at HM Treasury (and commissioner of several reviews)

Dame Carol Black, leader of multiple past reviews, including: the Review of Drugs (2021), Drug and Alcohol Addiction, and Obesity: effects on employment outcomes review (2016), Health at Work Review (2011) and Working for a Healthier Tomorrow Review (2008)

Dame Tracey Crouch, former Minister for Sport and Civil Society and Chair of the Fan-led Review of Football Governance (2021)

Sir Howard Davies, Chair of the Airports Commission (2012–15)

The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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From April 2025, Greater Manchester will be funded by a new ‘integrated settlement’ that gives the mayor and other local leaders far greater control of spending in areas such as transport, skills, employment and housing. In his speech, Andy Burnham set out his vision for how these powers should be used to drive growth and improve outcomes for people across the region, and what further powers should be devolved.

Andy Burnham was then in conversation with IfG Devolution Programme Director Akash Paun and took questions from the media and public audience.

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While the initial transition went well, four years on probation still faces deep structural challenges – as do other public services. The government is committed to public service reform and a ‘mission-driven’ approach, but it is not yet clear what this will look like.

So what can the government learn about improving public service reform from probation insourcing? What are the implications for Labour’s strategic review of probation governance? And what comes next for the probation service?

To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel including:

Professor Harry Annison, Co-Investigator of Rehabilitating Probation Research Project, and Professor of Criminal Justice at Southampton Law School

Helen Berresford, Director of External Engagement at Nacro

Sam Freedman, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

Martin Jones CBE, HM Chief Inspector of Probation

The event was chaired by Cassia Rowland, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

This event was kindly supported by Rehabilitating Probation.

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Whitehall Monitor 2025 – the Institute for Government’s flagship annual report on the civil service – found that high staff turnover, confused workforce planning, slipping morale and uncompetitive pay will hinder its ability to deliver Labour’s missions, even with an increased headcount and a relentless pressure for greater efficiency and productivity

Keir Starmer and Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden have shown a welcome enthusiasm for Whitehall reform – including a commitment to a “test and learn” mindset and “mission boards” – but little will change until long-running civil service challenges, like excessive staff turnover and falling morale, are resolved.

This webinar – the third in a three-part series focusing on the report’s findings – examined the relationship between civil service pay and the shift in grade structure since 2010, as well as trends in officials’ morale.

The webinar featured:

Teodor Grama, Research Assistant at the Institute for Government

Hannah Keenan, Associate Director at the Institute for Government

Jack Worlidge, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government and lead author of Whitehall Monitor 2025

The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.

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Lucy Powell has served as the MP for Manchester Central since 2012 and became Leader of the House after the 2024 election. In this role, she represents the government in Parliament and Parliament in government. She is also a member of the House of Commons Commission, which oversees the administration of the House, and chairs the Modernisation Committee.

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Keir Starmer and Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden have shown a welcome enthusiasm for Whitehall reform – including a commitment to a “test and learn” mindset and “mission boards” – but little will change until long-running civil service challenges, like excessive staff turnover and falling morale, are resolved.

This webinar – the second in a three-part series focusing on the report’s findings – examined civil service recruitment practices and discuss what is driving the staff turnover levels across Whitehall.

The webinar featured:

Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

Liz Tolcher, Workforce Transformation Expert at PA Consulting

Jack Worlidge, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government and lead author of Whitehall Monitor 2025

The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank PA Consulting for supporting both this event and Whitehall Monitor 2025.

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With an expanding set of devolved transport, skills, housing and planning powers, MCAs are well-placed to drive regional growth – but success is not a given. To capitalise on their potential, MCAs need effective decision-making structures, sufficient institutional capacity, and strong accountability mechanisms.

The government’s devolution white paper sets out proposals to reform the capacity, accountability, and decision-making processes of MCAs, but do these reforms go far enough? What are the potential risks? And what more can the government do to support MCAs to succeed?

To answer these questions, we were joined by:

Amy Harhoff, Chief Executive of the East Midlands Combined County Authority

Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

Jim McMahon MP, Minister for Local Government and English Devolution

Laura Shoaf, Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. 

Introductory remarks were also be delivered by Robert Breedon, Partner and Co-leader of Government Sector at Gowling WLG.

We would like to thank Gowling WLG for kindly supporting this event.

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Keir Starmer and Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden have shown a welcome enthusiasm for Whitehall reform – including a commitment to a “test and learn” mindset and “mission boards” – but little will change until long-running civil service challenges, like excessive staff turnover and falling morale, are resolved.

This webinar – the first in a three-part series focusing on Whitehall Monitor’s findings – examined the size and shape of the civil service, including the growth of Whitehall departments since 2016 and the changing structure and composition of the workforce.

The webinar featured:

Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

Liz Tolcher, Workforce Transformation Expert at PA Consulting

Jack Worlidge, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government and lead author of Whitehall Monitor 2025

The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank PA Consulting for supporting both this event and Whitehall Monitor 2025.

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The next few months present a window of opportunity for the business sector, expert organisations and government to work together to devise a long-lasting industrial approach. The Institute for Government is convening a panel of experts to discuss how the government can deliver on its science and industrial strategy objectives.

So what can be done to ensure the new industrial strategy can endure when others have not? Where has science and technology helped drive UK economic growth? What should be the balance between directing science and technology explicitly towards driving UK economic growth versus other objectives like boosting health? And what can the UK learn from other countries? 

We were joined by:

• Johan Kahlström, President & Managing Director UK & Ireland at Novartis Pharmaceuticals
• Lord Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation
• Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
• Amanda Wolthuizen, Vice-President (Strategic Engagement) and Chief of Staff to the President at Imperial College London

The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

This event was kindly supported by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK.

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Delivering this ambitious agenda will be complex, time-consuming and challenging as local authorities continue to deliver services against a backdrop of financial sustainability and workforce pressures.

So what are the benefits and risks of moving from two-tier to unitary local government? What does past experience teach us about how to successfully reorganise local government? What level of support from the government is needed to aid areas undergoing change? And how might reorganisation help to achieve the government’s devolution ambitions?

To answer these questions and more, this IfG event brought together an expert panel, including: 

• Eve Roodhouse, Director of Strategy and Policy at the Local Government Association
• Becky Shaw, Chief Executive of East Sussex County Council
• Adrian Smith, Chief Executive of Nottinghamshire County Council
• Phillip Woolley, Partner, Head of Public Sector Consulting at Grant Thornton UK LLP

The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Fright, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. 

We would like to thank Grant Thornton UK LLP for kindly supporting this event.

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Starmer hopes that the new Hillsborough law, which will require government organisations and officials to be truthful and to proactively co-operate with investigations and inquiries, will “address the unacceptable defensive culture prevalent across too much of the public sector” exposed in the Infected Blood, Post Office Horizon and too many other inquiries.

But how widely will the duty be applied? How can it work alongside other statutory duties such as in the civil service code? What lessons can be taken from the legal duty of candour that has existed, with mixed effect, in the NHS for over 10 years?

To discuss these outstanding questions about the scope and remit of the proposed legislation, and explore how this new duty of candour could help embed a culture of transparency from SW1 to the frontline, we were joined by an expert panel:

• Sir Robert Francis KC, Interim Chair of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority
• Liz Gardiner, CEO of Protect
• Pete Weatherby KC, Director of Hillsborough Law Now Campaign

The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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Tamara set out current plans for the Policy Profession, which provides a professional home and career anchor for former generalists, and how it is providing a framework for building and improving skills. This was followed by a discussion about how to build the skills they need and how to embed professional expertise in the policy-making process.

For this discussion we were delighted to be joined by:

• Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary at Defra and Head of the Civil Service Policy Profession
• Aaron Maniam, Fellow of Practice and Director, Digital Transformation Education at the Blavatnik School of Government
• Lord Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation

The panel was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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The government’s first weeks in office saw it remove restrictions on onshore wind farms and put GB Energy and the National Wealth Fund into motion. So what impact have these actions had? What other steps could the government take to accelerate its missions? 

And with controversial announcements such as a third runway at Heathrow, what are the potential pitfalls to look out for, both to achieving the clean power mission and then accelerating to net zero?

To answer these questions and more, this IfG event brought together an expert panel, including:

• Rosa Hodgkin, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government
• Fintan Slye, CEO of the National Energy System Operator
• Chris Stark, Head of Mission Control for Clean Power 2030
• Dhara Vyas, CEO of Energy UK

The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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Speaking at the IfG: 

• Pamela Dow, Chief Operating Officer at Civic Future and a former UK civil servant
• Leslie Evans, Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government 2015-2021
• Martin Fraser, Ambassador of Ireland to the UK, Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach 2011–22

Chaired by Alex Thomas, IfG programme director

And with an expert panel at the Global Government Summit in Singapore: 

• Heather Baggott, Deputy Public Service Commissioner, Public Service Commission, New Zealand
• Siobhan Benita, Global Government Forum Chair
• Lord Gus O’Donnell, UK Cabinet Secretary 2005-2011
• Taimar Peterkop, Secretary of State, Government Office, Estonia

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Ben Houchen, Mayor of Tees Valley

Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands

Chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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Presentations from:

Jenny Rowlands, Chief Executive of Camden Council

Claire Taylor, Chief Operating Officer, Sheffield City Council

Panel:

Hilary Cottam, author, innovator and change maker and Honorary Professor at the Institute of Innovation and Public Purpose at UCL

Florence Eshalomi MP, Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee

Jim McMahon MP, Minister of State (Minister for Local Government and English Devolution)

Chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. 

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Nehal Davison, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

Cassia Rowland, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

Chaired by Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. 

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And then general election night was full of cheer for the Lib Dems too – with the party winning a record number of seats and reclaiming its status as Westminster’s third biggest party. 

But how can those 72 MPs actually have an impact on a government with a huge majority? And how can the Lib Dems use parliament to scrutinise legislation and shape policy?  

Deputy Lib Dem leader Daisy Cooper’s speech was followed by a Q&A with IfG deputy director Emma Norris

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Joe Twyman, Director of Deltapoll

Claire Ainsley, Director of the Project on Center-Left Renewal at the Progressive Policy Institute

Anushka Asthana, Deputy Political Editor at ITV News

Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, Chief Executive of the New Economics Foundation

Chaired by IfG deputy director Emma Norris

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Mark Landler (New York Times’ London Bureau Chief)

Dr Leslie Vinjamuri (Director of the US and Americas programme at Chatham House)

Chaired by IfG programme director Catherine Haddon

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But what exactly will the white paper commit the government to do? Which powers will be devolved, to where? How will mayors be involved in delivering the government’s growth, energy and public service missions? How will the proposed reforms to local government work? And what challenges lie ahead for the government in implementing this ambitious

agenda?

The Institute for Government’s online expert briefing on 18 December discussed the answers to these questions and more.

The panel:

• Matthew Fright, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government
• Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government
• Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government
• Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government

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How is the civil service planning to address these questions while supporting the government’s agenda and delivering the prime minister’s promise to build a ‘government of service’? How can issues, like pay and lower morale, be addressed? And what will the civil service look like in 2030?

We were delighted to host Cat Little, Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary, to discuss these questions and more. She was in conversation with IfG Director and CEO Dr Hannah White. 

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Over the last three decades the committee has been an influential voice on the standards expected of people in public office, including setting out the seven principles of public life that apply to politicians, public officials and frontline staff and the establishment of standards regulators including the parliamentary commissioner and the Electoral Commission.

However, recent scandals like ‘partygate’ and controversies over the acceptance of gifts, alongside reports from the infected blood and Grenfell inquiries, demonstrate that work on embedding transparency and ethical behaviour remains unfinished.

How can the committee respond to challenges posed by increased use of AI in the public sector? What more could be done to build greater trust in politicians and public services? And what difference could the Labour government’s planned Ethics and Integrity Commission make?

To answer these questions, and more, we were joined by:

• Doug Chalmers CB DSO OBE, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life

• Pippa Crerar, Political Editor at The Guardian

• Daniel Greenberg CB, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards

• Dame Glenys Stacey, Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection

The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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The DFM reflected on the 10th anniversary of the Scottish independence referendum and the 25th anniversary of Scottish devolution. She also discussed the state of Scotland's economy and public services in light of the UK budget, and the Scottish government's policy and legislative agenda.

The DFM was in conversation with Akash Paun, Programme Director for Devolution, which was followed by Q&A with the live and online audience.

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With spending likely to be tight over the coming years, the theory behind an "invest to save" scheme is clear – but in practice it has been hard to implement, and cashable savings have often proved elusive.

This event brought together a panel of experts to discuss:

• Is it realistic to expect preventative programmes to deliver cashable savings?
• How quickly could a shift towards a more preventative approach improve public service productivity?
• What are the respective roles of the centre of government, departments, and frontline services in delivering this shift and realising productivity improvements?
• How can additional investments be made in prevention when acute demand is high and spending tight?

To discuss these questions and more, our panel included:

• Dr Thomas Waite, Deputy Chief Medical Officer
• Cllr Gillian Ford, Deputy Leader of Havering Council, Cabinet Member for Adults and Health
• Daniel Sperrin, Partner at Newton
• Moira Wallace, former Permanent Secretary

The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank Newton for kindly supporting this event.

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With substantial increases in hospital funding and staffing failing to turn performance round, the new government must help the NHS through the immediate crisis, set it on a sustainable long-term footing and consider the need for more fundamental reform.

Should the NHS focus more on preventing, rather than treating, illness? Could the NHS become more local? Are the new Integrated Care Systems working or should they be reformed? How successful have past NHS reforms been?

To answer these questions and more we were joined by an expert panel, including:

• Paul Corrigan, Expert adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care
• Penny Dash, Chair of NHS North West London Integrated Care Board
• Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First
• Thomas Cawston, Corporate Affairs Lead at Novartis UK

The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was kindly supported by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK.

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Lord Blunkett explored all these questions and more in a fascinating ‘in conversation’ event with Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.

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• Steve Brine, former Chair of Health and Social Care Committee
• Rt Hon David Gauke, former Secretary of State for Justice
• Rt Hon Baroness Nicky Morgan, former Secretary of State for Education

This session was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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• Dr Karen Schucan Bird, Associate Professor at the UCL Social Research Institute
• Penelope Gibbs, Director of Transform Justice 
• Lord Timpson OBE, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending

This session was chaired by Cassia Rowland, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

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• Dr Becks Fisher, Director of Research and Policy at Nuffield Trust
• Professor Naomi Fulop, Professor of Health Care Organisation and Management at the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care 
• Preet Gill MP, former Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Public Health
• Dame Una O'Brien, former Permanent Secretary in the Department of Health 

This session was chaired by Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

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A new book, The Rise and Fall of the Department for International Development, will be published in October. Sir Mark Lowcock, the book's co-author with Ranil Dissanayake, joined an expert panel at the Institute for Government to discuss what we can learn from DfID's history, with a particular focus on building the institution, how to maintain civil service capability, targeting resources and developing ways to measure value for money – with essential lessons for the new Labour government and what other departments can learn from DfID's focus on delivery.

Joining Sir Mark Lowcock on the panel were:

Sarah Champion MP, Chair of the International Development Select Committee

Andrew Mitchell MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary and former Secretary of State for International Development

The panel was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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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.

We would like to thank Honda for kindly supporting this event.

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This joint IfG/New Statesman event was recorded at the Labour party conference in Liverpool.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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But at the same time, Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government was reticent of talking about any kind of industrial strategy, unlike some previous Conservative leaders. This event discussed what the Conservatives should learn from recent experience of industrial policy.  Key questions will include:

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.

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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.

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This event brought together politicians and civil society representatives to discuss how government can and should make the best use of AI. It also considered how the potential risks might be anticipated and addressed, as well as how the government can maintain public trust as technological change occurs. 

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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This event will explore 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 was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

This event was in partnership with Spotlight on Corruption, Transparency International UK, and the UK Anti-Corruption Coalition.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

This event was in partnership with Thakeham.

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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 Data

The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

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This event will explore 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.

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 will be chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

This event is supported by a grant from Charities Aid Foundation.

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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.

This event is kindly supported by Burges Salmon.

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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.

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Ministers – and opposition MPs – are braced for busy couple of months ahead. What legislation is coming down the track in parliament? How significant is Rachel Reeves’ upcoming budget? Is there more clarity about mission-led government and how the prime minister wants his No.10 to work? How is the Conservative Party leadership contest progressing? And how significant will the party conference season be for Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak and Ed Davey?

To discuss these questions and more, this Institute for Government webinar brought together an expert panel featuring:

Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow the Institute for Government

Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Presented by Hannah White, with Alex Thomas, Jill Rutter and Chris White.

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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

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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?

The FT’s Jen Williams joined us to discuss Keir Starmer’s first week as prime minister and what it tells us about how he intends to govern Britain.

Chaired by Hannah White with Joe Owen and Emma Norris.

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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?

The IfG goes 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.

Salma Shah, former Government special adviser (2014-2019)

Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the IfG

Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the IfG

Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the IfG (Chair)

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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)

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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)

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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.

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The discussion covered the evolution of the Foreign Office as an institution, under both Labour and Conservative governments. It focused in particular on the balance between traditional diplomatic activity and the new demands created by climate change, global health challenges and the regulation of emerging technologies.  

The Shadow Foreign Secretary also explored the convergence between domestic economic and foreign policy and its implications for how Labour's mission-driven approach would shape how Whitehall works on international issues.

Following his speech, David Lammy was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, and took questions from the audience.

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With Westminster hit by a series of scandals in recent years, what can be done to restore parliament's image? How can the legislative process be improved? And how would Labour, if elected, approach the way that MPs work in parliament?

Following her speech, Lucy Powell was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. She then took part in an audience Q&A.

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So how do the parties design and deliver their approach to the media, or to communicating beyond the media? How different are the approaches needed for print, broadcast and online? Are the challenges different for the Conservatives and Labour? What are the key moments and potential turning points in a campaign? And what happens when an unexpected event, gaffe or story threatens to derail a general election campaign?

To examine how Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are communicating with the electorate as the general election approaches, and to explore the lessons of previous campaigns, the Institute for Government brought together people who have led communications strategies for government and the opposition, and shaped election coverage for national broadcasters and newspapers.

Anushka Asthana, Deputy Political Editor at ITV News

Lee Cain, Downing Street Director of Communications (2019–20)

James Schneider, Head of Strategic Communications for the Labour Party (2016–20)

Katy Searle, Head of BBC Westminster (2017–20) and Executive Editor of BBC Politics (2020–22)

The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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It is 170 years since the Northcote-Trevelyan report argued that people “of the highest abilities should be selected for the highest posts” in Whitehall, while the government’s most recent reform plan, the 2021 Declaration on Government Reform, argued that more external recruits were needed. So, who are the officials at the very top of the civil service – and is enough being done to recruit the best outside talent?

Why would the civil service benefit from bringing in more outsiders? Does civil service culture make it difficult to thrive as an external recruit? What sort of skills does the civil service need from expert outsiders? And what progress has been made since the Declaration on Government Reform was published?

To discuss these questions, this event featured three permanent secretaries who have all spent time working in the private sector as well for the civil service:

Gareth Davies, Permanent Secretary of the Department for Business and Trade

Cat Little, Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office

Sarah Munby, Permanent Secretary of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Jordan Urban, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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Thousands of councillors in over 100 local areas across England are also up for election, with the successful candidates taking responsibility for key public services at a time of acute financial pressures across local government. Voters will also elect 37 police and crime commissioners and the 25 members of the London Assembly.

These elections are far more important than just providing a straw in the wind for the general election to come. To discuss why these elections matter and what to expect, the Institute for Government hosted a public event with expert panellists including: 

• Sarah Calkin, Editor of the Local Government Chronicle 

• Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University and Senior Research Fellow at the National Centre for Social Research

• Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government

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Labour has criticised the Conservatives for their performance on this issue, but has recently been less vocal on the topic. With an election due in the coming months, will the political parties make ethical standards an issue during the campaign?  

To discuss the IfG’s proposals on rebuilding trust in public life, how things can be improved, and why this topic matters ahead of the election, we were pleased to welcome a great panel: 

• Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

• Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Shadow Minister Without Portfolio (Cabinet Office) and Labour MP for Torfaen

• Esther Webber, Senior UK Correspondent at Politico

• Rt Hon Sir Jeremy Wright MP, Conservative MP for Kenilworth and Southam and former Attorney General

The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

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But with multiple companies publishing a range of different polls, it can be a confusing landscape. To interpret polling results, understanding the methodologies behind opinion polls, including sampling, margin of error and the all-important question framing, is more important than ever. And for those trying to understand party strategies, it is essential to understand the role polling plays.

To explore these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel including:

• Kelly Beaver MBE, Chief Executive of Ipsos in the UK and Ireland

• Christabel Cooper, Director of Research at Labour Together

• Rob Ford, Senior Fellow at UK in a Changing Europe

• Tom Lubbock, Founding Partner of JL Partners

The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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In a year when over two billion people in more than 50 countries will vote in elections, the use of AI technology – more widely accessible than ever – and disinformation could have a major impact on trust and integrity.

So what can be done to tackle this growing problem? What can political parties, government, media companies and civil society do to mitigate the risks of AI and ensure electoral integrity? And what steps can be taken ahead the elections of 2024 and then in the longer term.

We were joined by an expert panel, including:

• Professor Joe Burton, Professor of International Security in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University

• Louise Edwards, Director of Regulation and Digital Transformation at the Electoral Commission

• Chris Morris, Chief Executive of Full Fact

• Simon Staffell, Director of Government Affairs at Microsoft

The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank Lancaster University for kindly supporting this event.

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Lord McFall has focused on parliamentary outreach and prioritised communicating the value of the House of Lords externally, bringing the devolved parliaments and Westminster closer. He has also worked with schools and universities, and launched a podcast, to demystify the upper house. 

What are public perceptions of the upper chamber and how have they changed? How has the Lords changed its ways of working? What kinds of links does it have with the devolved parliaments? And what might all of this mean for discussions about reform of the Lords?

Lord McFall addressed these questions and more in a keynote speech at the Institute for Government, before taking part in a discussion with the IfG’s Director Dr Hannah White and an audience Q&A.

Follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @IfGEvents and join the conversation using #lordspeaker.

Lord McFall of Alcluith became Lord Speaker in 2021, having served as senior deputy speaker for five years. He entered the Lords in 2010 after spending 23 years in the Commons as Labour MP for Dumbarton and later West Dumbartonshire. There, he served as a minister in the Northern Ireland Office, a government whip, and chaired the Treasury Select Committee between 2001 and 2010, including during the global financial crisis. Before entering politics, Lord McFall worked for over a decade as a teacher.

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But criticism of the department’s influence on government policy is almost as old as the institution itself, with frequent complaints about the “dead hand of the Treasury” or attacks on the department’s “orthodoxy”.

However, a recent IfG report found many of the fiercest criticisms to be overblown: many simply represent a dislike of a budget constraint. The department plays an important function in effectively managing public spending and guarding against financial disorder. It has also consistently been a champion of economic growth, though there is debate about how that is managed against its responsibility for managing government spending. While the department has clear strengths, there are clearly problems with how it functions. The Treasury often takes a short-term approach, is frequently accused of micromanaging other departments, and wields excessive influence over government policy relative to the rest of the centre.

So how can these problems be addressed? How much are they due to the relative weakness of other departments or the incentives facing Treasury ministers? And just what impact does the Treasury have on government policy making?

Our expert panel exploring these issues and more featured:

• James Bowler CB, Permanent Secretary of HM Treasury

• Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research at the Health Foundation and former Director of Public Spending at HM Treasury

• David Gauke, former Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

• Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and co-author of Treasury orthodoxy, and former No 10 special adviser for industrial strategy

The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government

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A wide range of organisations have responsibility for tackling fraud, including the Home Office, National Crime Agency, Serious Fraud Office, City of London Police, Metropolitan Police Service, Financial Conduct Authority and the National Cyber Security Centre. However, there are problems with coordination, capacity and capability.

So what can government and others do to help prevent fraud? How can coordination among the various agencies responsible for tackling fraud be improved? And what steps could be taken to help increase detection and prosecution rates?

We were joined by an expert panel, including:

• Francesca Carlesi, CEO of Revolut UK

• Adrian Searle, Director of the National Economic Crime Centre

• Nick Stapleton, Co-Presenter of BBC Scam Interceptors

• Rt Hon Emily Thornberry MP, Shadow Attorney General

The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

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On Monday 11 March, The Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH and The Rt Hon Gordon Brown spoke at the Institute for Government to launch the final report of the Commission on the Centre of Government. It sets out a plan – ambitious but deliverable – for reforming the centre of government.

Over the last year the IfG’s Centre Commission has been speaking to people who have worked at the heart of government in the UK and overseas, to devolved governments, industry and civil society leaders and community leaders. Our conclusion is that the centre of government is not equipped to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Fundamental change is needed – and it cannot wait.

The first part of the event featured opening speeches from Sir John Major and Gordon Brown. This was followed by panel discussion of the core recommendations of the report. For this discussion we were delighted to be joined by:

• Baroness (Louise) Casey, a Commissioner who supported the project, and a crossbench peer and former civil servant

• Lord (Gus) O'Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service

• Sir Anthony Seldon, Deputy Chair of the Commission on the Centre of Government.

The panel was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government and Chair of the Commission on the Centre of Government. This event was supported by a grant from Charities Aid Foundation.

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While manifestos are described as a contract between a party and the people, the reality in government is often quite different. Pledges may prove difficult to deliver in practice, with unforeseen crises and the day-to-day challenges of governing seeing commitments fall by the wayside. In a coalition or minority government, parties may have to compromise.

So how do the parties develop and write their manifestos? What does a good manifesto actually look like? What are the questions that Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will be considering when signing off on their manifestos? And just how important are manifestos during – and after – a general election campaign?

Joining us to discuss these questions and more were: 

• Andrew Fisher, former Executive Director of Policy for the Labour Party, and author of the 2017 and 2019 Labour manifestos 

• Robert Shrimsley, Chief UK Political Commentator and Executive Editor at the Financial Times

• Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First, and co-author of the 2019 Conservative manifesto

The event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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Dr Coffey joined Tim Durrant, Programme Director for Ministers at the Institute for Government, to reflect on her government career and the challenges of ministerial life. What was it like serving under five different prime ministers? How did she approach running a large delivery-focused department during the pandemic? And are the pressures of ministerial office impacting too much on the lives of politicians?

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A quarter of a century since devolution began, what are the potential next steps in Wales’s unfinished constitutional journey? Set up to address this very question, the cross-party Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales, established by the Welsh government, will publish its final report in January 2024 – a key moment in the debate on the future of Wales.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS, the First Minister of Wales, to discuss the findings of the commission, his perspective on how devolution to Wales could be protected and strengthened, and how a future Labour government in Westminster should reform the constitution and improve relations with the devolved administrations.

Mark Drakeford was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, followed by Q&A with the live and online audience. 

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• Claire Ainsley, Director of the Project on Center-Left Renewal and former Executive Director of Policy to Keir Starmer

• Anita Boateng, Partner at Portland Communications and former Special Adviser for the Cabinet Office, MoJ and DWP

• Sam Freedman, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

• Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

• Joe Owen, Director of Impact at the Institute for Government (Chair)

This event was part of the Institute for Government’s Government 2024 annual conference.

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• Stephen Bush, Associate Editor and Columnist at the Financial Times
• Councillor Georgia Gould, Leader of Camden Council
• Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, former Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government (Chair)

This event was part of the Institute for Government’s Government 2024 annual conference.

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But having focused already limited resources on election campaigning, and often lacking the knowledge and experience of being in government, how can opposition parties prepare for an overnight transition? Which issues do they need to consider ahead of a possible election win? And what challenges might arise on that first day in power?

As the Institute’s research shows, proper preparation can make the difference between success and stagnation once in office. This event, the latest in the Institute for Government’s General Election programme, discussed a new IfG report – Preparing for government: How oppositions should ready themselves for power – which sets out how to prepare for a possible transition into government.

Joining us to the discuss the report and its findings was an expert panel, including:

• Wes Ball, former Director of the Parliamentary Labour Party
• Baroness Fall, former Deputy Chief of Staff to David Cameron
• Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government
• Lord Macpherson, former Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury (2005–16)

The event was chaired by Joe Owen, Director of Impact at the Institute for Government.

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So what is Lord Maude’s plan to fix these problems and how would his 57 recommendations work? Ministers have reacted coolly to Maude’s plan to split the Treasury and create an Office of Budget and Management, but is he right? What responsibilities should the Cabinet Secretary hold? And what can be done to ensure this review of the civil service succeeds when so many previous attempts have failed?

To discuss these questions and more, Lord Maude joined us in conversation at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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So, what does the Autumn Statement reveal about this government’s approach to economic and fiscal policy? How has the economic and fiscal outlook changed since March and how might that shape the general election campaign? Does the government have any new plans to try to boost growth and household incomes? What do the government’s public spending plans look like – and are they plausible?

To explore these questions and more, our expert panel included:

• Anoosh Chakelian, Britain Editor of the New Statesman

• Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

• Richard Hughes, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility

• Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government

The event was chaired by Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

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Sir Mark Rowley was appointed as Met Commissioner in September 2022 with a mandate to bring in higher standards of policing, reduce crime rates, and deliver more trust in the Met Police. At this Institute for Government event, the Commissioner set out how he intends to achieve his priorities, including through changes to police structures, improved leadership, and the New Met for London plan.

The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. Following his brief opening remarks, the Commissioner took part in a Q&A with the in-person and online audience.

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Ahead of the Autumn Statement, this event brought together an expert panel to discuss:

• How does public service performance compare to pre-pandemic levels?

• How can the government recruit and retain sufficient staff to improve public service performance?

• What are the key public service challenges that will be faced by the winner of the next election?

As the Institute for Government and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) publish the latest edition of Performance Tracker which features new analysis on the performance of public services, Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, presented the key findings. He was joined by Stephen Bush, Associate Editor and columnist at the Financial Times, and Baroness Morris, Chair of the Lords Public Services Committee.

The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government, with opening remarks by Jeffrey Matsu, Chief Economist at CIPFA.

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Kicking off the Institute's General Election programme, this event reflected on the opening pitches of the two main parties at their recent conferences. It will ask what change the country, government and political system needs, what change the voters want, and whether either party has a plan to deliver it.

Joining us were:

• Kelly Beaver, Chief Executive of Ipsos in the UK and Ireland

• Lord Mandelson, Chairman of Global Counsel and former minister in the Blair and Brown governments

• Kate McCann, Political Editor at Times Radio

• Lord Willetts, President of the Resolution Foundation and former minister in the Major and Cameron governments

The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government.

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The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Anas Sarwar MSP, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party. How can Scottish devolution be strengthened? What might a future Labour government at Westminster mean for relations with Holyrood? And what is Sarwar’s vision for Scotland’s place in a reformed Union?

To discuss these questions and more, Anas Sarwar was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, followed by Q&A with the live and online audience.

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As Lord Evans reaches the end of his five-year term, he joined the Institute for Government to reflect on the work of the committee and the UK’s approach to standards in public life more broadly. He discussed how the standards landscape has changed, the challenges he anticipates, and how he would like to see public standards strengthened in future. 

After his speech, Lord Evans was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience. 

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This event was part of the IfG and Bennett Institute's joint conference on the Future of the UK Constitution.

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A year since her government’s Growth Plan – the September 2022 ‘mini-budget’ – including a programme of tax cuts and supply side reforms, the former prime minister set out her vision for how the government could enable the UK to achieve faster economic growth.

Following her speech Liz Truss was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, the Director of the Institute for Government, before taking part in a Q&A with an invited audience.

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So how has the Darlington Economic Campus changed the way policy is made? What difference has it made to the local area and is it contributing to the levelling up agenda? What are the factors behind the campus’s success and should it be used as a blueprint for future relocations? And what are the next steps in the government’s plan to relocate the civil servants from London?

A recent IfG report has evaluated the impact of the Darlington Economic Campus on the civil service and the local area and set out recommendations for current and future relocations.

At this event, which was held in Darlington, there was a welcome from Nigel Robinson from PA Consulting, and a short presentation from Jordan Urban, the report’s lead author. Baroness Penn, Treasury Lords Minister, responded to the IfG's research.

An expert panel discussion followed, featuring:

• Jo Crellin, Director General, Trading Systems at the Department for Business and Trade

• Mike Hughes, Business and Commercial Editor at The Northern Echo

• Baroness Penn, Treasury Lords Minister

• Andrew Perkin, Business Growth and Investment Manager at Darlington Borough Council

• Beth Russell, Second Permanent Secretary to the Treasury

The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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The Levelling Up White Paper proposed several reforms to 'rewire Whitehall' to ensure the goverenment delivered more effective regional policy, including the creation of a Levelling Up Advisory Council (LUAC) – an expert group reporting to the levelling up secretary of state – to provide insight, challenge, and advice to the government on its design and delivery of the levelling up policy agenda. This event also considered how central government can best be organised to deliver effective long-term regional policy, whether the white paper’s reforms are the right ones, what difference structures like the Advisory Council make, and what else is needed.

So what progress has the government made on implementing the white paper proposals? What difference have the structures set out in the white paper made already and is the LUAC fulfilling the purpose it was set up for? What are the key challenges for a government when trying to deliver cross-cutting policy? And are the structures in place for cross-government working, between central and devolved governments, adequate to deliver regional policy effectively?

To discuss these questions and more, the Institute for Government brought together an expert panel.

• Andy Haldane, Chair of the Levelling Up Advisory Council and Chief Executive of the RSA

• Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

• Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

• Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering and member of the Levelling Up Advisory Council

The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government.

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 But how would that commission work in practice? If Labour forms the next government, what powers would the commission have to investigate alleged poor behaviour? How will it enforce its judgements? Who would sit on the commission and how will it work with government ministers?

 To answer all these questions and set out her vision for how to make politics work better at a time of depleted trust, the Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, Labour’s Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, gave a keynote speech at the Institute for Government.

The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Following her speech, Angela Rayner took part in a Q&A with the in-person and online audience

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She gave a keynote speech at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. Following her speech, the Attorney General took part in a Q&A with the in-person and online audience.

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To explore these critical questions, and examine what government needs to do to meet its climate objectives, the Institute for Government brought together leading politicians and experts from the UK and beyond for a special net zero conference. The morning focused on whether the UK government has the right policies in place to cut emissions. And in the afternoon we examined government’s role in supporting green industries, following major subsidies announced by the US and the EU.

At this session, the Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Net Zero, joined Emma Norris, IfG Deputy Director, to discuss how a Labour government would do net zero differently.

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To explore these critical questions, and examine what government needs to do to meet its climate objectives, the Institute for Government brought together leading politicians and experts from the UK and beyond for a special net zero conference. The morning focused on whether the UK government has the right policies in place to cut emissions. And in the afternoon we examined government’s role in supporting green industries, following major subsidies announced by the US and the EU.

Following a welcome from IfG Director Dr Hannah White, the Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP joined us to discuss his Independent Review of Net Zero and the government’s progress so far.

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To discuss these questions and more, Sajid Javid was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, followed by a Q&A.

The Institute for Government’s Commission on the Centre of Government is looking at why No.10, the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury do not always work as well as they should and what could be done to radically improve the centre of UK government.

The Centre Commission’s purpose is to produce concrete recommendations for a confident, proactive, coherently-structured centre of government equipped to meet the challenges and take the opportunities of the 21st century and deliver for the people of the UK. The Commission will report in February 2024.

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To discuss the ongoing governance challenges in Northern Ireland, reflect on the impact of the Windsor Framework, and set out the Northern Ireland Office’s approach to restoring power-sharing, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, the Northern Ireland Secretary, spoke at the Institute for Government.

The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government.

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It has been reported that key decisions during the pandemic were taken in WhatsApp groups – made up of the prime minister and a handful of advisers. While some messages have been leaked, much of the content may never see the light of day – particularly with some users setting their messages to ‘disappear’ within days or even hours. 

So is WhatsApp changing the way decisions are made or is it just the 21st century equivalent of an informal conversation in a corridor, a bar, or on a phone? What can be done to ensure decisions taken on WhatsApp are shared and scrutinised? And how much has changed in government since the app was first launched? 

To discuss all this and more, the Institute for Government brought together an expert panel:

• Dr Alice Lilly, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

• Emily Walch, former special adviser to Vince Cable and Senior Counsel at Grayling

• Matt Warman MP, former Minister of State in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

• Henry Zeffman, Associate Political Editor at The Times

This event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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Building on IfG research from 2020, this event will consider how the role has evolved over recent decades. What skills and capabilities are needed to be an effective SpAd? How should potential future SpAds approach the role? And how does the UK compare with other countries in the way its political advisers operate?

To explore these questions, the IfG brought together an expert panel including:

• Sonia Khan, Associate Director at Cicero and former special adviser to Philip Hammond and Sajid Javid
• Jennifer Lees-Marshment, Associate Professor at the University of Auckland, focusing on the political adviser role in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
• Liz Lloyd, former Chief of Staff to Nicola Sturgeon
• Baroness Sally Morgan, former Director of Government Relations for Tony Blair and Chair of Ofsted 

The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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How well have mayoral combined authorities (MCAs) worked with central government? Do mayoral combined authorities need a single point of contact in Whitehall or is it better to work directly with different departments? Have MCAs successfully encouraged cross-council working on levelling up? How can the UK government work more effectively with the devolved nations?

To explore these questions, the IfG brought together an expert panel including:

• Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council
• Professor Francesca Gains, Professor of Public Policy at The University of Manchester
• Dr Jack Newman, Research Associate at The Productivity Institute and the Department of Politics at The University of Manchester
• Joe Rossiter, Policy and External Affairs Manager at the Institute of Welsh Affairs

The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

Follow us on Twitter @ifgevents and join the conversation using #IfGlevellingup.

This event was kindly supported by Policy@Manchester, The University of Manchester's policy engagement unit.

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So how can government do this? What lessons should it learn from the experience of recent crises? Is it effectively identifying and managing risk, so that it stands ready to address future shocks? And what does government need to ensure that it can still make progress on its day-to-day priorities? 

To discuss these questions, the Institute for Government brought together:

Alex Chisholm, Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary for the Cabinet Office

Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, whose seventh Chair's Annual Report examining these themes was published the morning of 6 June.

This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

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Recent events in government, including the circumstances following Dominic Raab’s resignation as justice secretary, have at least on the surface deepened a divide between ministers and officials – and civil service morale has dropped as the strained relationship between ministers and officials deteriorates.

With Raab complaining of “increasingly activist civil servants” and warning that it had become “almost impossible for ministers to deliver for the British people”, there have been increasing calls to give more powers to ministers to bring their political allies into Whitehall.

So has civil service impartiality had its day? Is it time to allow more political appointments into civil service roles? What would this mean for the civil service’s ability to give good advice and effectively implement government policy? What other changes would help the civil service recruit people with the skills and specialisms that ministers want and the public need? And what else can be done to restore the fractured relationship between ministers and officials?

To explore these questions, the IfG bought together an expert panel including:

• George Eustice, Conservative MP and former Environment Secretary
• Ayesha Hazarika, Times Radio presenter and a former civil servant and special adviser
• Lord O’Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary
• Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First, a former adviser at 10 Downing Street and co-author of the Conservative Party's 2019 election manifesto

This event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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With NHS England recently creating a new central commercial function to coordinate the work of the more than 4,000 staff working on NHS procurement and supply chain, how can the NHS make the most of its collective buying power and ensure money isn’t wasted? What lessons can be learned from NHS procurement during the pandemic? How can the NHS create more resilient supply chains? What role can procurement play in tackling health inequalities and the NHS’s commitment to reach net zero by 2045? And how can the NHS take advantage of the changes proposed in the Procurement Bill?

To answer these questions, the Institute for Government convened an expert panel including:

Jacqui Rock, Chief Commercial Officer at NHS England

David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network

Patrick Parkin, Partner at Burges Salmon

Luella Trickett, Director, Value and Access at the Association of British HealthTech Industries

The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank Burges Salmon for supporting this event.

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To explore these questions and more, our expert panel included:

• Debbie Abrahams MP, Member of Parliament for Oldham East and Saddleworth
• Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester
• Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice and Vice Dean of Humanities at The University of Manchester
• Jennifer Williams, Northern England Correspondent at the Financial Times

The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

This event was kindly supported by Policy@Manchester, The University of Manchester's policy engagement unit.

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So how successful were the Treasury’s policies and how well did it work with the rest of government? What lessons should the Treasury learn from its pandemic response? How can the department be better prepared to handle future crises? And what can be done to improve how the Treasury operates in normal times?

This event presented and discussed the findings of a new report from the Institute for Government which examines how the Treasury implemented labour market and business finance support schemes, delivered an unprecedented amount of support to the country at incredible speed and under huge uncertainty, and worked with other government departments during the crisis. 

To explore these questions, the IfG brought together an expert panel including:

• Rushanara Ali MP, Member of the Treasury Select Committee
• Olly Bartrum, Senior Economist at the Institute for Government
• Prof Sir Charles Bean, former member of the Budget Responsibility Committee at the Office for Budget Responsibility (2017–21)
• Tracey Brown, Director of Sense about Science
• Sir Charles Roxburgh, former Second Permanent Secretary of HM Treasury (2016–22)

The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

Follow us @IfGevents and get involved in the conversation using #IfGTreasury.

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The SNP has a new leader and Scotland has a new first minister. So what does the election of Humza Yousaf mean for the Scottish government – and for the role that the SNP plays in Westminster? What does the future of the relationship between the Westminster and Holyrood governments look like and what opportunities are there for the two governments to work together? How will the SNP make the case for independence under new leadership?

To explore these questions, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s leader in Westminster, to give a keynote speech.

The event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Follow us @ifgevents and join the conversation using #IfGFlynn.

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Appointed as the Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) in 2018, Sir Patrick has been responsible for providing advice on topics as varied as artificial intelligence, emerging pandemic diseases and climate change – and was a regular presence at No.10’s televised press conferences throughout the Covid crisis.

With his five-year fixed-term ending in the spring, Patrick looked back at his time as Government Chief Scientific Adviser and ahead to some of the science-related challenges facing government. How can the government make best use of scientific evidence? What more can be done to place science at the heart of government decision making?

The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, with an opening address from Patrick followed by a Q&A.

Follow us @ifgevents and get involved in the conversation using #IfGscience.

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Our panel explored why successive governments have failed to address rising obesity and what would be needed to tackle it. We discussed which policies work, how to build support for them and the role of government in leading change.

To explore these questions and more, our expert panel included:

Henry Dimbleby, founder of Leon, former government adviser and author of Ravenous: how to get ourselves and our planet into shape

Sophie Metcalfe, Researcher at the Institute for Government

Dr Dolly Theis, Visiting Researcher at the Cambridge University MRC Epidemiology Unit

The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

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However, as past governments have discovered, how to reform the second chamber is the cause of intense disagreement. Who should replace the current membership? What should be the role of a second chamber? What are the risks involved in embarking on major constitutional change – and are the knock-on impacts clearly understood?

This event – part of the IfG Bennett Institute Review of the UK Constitution – will explore current proposals for reforming the House of Lords, including the newly-published Brown review, and consider how reform could be achieved.

Matthew Hanney, former Special Adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg

Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society

Lord Norton of Louth, Conservative Peer and Professor of Government at the University of Hull

Sarah Sackman, Commissioner, Brown Commission, Labour candidate for Finchley and Golders Green

The was chaired by Jess Sargeant,Senior Researcher, Institute for Government.

#IfGLordsReform

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We were delighted that to be joined by Ben Chu, Economics Editor at BBC Newsnight, and Richard Hughes, Chair of the OBR, to discuss:

• What the new forecasts reveal about the outlook for the government, households and public services.
• What choices has Rishi Sunak made to help restore fiscal sustainability and credibility? Has it worked and will the government be able to deliver it all?
• What have the events of the past two months taught us about the importance and strength of the institutions at the heart of fiscal policy making – including the relationship between the OBR, the Treasury and ministers?

Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, and Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government, will also join Richard to discuss the prime minister's fiscal plans drawing on the 2022 edition of the IfG and CIPFA Performance Tracker. Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, chaired the panel.

#IfGautumnstatement

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Our panel explored what the purpose of the public appointments system is, how well it is working now and what reforms might be needed:

• Lord Jonathan Evans, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life and former Director General of the UK Security Service
• Baroness Simone Finn, Former Deputy Chief of Staff at Number 10
• Sue Gray, Second Permanent Secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, Chair of the Liaison Committee and former Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
• William Shawcross CVO, Commissioner for Public Appointments

This event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. 

#IfGpublicappointments

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Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and head of the civil service policy profession, joined David to reflect on good policy making, with Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government chairing the event.

#IfGWhatWorks

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What mistakes were made in the transition between Boris Johnson’s No.10 and Truss’s administration? Why were Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng so quick to disregard the value of institutions and experience in government? How should a prime minister change course when things go wrong? And what can Jeremy Hunt do as the new chancellor to restore faith in this government’s handling of the economy?

As Truss attempts to calm the markets, the public and her party, the IfG’s new director Dr Hannah White brought together an expert IfG panel to examine where the prime minister went wrong and explore the lessons that should be learned from her first 40 days in No.10 for future incoming administrations.

With

• Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
• Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
• Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government
• Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

#IfGTruss

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His documentary series have included the How to Be trilogy (How to Be Chancellor, How to Be Foreign Secretary and How to Be Home Secretary), The Great Offices of State and The Secret World of Whitehall.

In conversation with IfG Senior Fellow Dr Catherine Haddon, Michael Cockerell discussed his memoir, Unmasking our Leaders, and share the stories and secrets – including clips from a number of his documentaries – of the politicians that he has met and interviewed. And with a new prime minister moving into 10 Downing Street, this event will also explore the qualities that make – and sometimes break – our political leaders.

#IfGCockerell

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The IfG economics team of Tom Pope, Giles Wilkes and Olly Bartrum assembled to make sense of a huge day in Parliament. Presented by Hannah White.

This is a recording of a Twitter Spaces conversation 

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After serving as the UK’s deputy Chief Medical Officer during the pandemic, Dr Harries took on leadership of the new UK Health Security Agency in April 2021. In conversation with Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, she discussed her vision for the UKHSA:

• What role will it play in protecting the country from Covid and future pandemics?
• What does Dr Harries see as the main challenges and priorities for the agency?
• And how will Dr Harries’ time as Deputy Chief Medical Officer shape her approach to leading the UKHSA?

Jenny Harries is the inaugural Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency. She was previously the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England. She has served on the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and worked in a variety of public health roles in the UK and abroad.

#IfGHarries

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So how should models be produced and used within government? How should they be communicated to the public? And how well equipped are ministers and officials to understand and interpret modelling when making their decisions?.

This panel explored the role of modelling in the Covid pandemic, the lessons that ministers should learn, and how the UK should draw on modelling in future crises.

• Ben Chu, Economics Editor for Newsnight
• Professor Neil Ferguson, Director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London
• Richard Hughes, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility
• Ruth Kelly, Chief Analyst at the National Audit Office.

The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

#IfGforecast

We would like to thank The Forum, Imperial College London’s policy engagement initiative for kindly supporting this event.

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While the economic shocks of the Covid pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have been huge, there are many other factors likely to change the shape of the UK state and the demands placed on it in future. Some – such as the ageing of the population and the shift towards net zero carbon emissions – can be anticipated; others – such as the impacts of unabated climate change and possible future geopolitical instability – are harder to predict with certainty.

This event opened with a short presentation by Richard Hughes, Chair of the OBR, on the main findings in the report followed by a panel discussion on the major challenges facing the UK and how the government can best prepare for these.

Our panel included:

• Professor Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director-General of RUSI
• Rosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for Government
• Richard Hughes, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility
• Professor Andrew Scott, Professor of Economics, London Business School.

The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

#IfGeconomy

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How do ministers make decisions? How do they work with the civil service and devise policy? And how do they manage their teams? Dr John Boswell and Dr Jessica Smith of the University of Southampton, drawing on the Institute for Government’s Ministers Reflect archive, have identified different patterns in the way ministers work and seek to lead the civil service - and the different approaches taken by men and women serving in ministerial roles.

To discuss their findings, and how this can help future ministers and civil servants:

• Dr John Boswell, Associate Professor of Politics at the University of Southampton
• Dr Jessica Smith, Lecturer in Politics at the University of Southampton
• Margot James, former minister at DCMS and BEIS and MP for Stourbridge, 2010-19
• Dame Una O’Brien, former permanent secretary, Department of Health

This event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

#IfGministers

We would like to thank the University of Southampton and the ESRC for supporting this event.

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So how can the services sector contribute to economic growth across the UK? What can the government do to help service sector clusters thrive outside London and the South East? And is the government getting the balance right between focusing on manufacturing and services?

To discuss these questions and more:

• Bim Afolami MP for Hitchin and Harpenden
• Bhavina Bharkhada, Head of Policy at Make UK
• John Cooper, Partner, Public Law & Regulation at Gowling WLG
• Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

#IfGlevellingup

We would like to thank Gowling WLG for their support for this event.

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Following the lecture, Mrs May was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

#IfGBrokenshire

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The government says the new Procurement Bill will create a simpler and more transparent system which makes it easier for SMEs to win contracts and for the government to disqualify poorly performing suppliers.  

This event discussed the bill’s aims, challenges to achieving the government’s objectives and featured a presentation on the key measures contained in the bill from: 

• Ed Green, Deputy Director, Commercial Policy - International and Reform at the Cabinet Office 
• Lindsay Maguire, Head of Engagement for Procurement Reform at the Cabinet Office 

And responses from: 

• Mark Leigh, Deputy Chief Commercial Officer at DWP
• Laura Wisdom, Partner at Burges Salmon 

The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

#IfGoutsourcing 

This event was kindly supported by Burges Salmon.

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What should those skills, and reforms, look like? How can the government make sure that the right skills are available in the right place at the right time? And what can it do to ensure that the opportunities of net zero are shared fairly across the country?

Discussing these questions were:

• Sam Alvis, Head of Economy at Green Alliance
• Alyssa Gilbert, Director of Policy and Translation at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment
• Ian O'Donnell, Net Zero and Special Projects Lead at the Federation of Small Businesses
• Tom Sasse, Associate Director of the Institute for Government. 

The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

#IfGnetzero

We would like to thank The Forum, Imperial College London’s policy engagement initiative for kindly supporting this event.

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First elected in May 2017 and re-elected for a second term in May 2021, Andy Burnham discusses his role and priorities, the challenges of working with the UK government to level up the Greater Manchester region and what further powers he would like to see devolved in the promised ‘Trailblazer’ devolution deal being negotiated between Whitehall and local leaders in Greater Manchester.

Andy Burnham is in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and head of the Institute’s devolution research programme.

Andy Burnham was the MP for Leigh from 2001-17 and held a series of ministerial posts including Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Secretary of State for Health. In opposition after 2010, he served as shadow education, health and home secretary, before resigning his seat to become Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017.

#IfGdevo

This event was kindly supported by Policy@Manchester, the University of Manchester's sector-leading policy engagement unit.

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A recent white paper finally set out the government’s plan to turn the levelling up slogan into reality, including 12 missions to be achieved by 2030. But with the general election due in no more than two years, will the government be able to demonstrate sufficient levelling up progress before voters return to the polls? Has it set its expectations too high? What do voters want to see from levelling up?

This event, held in the week after the local elections, asked what the public expects of levelling up and whether and how the government can deliver against public expectations before April 2024.

On our panel to discuss these issues:

• Viki Cooke, Founding Partner at Britain Thinks
• Andrew Lewer MP, Member of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee and Vice-President of the Local Government Association
• Alex Norris MP, Shadow Minister for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities and Local Government
• Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

#IfGlevellingup

We would like to thank Lloyds Banking Group for supporting this event.

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So what can be done to reform the way the House of Commons works? How can MPs make their institution worthy of public trust? And what can parliamentarians do to restore their flagging reputation?

To mark the publication of her new book: Held in Contempt: What's wrong with the House of Commons? the IfG's deputy director, Dr Hannah White was joined by an expert panel, including The Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP, Member of Parliament for Staffordshire Moorlands, and Chris Cook from the Financial Times.

The event was chaired by IfG senior fellow, Dr Catherine Haddon.

#IfGCommons

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The government's response to this era of renewed global competition is the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. One year on from its publication, the Institute for Government was delighted to host MoD Permanent Secretary David Williams alongside Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin to discuss their priorities for the Ministry of Defence and what reforms will ensure the civil service and armed forces are able to meet the threats the UK faces in the world.

The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government

#IfGUKdefence

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Tackling regional inequalities lies at the heart of the Conservative Party's re-election hopes, but relies on the implementation of a complex series of policies across national and local government – so does the UK have the will and the money to see it through?

Following the release of the government's levelling up white paper, the Institute for Government welcomed Neil O'Brien, the minister for levelling up, to explore levelling up with Sebastian Payne, Whitehall Editor of the Financial Times and author of Broken Heartlands: A Journey Through Labour's Lost England.

The pair were in conversation with IfG director Bronwen Maddox, discussing Sebastian Payne's road trip through parts of England that voted Conservative for the first time in living memory and Neil O'Brien's work on producing the white paper and defining the policies that are the core mission of this government.

#IfGlevellingup

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So how can finance best help the transition to net zero? What can be done to prevent ‘greenwashing’ and build trust in businesses’ commitment to tackling climate change? And what does government need to do to support green business and finance?

With the UK set to continue to play a leading role on green finance, our panel discussed discuss how it can accelerate progress after COP26:

• Sarah Breeden, Executive Director, Financial Stability Strategy at the Bank of England
• Anthony Browne MP, member of the Treasury Committee
• Maria Lombardo, Head of ESG Advisory Sustainable Finance at Standard Chartered Bank
• Kuangyi Wei, Director, Risk & Regulatory Strategy, UKI at Accenture

The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

#IfGnetzero

We would like to thank Accenture for kindly supporting this event.

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After just under a year in office, Tracy Brabin discussed her role as mayor, working with the UK government to make levelling up a reality in West Yorkshire, and how she would like to see the powers of mayors evolve.

Tracy Brabin was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

This event was broadcast live from Leeds in front of an invited audience. There was an opportunity to put questions to the mayor from both the online and in-person audience.

Tracy Brabin was elected as MP for Batley and Spen in October 2016. She was appointed Shadow Minister for Early Years in 2017; Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in January 2020 and Shadow Minister for Cultural Industries in April 2020. She was elected as the first Mayor of West Yorkshire in May 2021, at which point she was required to step down as MP.

#IfGdevo

We would like to thank Manchester Airports Group for kindly supporting this event.

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What lessons are there from the protocol’s first year? Why does the protocol continue to be a source of tension in the UK-EU relationship and such a divisive issue in Northern Ireland? Are attitudes changing? Where are the sticking points, and where is the protocol working well? What challenges are coming down the track and where can compromise be found?

Set against the results of new polling from Queen’s University Belfast, this event explored what people in Northern Ireland think of the protocol, the challenges that the UK and the EU face in managing the protocol and its consequences in the long term, and how people from Northern Ireland can be involved in the effective governance of the protocol’s implementation.

Panel:

• Professor Katy Hayward, Professor of Political Sociology, Queen’s University Belfast and Senior Fellow at UK in a Changing Europe
• Professor David Phinnemore, Professor of European Politics at Queen’s University Belfast
• Raoul Ruparel, former Special Adviser to Theresa May on Europe
• Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

#IfGBrexit

We would like to thank Queen's University Belfast and the Economic and Social Research Council for kindly supporting this event.

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This report launch explored what Whitehall Monitor 2022 reveals about the way the pandemic has changed how the government works and how the Covid-19 response will sit alongside ministers’ wider agenda for the second half of the parliament.

How has the Omicron variant complicated the government's attempts to move away from crisis management mode? What will increases to departmental spending mean for pandemic backlogs? And what do civil service staff cuts mean for government capability - including its ambitions for civil service reform?

On our panel to discuss these issues were:

• Matthew Holehouse, British political correspondent at The Economist
• Charlotte Pickles, Director of Reform
• Dame Glenys Stacey, Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection
• William Wragg MP, Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee

The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

There was a short presentation of the key findings from the report at the start of the event.

#IfGWM22

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But does DfE have the capacity to meet education’s challenges in the post-pandemic world? How has academisation changed the role of the department? Does it have the capacity to improve the system? And does the department devote enough time to long-term challenges?

On our panel to discuss these questions:

• Justine Greening, former Secretary of State for Education
• Anne Longfield, former Children’s Commissioner for England
• Jonathan Slater, former Permanent Secretary for the Department for Education
• Rachel Sylvester, Political columnist at The Times

The event is chaired by Sam Freedman, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

#IfGeducation

We would like to thank edpol.net and the Foundation for Education Development (FED) for supporting this event.

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But with a new Chief of Staff, Director of Comms, Head of Policy, and Permanent Secretary, exactly how new is the new-look No.10? Can a change of staff save a Prime Minister? Can a ministerial Chief of Staff avoid competing with the Prime Minister? And how do the trials and tribulations of Johnson’s No10 compare with the experiences of those who worked there before?

This special edition dives into the organisation idiosyncrasies of No.10 and the confusing mix of roles that support the PM, and asks whether Johnson’s reset will make a difference.  Catherine Haddon presents, with the IfG’s Alex Thomas and guests Gavin Barwell, formerly Chief of Staff to Theresa May, and Kate Fall, who worked in No.10 as David Cameron’s deputy chief of staff.

Audio production by Candice McKenzie

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Calls for change have come from all sides. Should the UK’s constitution be codified? Does parliament have enough power to hold the Government to account? Are the courts going too far in diluting government power? Does the role of the House of Lords and the monarchy need rethinking? Is devolution working – and do we need more of it? How do governments deal with the public and can trust be restored?

While the last five years have brought the Constitution’s sustainability into question, they have also created a real opportunity to reinvigorate UK democracy, restore trust in the political system and improve the way that government works. But without a clear vision for the future, the UK risks yet more constitutional confusion and conflict.

Over the next 18 months, the Institute for Government and the Bennett Institute of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge, backed by a distinguished advisory panel, will undertake an impartial, non-partisan review of the constitution before setting out recommendations for change for this and future governments to follow. This event launched this major joint project, exploring how well the UK constitution is working and the problems that now need to be addressed.

On the panel to discuss the UK constitution and the problems faced, were:

• Dr Halima Begum, Chief Executive of the Runnymede Trust
• The Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC, former Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice; current Member of Parliament for South Swindon
• Professor Ciaran Martin, former Chief Executive of the National Cyber Security Centre; now Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations at Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University
• Baroness Smith of Basildon, Shadow Leader of the House of Lords

This event is chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Professor Michael Kenny, Director of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at the University of Cambridge, provided some opening remarks on the review.

#IfGBennettInst

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So what can ministers do to involve the private sector in shaping and delivering the levelling up agenda? What more can be done to unlock greater private sector investment? How can private investment deliver social as well as economic impact? What lessons can be drawn from previous public-private partnerships to deliver major infrastructure improvements?

To discuss these questions, the IfG was delighted to host an expert panel including:

• Kevin Hollinrake MP, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Business Banking and member of the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee
• Stephen Muers, Chief Executive Officer at Big Society Capital
• Sara Williams, CEO of the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce
• John Wrathmell, Director, Strategy, Research and Economy at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

#IfGlevellingup

We would like to thank Big Society Capital for supporting this event.

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With the bill having passed through the House of Commons and set to be scrutinised in the House of Lords, this Institute for Government panel explored the opportunities – and risks – of setting up a bespoke post-Brexit state aid regime.

While leaving the EU allows the UK's system to focus domestic concerns and government priorities like reaching net zero, a poorly designed system could mean poor regulation of subsidies and creating legal uncertainty.

Will the new system provide the additional flexibility, freedom and certainty that the government has promised – or is it a recipe for confusion? And as the legislation is scrutinised in parliament, how can it be improved to ensure it delivers for UK governments, public bodies and businesses?

On our panel to discuss these issues were:

• Peter Foster, Public Policy Editor at the Financial Times
• George Peretz QC, Barrister at Monckton Chambers
• Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government
• Rahat Siddique, Economist at the Confederation of British Industry

The event began with a short presentation by Thomas Pope, summarising the new system and presenting initial conclusions on its effectiveness.

The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

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Audio Production by Candice McKenzie

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Is Brexit really ‘done’? Do the Government’s ‘net zero’ plans add up? Does more need to be done to support the post-pandemic economic recovery? And how will the Government turn its flagship ‘levelling up’ slogan into reality?

The Institute for Government welcomes the following expert panel to reveal the inner workings of government – and discuss whether Boris Johnson’s administration is well-placed to deliver its manifesto promises:

• Kelly Beaver, Chief Executive of Ipsos MORI
• Stephen Bush, Political Editor at the New Statesman
• Dan Corry, Chief Executive of New Philanthropy Capital and former Head of the No.10 Policy Unit
• Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

The event is chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank PA Consulting for supporting this event.

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What did the UK’s 20-year stay in Afghanistan accomplish? Should politicians or the military take the blame for its failures? And how should Afghans and the international community approach the next phase of Taliban rule?

To discuss these questions the Institute for Government is delighted to bring together:

• Jack Straw, UK Foreign Secretary (2001–05)
• Hasina Safi, Afghanistan's acting Minister for Women (May 2020 – August 2021)
• Tobias Ellwood MP, Chair of the Commons Defence Select Committee

The discussion will be chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

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Earlier this year the UK agreed to omit references to temperature goals committed to in the Paris Agreement in order to secure a free trade agreement with Australia – an agreement which, on the government’s own analysis, will result in increased use of scarce natural resources and increased waste. So does the UK need to do more to position its environmental goals at the heart of its trade policy or would this hinder the UK’s ability to strike deals across the globe? Can trade policy help deliver positive gains for the environment? And should the UK government set out an overarching trade policy to bring consistency and coherence to its trade deals?

To answer these questions, and to explore what goals UK trade policy is – or ought to be – serving, the Institute for Government was delighted to bring together an expert panel including:

• Sir Martin Donnelly, former Permanent Secretary for the Department for International Trade (DIT) and for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (now BEIS)
• Dmitry Grozoubinski, Director of ExplainTrade
• Anna Sands, Trade Policy Specialist at WWF UK
• Chris Southworth, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce

The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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We would like to thank WWF UK for supporting this event.

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With voter ID, political party funding, and the abuse of candidates all in the spotlight, is enough being done to inspire the confidence of voters, parties and politicians in the electoral system?

More than six months after becoming Chair of the Electoral Commission, John Pullinger discussed the challenges facing UK democracy and some of the changes voters might see in the months ahead. 

This in conversation event also explored issues relating to John Pullinger's previous role as National Statistician.

John Pullinger was appointed Chair of the Electoral Commission in May 2021. Until 2019, he was the UK’s National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority. He has served as President of the Royal Statistical Society, Chair of the United Nations Statistical Commission, and Librarian and Director General for Information Services at the House of Commons.

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But 10 months on, the UK labour market is under pressure, with a combination of Covid-19, Brexit, and other structural forces causing widespread shortages of workers.

To what extent has the new immigration regime contributed to these labour problems? Is the UK worse affected than other countries? Will there be longer-term benefits from the new immigration regime? Has Brexit made the UK more or less able to address labour market issues? And how is the government making the most of its new-found control?

To discuss these issues, we were joined by an expert panel:

• Seema Farazi, Partner, Financial Services, Immigration and Brexit at EY
• Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory
• Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
• Paul Wilson, Policy Director at the Federation of Small Businesses

The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

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The row about MPs’ second jobs has triggered a discussion about what MPs are for and what their priorities should be. From representing constituents and dealing with casework to scrutinising government and improving legislation, MPs have many responsibilities.

So how should an MP divide his or her time? How has this changed over recent years? Should MPs be taking on extra paid work outside parliament? And what do constituents ultimately want from their representative?

To discuss these questions and more, the IfG brought together an expert panel:

• Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary, University of London
• Sir Peter Bottomley, Conservative MP for Worthing West
• Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion
• Marie Le Conte, political journalist and author

This event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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What is the state of the relationship between the UK and Scottish governments? How well is devolution working for Scotland? What are the current tensions in the devolved settlement and how can they be resolved?

John Swinney, who is also Scotland’s cabinet minister for Covid recovery, gave a short speech before being in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, and programme lead for devolution.

John Swinney has been an MSP since 1999, and currently represents Perthshire North. From 1998 to 2000, he served as deputy leader of the SNP, and then as party leader between 2000 and 2004. He has previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy, and as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. He has been Deputy First Minister since 2014.

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Six months after his re-election to a second term in office, Andy Street – who was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government – discussed his role as a ‘metro mayor’, the constraints he faces in the role, and how metro mayors can help deliver the government’s levelling up and net zero objectives.

Andy Street started his career at the John Lewis Partnership in 1985 as a trainee at Brent Cross and rose to become the managing director in 2007. He resigned in order to stand for election, and was successfully elected in May 2017 as the Conservative Mayor of the West Midlands. He was subsequently re-elected to this position in May 2021.

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With Elizabeth Denham’s five-year term as Information Commissioner ending on 31 October, this Institute for Government event looked back at her time in post – and look ahead to future challenges, and opportunities, for data use and protection.

In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute of Government, Elizabeth Denham discussed the questions of freedom of information and transparency raised during the pandemic, how data can be shared responsibly and lead to digital transformation of public services, and how countries around the world can work together to meet digital threats.

Elizabeth Denham was appointed UK Information Commissioner in July 2016, having previously held the position of Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, Canada and Assistant Privacy Commissioner of Canada. She was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in Queen's New Year's Honours list in 2018.

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Following recent research from the Institute for Government and the Gatsby Foundation, which analysed the use of evidence in transport policy in the UK and compared it to four other countries, the IfG was delighted to bring together an expert panel to discuss whether England needs a single transport strategy, the challenges involved in putting such a strategy in place, and how the system can be resilient to shocks and crises whilst reducing carbon emissions and keeping the focus on user experience.

On our panel to discuss these issues were:

• Lord Adonis, former Secretary of State for Transport
• Sue Kershaw, Managing Director for Transportation at Costain and APM President
• Bridget Rosewell CBE, Commissioner on the National Infrastructure Commission
• Martin Tugwell, Chief Executive at Transport for the North

The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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We would like to thank Costain for kindly supporting this event.

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Brought into Number 10 after May lost her majority at the 2017 general election, Barwell battled alongside the former prime minister through meaningful votes, cabinet resignations and moments of high parliamentary drama.

But what exactly does a chief of staff do? What lessons should be learnt from May’s time in Number 10? And just how dysfunctional is the centre of power?

To mark the publication of Chief of Staff: Notes from Downing Street, Gavin Barwell was in conversation with the Institute for Government’s Dr Catherine Haddon.

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In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, he will discuss the international community’s handling of the crisis – from the initial outbreak in early 2020, to public health measures used to curb transmission, to current vaccination programmes.

As the international vaccine rollout continues, but with high numbers of Covid-19 cases across the world, Professor Nabarro will also set out how countries can best manage this phase of the pandemic – and what needs to be done to ensure we are better prepared in the future.

David Nabarro is co-director and chair of Global Health at Imperial College London’s Institute of Global Health Innovation and strategic director of 4SD. In March 2020 he was appointed Special Envoy of WHO Director-General on Covid-19. He has over 40 years of experience in international public health as a community-based practitioner, educator, public servant, director and diplomat. He was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for work on international public health in 1992.

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The pandemic has hit services hard. Children have lost hours of learning, waiting times for court cases are longer, and a backlog for operations has built up.

So what spending choices must Sunak make? What is the pandemic’s impact on spending, staff, and service performance? And where might pressures intensify in the next three years?

As the Institute for Government and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy launch the sixth edition of Performance Tracker – a data-driven analysis of the performance of key public services in England, including prisons, hospitals, schools, police and adult social care – its lead author Graham Atkins, Associate Director at the Institute for Government, presented the key findings.

To discuss, our panel included:

• Justine Greening, former Secretary of State for Education and former Economic Secretary to the Treasury
• Anoosh Chakelian, Britain Editor at the New Statesman
• Mike Driver CB, President of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)

The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government, with an introduction by Jeffrey Matsu, Chief Economist at CIPFA.

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We would like to thank the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) for supporting this event.

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In a bonus IfG podcast, Tom Sasse is joined by Jill Rutter, Will McDowall and guest James Murray of Business Green to make sense of 2000 pages of net zero plans and pathways, targets and taxes.

Audio Production by Candice McKenzie

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A recent Institute for Government report exposed how the system lacks transparency and is inconsistently applied. Ministers can appoint non-executive directors without due process, and the influence of a department’s board depends on whether a minister chooses to engage with it or not.

So what can be done to make more use of board members’ expertise? What changes could help boards to improve departmental performance? What can be done to improve the transparency of board appointments?

To discuss these questions, the Institute for Government was delighted to bring together an expert panel:

• Sue Langley, lead non-executive director for the Home Office and former interim government lead non-executive
• Sir David Lidington, former Secretary of State for Justice, Leader of the House of Commons and Minister for the Cabinet Office
• Dame Una O’Brien, former Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health
• Miranda Curtis, Director at Liberty Global and former lead non-executive director for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

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