From disrupted supply chains to a shortage of lorry drivers, Brexit and Covid have combined to cause major problems at the UK border. Nando’s, McDonald’s and the Co-op are just three of the firms to have been affected.As pandemic-related travel problems continue, the true impact of post-Brexit border rules has yet to hit. Full border checks on EU imports to Great Britain will only come into effect later this year, while extensive controls on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland may be introduced in the autumn. Businesses and individuals are currently left in limbo as negotiations between the UK and EU continue over how the Northern Ireland protocol will operate long-term.Will border disruption worsen as the year goes on? How ready are business and government for the introduction of new controls? Is the UK’s new immigration to blame for staffing issues? And what more can done to solve existing problems and prepare for further changes.To discuss these issues, we were joined by an expert panel: William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce Elly Darkin, Senior Associate at Global Counsel Julian Jessop, Economics Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs Ian Wright, Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation. The event was chaired by Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.#IfGBrexit See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The pandemic has exposed weaknesses in the way Britain supports its poorest families – and also strengths. What should the government learn from the last 18 months and what opportunities for reform can it seize? The Second World War led to the Beveridge report and the creation of the welfare state and the NHS; can the pandemic also galvanise radical change?An adviser to successive governments, most recently as the chair of the government’s Covid-19 rough sleeping taskforce, Baroness Casey is now calling for major reform in the way governments tackle hunger, rough sleeping and poverty.She was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for GovernmentBaroness Casey has previously run the Rough Sleepers Unit, the Respect Task Force and the Troubled Families Unit. She also chaired this government’s Covid-19 rough sleeping taskforce.#IfGCasey See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As one of the UK’s top epidemiologists and the head of the influential modelling group at Imperial College London, Neil Ferguson has played a critical role in providing advice during the Covid-19 crisis, as well as previous crises including foot and mouth.In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, Professor Ferguson discussed the lessons he has learned about advising government, the role of scientific modelling in informing decision making and how scientists should communicate with the public. He also assessed the latest Covid-19 data, and what measures may need to be taken in the weeks and months ahead.Professor Neil Ferguson is head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology in the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Climate change is already devastating lives and livelihoods every year. With heatwaves, floods, wildfires and other extreme weather events becoming more common in the UK and around the world, all countries need to adapt and build resilience. So as the UK prepares to host COP26, the UK presidency has placed climate adaptation at the heart of its agenda.COP26 is a huge opportunity for the UK. How can the UK government show leadership on climate adaptation, both internationally and domestically? How can countries provide support for people most vulnerable to the effects of climate change? What role can early warning systems play and how can this help inform approaches by policy makers and donors? And how can the UK both learn from other countries facing climate risks and share the lessons of its own experiences?This panel event brings together experts from the UK and overseas to consider these and other questions: Richard Blewitt, Executive Director International at British Red Cross Rt Hon Baroness Brown, (Professor Dame Julia King), Chair of the Climate Change Adaptation Committee and Chair of the Carbon Trust Dr Jane Strachan, Head of International Applied Science at the Met Office H.E. Ms Saida Muna Tasneem, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to the UK The event is chaired by Marcus Shepheard, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.#IfGClimateWe would like to thank the British Red Cross and the Met Office for kindly supporting this event. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Brexit negotiations demonstrated long-standing weaknesses in parliament’s ability to scrutinise trade negotiations and international treaties – with much of the May government’s time spent managing attempts by parliamentarians to enhance their role. In light of the government’s post-Brexit ambition to conclude new trade deals with countries around the world, this panel examined how parliament currently scrutinises international treaties and what more parliamentarians should do to ensure effective scrutiny.To discuss these issues, we were joined by: Jill Barrett, Associate Member 6 Pump Court, International Law Consultant and former Foreign Office legal adviser Mark Garnier MP, Member of the House of Commons International Trade Committee and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Trade, 2016–18 Professor Holger Hestermeyer, Professor of International and EU law at King’s College London Alex Horne, Counsel at Hackett and Dabbs LLP and Special Adviser to the House of Lords International Agreements Committee The event was chaired by Maddy Thimont Jack, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Membership of the EU meant that the UK had not had its own independent trade policy for more than 40 years. In one of her first acts as prime minister, Theresa May established the Department for International Trade to take on this function. This panel looked back at how department was established, how effective it has been in developing the UK’s skills and approach to international trade policy, and what more needs to be done to make the UK the big player in international trade it aspires to be.To discuss these issues, we were joined by: John Alty, Interim Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Trade Dr Lorand Bartels, Reader in International Law at the University of Cambridge and Counsel at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP Sam Lowe, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Reform Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government #IfGtrade See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sir Jeremy Farrar has been at the heart of the global fight against Covid-19. As head of one the world’s most influential medical research charities and a leading member of SAGE, he has played a decisive role as complex decisions were taken to meet the rapidly-evolving threat of the pandemic.Sir Jeremy discussed his new book, Spike – The Virus v The People: The Inside Story, with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. The book, co- authored with the Financial Times science columnist, Anjana Ahuja, sets out his reflections on the extraordinary last 18 months and puts forward his ideas on how the world can be better prepared to tackle future threats.#IfGFarrarWe would like to thank Wellcome Trust for kindly supporting this event, which follows a joint project on how policy makers should tackle Covid-19 over the long term. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As part of a new series of events on the future of devolution and the Union, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome The Rt Hon Mark Drakeford, Welsh Labour leader and First Minister of Wales.After setting out his vision for devolution and reforming the Union, based on the Welsh government paper, Reforming Our Union: Shared Governance in the UK 2nd Edition, the First Minister was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.The First Minister discussed the state of relations between Westminster and Cardiff, the scope for changes to the powers and funding of the Welsh government, the case for reform of the House of Lords, and what needs to be done to create a new culture of shared governance between UK and devolved administrations.#IfGDevo See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In our report Taking back control of trade policy, the Institute argued that the government needed a clear trade strategy. So far, the government’s main goal appears to be to strike as many deals as it can. But recent disagreements in cabinet over whether to open UK markets to Australian agricultural produce, and whether UK farmers will be able to compete, suggest that the government is still struggling to make the necessary trade-offs. This panel examined whether the UK has a trade policy, and if so, what it hopes to achieve.To discuss these issues, we were joined by: Martin Bell, Deputy Director of Trade at the Scotch Whisky Association Anna Isaac, Incoming Economics Editor at The Independent Graham Stuart MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Exports) at the Department for International Trade Emily Thornberry MP, Shadow International Trade Secretary Nick von Westenholz, Director of Trade and Business Strategy at the National Farmers Union The event was chaired by James Kane, Associate at the Institute for Government.#IfGtrade See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The COP26 climate change summit in November is approaching fast – but where is the plan for the UK to meet its pledge to hit net zero by 2050 or to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035?The government has yet to say what it will do – or who it expects to pay for the its plan to drive down emissions. How should costs be distributed between taxpayers, consumers and businesses? Where should the burden fall between current and future generations?To debate how to pay for net zero and ensure the UK tackles climate change in a way that maintains public support, the Institute for Government brought together an expert panel for a special IfG Live podcast.  Bim Afolami, Conservative MP for Hitchin and Harpenden Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies James Meadway, Director of the Progressive Economy Forum Presented by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Audio Production by Candice McKenzie See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices