IfG Events

Having 'taken back control’ of the UK border after Brexit, the government has ended free movement of people and introduced a new points-based immigration system.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.#IfGBrexit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As part of our ongoing series of events on devolution and the Union, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome John Swinney MSP, the Deputy First Minister of Scotland.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.#IfGDevo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As part of our ongoing series of events on the future of devolution across the UK, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and leader of the West Midlands Combined Authority.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.#IfGDevo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From targeted social media campaigns during elections to the introduction of the Covid-19 test and trace app, questions about our data – and how it is used – are at the heart of political decision making and debate.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.#IfGDenham Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto promised an ambitious plan for connecting towns and cities by road and rail and supporting electric vehicles, cycling and walking. But what evidence will the government use to shape its transport strategy and how can it ensure the system is customer-focused? How has England’s transport network held up under the dual pressures of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic? And how can a transport strategy support net zero goals?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.Follow @ifgevents#IfGtransport We would like to thank Costain for kindly supporting this event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Theresa May’s chief of staff from 2017 to 2019, Gavin Barwell had a front row seat for the Brexit dramas, deals and deadlines that defined May’s premiership.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.#IFGBarwell  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the World Health Organization’s Special Envoy on Covid-19, Dr David Nabarro has played a leading role in the international response to the pandemic.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.#IfGNabarro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With a week to go until Rishi Sunak sets out his multi-year spending review, the chancellor faces difficult decisions about how to fund public services.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.#PerformanceTrackerWe would like to thank the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) for supporting this event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With just over a week to go until COP26, the government has published three big climate reports. So what do we now know about the government’s strategy for hitting its net zero target? Does the plan stack up? Has the Treasury revealed how to pay for it? And were these documents worth the wait? 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been a rocky year for Northern Ireland politics. Against a backdrop of worsening relationships, the Executive has had to cope with the pandemic, the protocol and the legacy of three years without Ministers. The future of the Northern Ireland protocol hangs in the balance. The EU response to the UK’s proposals for major changes to the Withdrawal Agreement will be the start of an intense period of negotiations. The stakes are high with the UK governments threat to take unilateral measures on the protocol looms large, alongside the DUP’s threat to bring down the Northern Ireland Assembly. Deal or no deal, the Northern Ireland Assembly is heading for an election in May 2022, if not before. This podcast will explore the view from Northern Ireland – can the UK and EU reach agreement before the end of the year? Will the Assembly survive until May? What are each parties’ prospects? What other challenges will the Executive be facing in the next six months? To answer these questions the Institute for Government brought together an expert panel for a special IfG Live podcast.  Dr Clare Rice, researcher and writer on NI politics Prof John Tonge, British and Irish politics professor at the University of Liverpool Aoife Moore, Political Correspondent for the Irish Examiner Alex Kane, Columnist and commentator  Presented by Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Audio Production by Candice McKenzieSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices