IfG Events

With the Government’s Coronavirus communications strategy under heavy criticism, we ask an expert panel, including two former No.10 Directors of Communications, what it is getting wrong and what it needs to do to get things right. How successful are the daily press conferences? Has the Government shown a willingness to engage with the media? And is it right to rebut critical press reports so strenuously? Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, chairs an expert panel including: Alastair Campbell, Director of Communications and Strategy to Tony Blair Sir Craig Oliver, Director of Politics and Communications to David Cameron Camilla Tominey, Associate Editor, the Daily Telegraph  Audio production by Alex Rees See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is an audio recording of an IfG Live Event. Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this event, our speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience.Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government, chairs this event with our speakers: Tom MacInnes, Chief Analyst at Citizens Advice, on what traffic to their website tells us about what the population were worried about in the first phase of the COVID-19 crisis. Eleanor Stewart, Head of Transparency at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on data as diplomacy. Glen Robinson, National Technology Officer for Microsoft UK, on keeping data safe and the benefits of scale. Terence Eden, Head of Open Technology at NHSX, on why making things open makes them better. We would like to thank Microsoft for supporting this event. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How well is the intense cooperation over COVID-19 between Westminster and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland working? Is Coronavirus demonstrating the strength of devolution, or does it highlight the need for central government to take a strong lead? What can we learn from cooperation in past crises? And what does all this mean for the Union and the debates around Scottish independence and Irish reunification?Debating this with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, this are: Rt Hon Carwyn Jones AM, former First Minister of Wales Dr Katy Hayward, Reader in Sociology at Queen’s University Belfast Rt Hon Lord Dunlop, former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland Professor Nicola McEwen, professor of Territorial Politics, University of Edinburgh @ifgevents #IfGDevo See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the week that local and mayoral elections were due to take place across England, before being postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we discuss the state of English devolution. What have metro mayors and combined authorities achieved? What should happen next with the devolution process? How has the Covid-19 crisis has affected the debate, and what role have the devolved bodies played in responding to the current health and economic crisis?Joining Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, are: Julia Goldsworthy, Director of Strategy at the West Midland Combined Authority Professor Alan Harding, Chief Economic Adviser to the Mayor of Greater Manchester Dr Nicola Headlam, former Head of Northern Powerhouse, Cities and Local Growth Unit, UK Government Audio production by Alex Rees See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How will the government ease the lockdown restrictions? What choices and trade-offs will ministers need to make in order to get the country moving again? How can it communicate these complicated messages while also retaining public support?We explore these questions – perhaps the hardest to face any peacetime prime minister – at a live online event with panel of IfG experts: Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government In the chair is Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Read the new IfG report Lifting lockdown: how to approach a coronavirus exit strategy which calls on the government to be straight with the public that there can be no single grand exit plan to release the Coronavirus lockdown. The report also warns that the government’s five tests for starting to lift the lockdown are not a good enough guide to the longer-term exit strategy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams led the Independent Review into the Windrush Scandal, which concluded that “hundreds, and possibly thousands of people” in the Windrush Generation suffered because of failures in every element of modern government. The review further exposed fundamental issues within the UK’s immigration system and wider failures of policy making, bureaucracy, law and political leadership.Wendy Williams discusses what went wrong, what needs to change and what lessons the UK government has learned with Joe Owen, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Interview recorded and edited by Candice McKenzie. Audio production by Alex Rees See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the UK parliament begins its unexpected experiment with digital democracy, the IfG is delighted to convene an expert panel to discuss democracy in the age of coronavirus. From online select committee hearings to parliamentary questions by Zoom, we explore how Westminster is adapting to the need for social distancing, the risks and benefits of the two Houses’ chosen approaches, and what the long-term consequences of this period of enforced innovation may be.Karen Bradley MP, Chair of the Commons Procedure Committee, will be joined by Sir David Natzler, former Clerk of the House of Commons, and Esther Webber of The Times. In the chair is Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.Audio production by Alex Rees. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The COVID crisis is affecting every aspect of the economy, and, uniquely, it’s hitting every country in the world hard at the same time. What can government do in a crisis without a rulebook? Andy Haldane, chief economist at the Bank of England, joins Bronwen Maddox to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the UK economy.Is the authorities’ economic response sufficient to support businesses during the lockdown? What role should the Bank of England play in this process? What changes might COVID-19 make to the future of the economy and financial system? And are we in for a V-shaped downtown, an L or a Nike Swoosh? “This is a simultaneous and enormous shock to every country on the planet.” – Andy HaldanePresented by Bronwen Maddox. Audio production by Alex Rees.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can the UK and EU reach a deal by the current deadline of 31 December 2020 now that COVID-19 has set many governments’ plans into disarray? Lead negotiators Michel Barnier and David Frost are both currently self-isolating and they have yet to set a date for the next round of talks. The clock is ticking. The UK and EU have until the 1 July 2020 to decide whether to extend the transition period, and on what terms. How likely is that? And could an extension be agreed at a later date? Joining Joe Owen, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, to explore this complex issue are: Allie Renison, Head of EU and Trade Policy at the Institute of Directors Shanker Singham, CEO of Competere Fabian Zuleeg, Chief Executive and Chief Economist at the European Policy Centre Professor Catherine Barnard, Professor of EU Law and Employment Law, University of Cambridge; Senior Fellow, UK in a Changing Europe Audio production by Alex Rees.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Major reform for the Civil Service was one of the new government’s major priorities… and then the Coronavirus happened. What will bring about more change: the Government’s own plans, or the unprecedented exigencies of this health emergency? Can any Civil Service really be ready for an event like this? The enormity of Corona aside, which innovations might help the Civil Service respond better in “normal” circumstances? And what could be the long-term consequences of reform for its structures and processes? Our Programme Director Alex Thomas welcomes a stellar panel to discuss the future of the Civil Service: Ben Gummer, former Minister for the Cabinet Office Una O’Brien, former Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health Sam Freedman, CEO, Education Partnerships Group and former senior policy adviser to then Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove Audio production by Alex Rees See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices