IfG Events

The podcast dives into the Treasury's significant power and influence over public spending and tax policy. It debates criticisms of the Treasury's short-term approach and micromanagement tendencies. Experts discuss the need for long-term planning and transparency in fiscal decision-making. There’s exploration of the Treasury's role in driving economic growth, alongside the complexities of public contracts. The conversation touches on enhancing the Treasury's effectiveness and the culture of fear affecting policy evaluations within government. A nuanced look at improving collaboration among departments is also presented.

Fraud is the UK’s most common crime. But despite 3.5 million incidents reported in 2022/23, 40% of all reported crimes, only one in a thousand results in a charge or summons. So why is there such a huge gap between preventing, detecting and prosecuting this crime – and what can be done to fix the problem?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 GeneralThe event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sir John Major, the former UK Prime Minister known for his 1990s leadership, and Gordon Brown, former Chancellor and Prime Minister, tackle the urgent need for reform in the UK government. They discuss pressing issues like economic stagnation, regional inequalities, and climate change. Major reforms are proposed, including a streamlined decision-making structure and enhanced civil service accountability. The speakers also emphasize the importance of external collaboration and the dynamic between Number 10 and cabinet ministers to ensure effective governance.

With the general election less than a year away, the Conservatives, Labour and all other political parties are drawing up their manifestos. Scrutinised by the media and voters, manifestos can shape debate, shift the polls, and play a major part in an election campaign – and shape what the winning part does in government.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 manifestoThe event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr Thérèse Coffey served in government under every prime minister from David Cameron to Rishi Sunak, including four years as a member of the cabinet. She led the Department for Work and Pensions through the Covid pandemic, served as deputy prime minister and heath secretary under Liz Truss, and was made environment secretary by Rishi Sunak. She left government at the November 2023 reshuffle. 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? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Devolution to Wales is almost 25 years old. Since the first Welsh assembly elections in 1999, the powers of the devolved institutions in Cardiff have been substantially expanded – with Welsh voters backing the historic transformation of the assembly into a law-making parliament in a 2011 referendum.  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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A wide-ranging discussion on the key issues facing government – and the economy – as a general election draws near. On the panel:• 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government, set out key findings from Performance Tracker – the IfG’s annual stocktake of nine key public services – ahead of a panel discussion on how public service performance can be turned around. On the panel: 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The IfG was delighted to welcome Rt Hon John Glen MP, Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, for a keynote speech at Government 2024, the IfG’s annual conference with Grant Thornton UK LLP. This was followed by an in conversation with Dr Hannah White OBE, Director of the IfG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The next general election is – at most – one year away. If Labour wins, there will, as is almost always the case in the UK, be an overnight transition of power. A party that has spent 14 years in opposition would be instantly thrown into government. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices