IfG Events

In this discussion, Lord Maude, a former Minister for the Cabinet Office, dives into his recent Independent Review of Governance and Accountability in the Civil Service. He highlights the complexity and confusion in current government structures and outlines 57 proposals to enhance accountability and governance. The conversation covers pressing topics such as the proposal to split the Treasury, the role of the Cabinet Secretary, strategies for retaining talent, and the need for improved collaboration across departments, aiming for meaningful civil service reform.

After Rishi Sunak used the recent Conservative Party Conference to pitch himself as the ‘change’ candidate, the Autumn Statement on 22 November was Jeremy Hunt’s first opportunity to set out the government’s new tax and spending plans. But what the Prime Minister and Chancellor can offer will in part be shaped by the new economic and fiscal forecasts they were given by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the UK’s independent fiscal watchdog. 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 GovernmentThe event was chaired by Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

High standards are crucial for maintaining public trust in the police – but in recent years the reputation of the Metropolitan Police has been damaged by a number of scandals.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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Public services were hit hard by the pandemic, which exacerbated existing performance problems and pressures on staff. High inflation and widespread strikes have since caused further disruption.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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rishi Sunak has until December 2024 to call an election. While the formal starting pistol has yet to be fired, and may not be for at least a year, the long campaign has already begun. Both Sunak and Starmer are presenting themselves as the change candidate and the person to fix a country that – they both argue – is struggling to find its way.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 governmentsThe event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To mark the publication of her new book, The Women Who Made Modern Economics, Rachel Reeves MP sat down with IfG's Chief Economist, Dr Gemma Tetlow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Twenty-five years after the Scotland Act established the devolved Scottish government and parliament, the future of devolution and Scotland’s place in the Union remain contentious issues. The SNP continues to advocate for Scottish independence. Meanwhile, the UK government has pursued a strategy of ‘muscular unionism’. Scottish Labour has called for a new approach, based on greater cooperation between UK and Scottish governments, and for stronger local government within Scotland. So what does Scotland’s constitutional future hold?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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Questions about standards in public life have dominated politics in recent years. As Chair of the independent Committee on Standards in Public Life since 2018, Lord Evans KCB DL has been at the heart of these debates, leading the committee’s work to define and uphold ethical standards across the public sector.  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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Baroness Hale, former President of the Supreme Court, joins Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, and Professor Michael Kenny, Director of Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge, for an in conversation. This event was part of the IfG and Bennett Institute's joint conference on the Future of the UK Constitution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Institute for Government welcomed Rt Hon Liz Truss MP to give a keynote speech on the economy. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices