
Institute for Government
The leading think tank working to make UK government more effective.
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Latest episodes

Jun 24, 2025 • 1h 17min
The Expert Factor Live!
Back by popular demand, Hannah White, Paul Johnson and Anand Menon reunited on stage to record a special live episode of The Expert Factor – the podcast for people who haven’t had enough of experts.
Nine years to the day since the UK voted to leave the EU, as the directors of three of the UK’s leading think tanks – the Institute for Government, the Institute for Fiscal Studies and UK in a Changing Europe – got together to discuss, explore and explain the big questions facing Keir Starmer’s Labour government and Britain’s opposition parties in an increasingly unpredictable world.
The event was held in partnership with UK in a Changing Europe.

Jun 20, 2025 • 46min
What do the Nolan Principles mean today?
To conclude our conference on the Nolan Principles, our panel discussed the impact of the Nolan Principles in public life today. How have they changed the standards landscape in the UK? What do the public think about standards in public life? How useful are standards and principles to leaders in government? And how can a strong standards system support a government’s wider objectives?
Speakers:
Doug Chalmers, chair, Committee on Standards in Public Life
Chris Morris, CEO, Full Fact
Sachin Savur, researcher, Institute for Government
Rowena Mason, Whitehall Editor at the Guardian
This session was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

Jun 20, 2025 • 42min
Speech: Marie Goldman MP, Liberal Democrat shadow leader of the House of Commons
Chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.
This event was part of the IfG's conference on the The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

Jun 20, 2025 • 59min
How can frontline officials uphold high standards of behaviour?
Many of the public’s interactions with the state are with frontline officials in health and social care, policing and local government. How much do the Nolan principles resonate with those delivering public services? How can frontline officials be supported to make ethical decisions? And how can frontline organisations prevent failures, and rebuild public trust where they occur?
Speakers:
Neil Basu, former Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan Police
Helen Buckingham, Chair of National Voices
Amerdeep Somal, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
This session was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Jun 20, 2025 • 28min
Shaping the standards debate: interactive discussions
To reflect on the topics raised during our conference on the Nolan Principles, the IfG and CSPL convened small group discussions to talk through more specific questions:
What are the emerging threats and opportunities in the standards landscape?
How do politics and partisanship affect the way standards are perceived?
What does ethical public service leadership look like?
Those joining online were able to take part in a webinar discussion on the same topics. A panel of IfG and CSPL staff reported back on the themes raised in the discussions.

Jun 20, 2025 • 22min
Keynote speech: Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office
Chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.
This event was part of the IfG's conference on the The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

Jun 19, 2025 • 33min
Speech: Alberto Costa MP, Chair of the Committee on Standards
Chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.
This event was part of the IfG's conference on the The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?

Jun 19, 2025 • 56min
How can politicians demonstrate ethical leadership?
After 30 years of the Nolan Principles, ethical scandals – from partygate to freebiegate – are still a regular feature of UK political life and public trust in politicians remains low. What role do politicians play in leading by example? How should politicians in Westminster, devolved and local governments demonstrate their commitment to the Nolan Principles? How can they show ethical leadership within their organisations? And what does upholding standards look like in different political and governmental contexts?
Speakers:
Paula Barker MP, member of the Commons Select Committee on Standards
Roger Gough, former leader of Kent County Council
Dr Melissa McCullough, Commissioner for Standards, NI Assembly
Dave Penman, General Secretary, FDA
This session will be chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Jun 19, 2025 • 1h 17min
Welcome and keynote speech: Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH
In 1995, the prime minister’s ethics adviser Lord Nolan set out the Seven Principles of Public Life. Since then, the Nolan Principles have been the basis for the ethical standards expected of those working in the public sector, from the prime minister to civil servants to police officers – but from the expenses scandal to 'partygate', and ethical failings in the NHS, police forces and local government, standards in public life have been repeatedly under scrutiny over the last 30 years.
So how have the Nolan Principles shaped public life over the last 30 years? What do ethical standards mean for the way frontline officials interact with the public? How might emerging trends like technology help or hinder public office-holders to act ethically? And as faith in politics falls and public debate coarsens, how can politicians uphold high standards of behaviour?
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Nolan Principles, and to explore how ethical standards can be upheld in the future, the IfG will bring together a series of expert panels and keynote speakers – including former prime minister The Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH – for a thought-provoking and stimulating one-day conference.
This recording includes an introduction from Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the IfG, and Doug Chalmers, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life
Keynote speech: Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH. Chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the IfG.

Jun 16, 2025 • 1h 5min
How to succeed as a minister
Rumours of a cabinet reshuffle are never far away in Westminster. So how should Keir Starmer approach the delicate task of choosing his top team? The prime minister has to strike a balance between ministers’ performance, party management and the government’s policy agenda, while being a minister is a job like no other – there are no regular performance reviews, clear handovers or annual appraisals.
So how can ministers succeed in government and reach the cabinet table? What skills do they need at each rung of the ministerial ladder? How can backbench MPs prepare to become a minister? And how does the prime minister make decisions about who should serve in government?
To explore these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including:
Kitty Donaldson, Chief Political Commentator at The i Paper
Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC, former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Rt Hon James Purnell, CEO of Flint Global and former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.