Keir Starmer has signed off on a so-called UK/EU reset. So, what’s in the new deal and what does it mean for the never-ending Brexit drama? The Guardian’s Kiran Stacey joins the podcast team to dig into the detail.
Davie Gauke has been uncorked. So, what is in his review of prison sentencing? The team dig into his recommendations and give their verdict.
Plus: Nick Clegg is back! The former deputy prime minister returned to the British political stage with a big speech at the IfG this week - and he also sat down for an exclusive interview for Inside Briefing. So, is it time to reevaluate the coalition?
Presented by Jill Rutter.
With Giles Wilkes and Cassia Rowland
Produced by Candice McKenzie
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54:51
Starmer and the strangers
After Keir Starmer made headlines with his warnings of an “island of strangers”, British Future’s Sunder Katwala joins the podcast team to dig into the detail of the government’s new immigration policy.
Farewell to 102 Petty France - and a few other Whitehall buildings too. The government is dispersing civil servants to new locations around the country. Will the plan work?
Plus: Why the government needs to fundamentally shift its strategy for tackling homelessness.
Presented by Hannah White.
With Hannah Keenan, Sachin Savur and Amber Dellar.
Produced by Candice McKenzie.
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43:26
The Trump-Starmer trade deal: What’s the beef?
Will white smoke on two trade deals help shift the narrative for Keir Starmer after a tricky week? Peter Foster, the FT’s new world trade editor, joins the podcast team to dig into the details of breakthrough agreements with both the US and India.
Perhaps a bigger win for the government would be to achieve that elusive reset with the EU. A big summit is looming. So what is on the table and is progress on the cards?
Plus: The reshuffle rumour mill is in overdrive. Who is up? Who is in? Who is out? No, we’re not talking about ministers. This time it’s the changing of the permanent secretary guard. And the IfG is watching closely.
Hannah White presents.
With Jill Rutter and Alex Thomas.
Produced by Simon Williams for Podmasters
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40:34
Local elections: Ready for Reform?
Votes have been counted – well, most of them. So what do Thursday’s elections for four regional mayors, more than 1000 councillors and the new MP for Runcorn and Helsby mean for British politics, Keir Starmer and the Labour government’s devolution agenda?
Another big election has taken place too – and that’s in Canada. Mark Carney – remember him? – has won the general election, and in doing so turned around months of terrible polling for the now still ruling Liberal Party. So how did he do it and what does it mean for the UK?
Plus: The data on school absence is moving in the wrong direction. Moira Wallace, who used to run Tony Blair’s Social Exclusion Unit, joins the podcast team to tell us what Keir Starmer needs to do – and how he could learn from the last Labour government.
Presented by Catherine Haddon with Akash Paun and Alex Thomas.
Music: ‘Everything to Me [Instrumental]’ by Notize courtesy of artlist.io
Produced by Candice McKenzie
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50:01
Are Starmer and Badenoch making plans for Nigel?
As Labour jostles with Reform for polling points and the Conservatives debate the merits of cosying up to Nigel Farage's party, More in Common's Luke Tryl joins the podcast team to take stock of the polls - and what they might say about the upcoming local elections.
With Rachel Reeves still looking nervously at the economic data and Donald Trump making increasingly hard-to-follow statements about tariffs, we assess the chancellor's trip to Washington.
Plus: Are people satisfied with their GPs? A new IfG paper reveals all.
Presented by Hannah White.
With Jill Rutter, Tom Pope and Stuart Hoddinott.
Produced by Candice McKenzie.
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About Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government
The first Labour government in 14 years is facing a daunting to-do list and complex challenges at every turn. Public services are under strain. The civil service is under pressure. And ministers must deliver the government’s missions and milestones. But could Keir Starmer’s plan to “rewire the British state” – through using AI and creating a “start-up” culture – turn these challenges into opportunities?
So where is government working well and what is it doing badly? What can be done to make No10, the Treasury and the rest of government function more effectively? What can Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves do to achieve faster economic growth? What will Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives and the other opposition parties do to hold the government to account? How might Donald Trump shape British politics – and how could the UK’s relations with the EU change in the years ahead?
Get behind the scenes in Westminster, Whitehall and beyond on the weekly podcast from Britain’s leading governmental think tank, where we analyse the latest events in politics and explain what they mean. Every week on Inside Briefing, IfG director Hannah White and the team welcomes special guests for a thought-provoking conversation on what makes government work – and how to fix it when it doesn’t.
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