Podcast · News

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

by Institute for Government · English · News

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 42 min
Latest: 9 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026 · 44 minNew

Can Zack fight back?

Another by-election, another win for Andy Burnham - with the Greens defeated in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Delatpoll's Joe Twyman joins the pod team to explore what the PM’s by-election double really tells us about his electoral prospects. It was another bad day for Green leader Zack Polanski, who was already under pressure after a difficult conference in Brighton. Kemi Badenoch, on the other, was all smiles in Birmingham - but does the Conservative party really have grounds for optimism? Plus: How well are schools performing? A new IfG report has the answer. Hosted by Hannah…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

30 Sep 2026 · 35 min

Burnham goes big: What difference does it make?

No lectern. No tie. And quite a few tears. Andy Burnham promised a different kind of speech. But did the prime minister deliver? After watching Burnham's first Labour conference speech as party leader and prime minister, Hannah White is joined in the IfG's pop-up studio in Liverpool by the IfG's Alex Thomas, IfG senior fellow (and former executive director of policy to Keir Starmer) Claire Ainsley, and More in Common's Sophie Stowers to share their instant reactions on the big speech, dissect the policy announcements, and explore what the Burnham agenda means for government. Learn more about…
25 Sep 2026 · 47 min

Mersey Mersey Me: Will Burnham pass his Labour conference test?

From meeting Donald Trump in New York to heading to his first Labour conference as prime minister, it's quite some week for Andy Burnham - so what does he need to do to make a success of Labour's Liverpool gathering? LabourList editor Emma Burnell joins the podcast team to review Burnham's Trump test and preview his conference challenge. Plus: We take a closer look at an issue that saw Keir Starmer stumble badly, and that’s benefits reform. How could Burnham approach this thorniest of issues? A new IfG report has the answers. Alex Thomas presents. With Cath Haddon and Ben Paxton Learn more…
18 Sep 2026 · 41 min

The 72 million pound questions

With Westminster been rocked by the news of a record-breaking – and maybe game-changing – £72 million donation to Reform UK, new Lib Dem peer Tim Leunig joins the podcast team to assess how the government might respond, and what comes next for party political donations. Next up on the conference circuit are the Liberal Democrats. So how much pressure is leader Sir Ed Davey under as his party gather in Brighton this weekend? Plus: These are uncertain times... but just how uncertain are they? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10 Sep 2026 · 35 min

Is Ed Miliband rethinking UK foreign policy?

Foreign secretary Ed Miliband has announced UK sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. So what does this change of position say about UK foreign policy under Andy Burnham - and what are the possible consequences for UK domestic policy? The i's Kitty Donaldson joins the podcast team to assess the PM's big move. On the domestic front it was chancellor John Healey’s turn to make headlines, with a big pre-Budget speech on growth and the economy. So does this mark the dawn of a new economic policy? Plus: Angela Rayner has hit the pause button on the Local Government…
S1 · E378 · 3 Sep 2026 · 46 min

Burnham down the House - the new PM's Parliamentary debut

The summer recess is over. Parliament is up and running. And the new prime minister gave a mammoth statement in the Commons. There were no new policy announcements, but there was a promise to do things differently. Henry Hill joins the podcast team to make sense of Andy Burnham's first day back in Parliament.Kemi Badenoch has been busy too, with the Conservative leader reshuffling her top team and bringing in, amongst others, a new chancellor and foreign secretary. So what is she trying to do and what difference could it make?Plus: Farewell to Keir Starmer. As the former prime minister is…
28 Aug 2026 · 57 min

Totally Rewired - Can Burnham really do government differently?

Andy Burnham has clocked up a month mark in Number 10. As the long recess draws to a close and Parliament prepares to return, the Guardian's Kiran Stacey joining the podcast to look back on a summer of speeches, policy announcements, guitar-playing and a lot of social media game. How has Burnham handled the familiar problem of prison capacity and the headache of early release schemes? Do his devolution plans really add up and will Number 10 North make any difference to government? Is this PM's plan for social care finally going to deliver reform? And after a relatively quiet summer recess,…
20 Aug 2026 · 37 min

Mid-term prime ministers – Episode 3: Adjusting to the role

Every new prime minister arrives in No.10 with a view about what brought down their predecessor as well as a ringside seat to the downfall. So after convincing their colleagues why a change of PM is necessary, what happens when the new PM's belief in his or her skills and talents meet the reality of the biggest job in British politics? How easy it is to learn on the job? What is the right balance between continuity and reinventing the government? And how good is the UK at preparing for mid-term changes of PM? In this final episode of this special IfG podcast series we’re going to look at how…
13 Aug 2026 · 41 min

Mid-term prime ministers – Episode 2: The Transition

Becoming prime minister is a job like no other. The arrival of Andy Burnham is the latest in the UK’s recent history of prime ministers coming to the job mid-way through a parliament. Mid-term prime ministers often take over after crisis, political upheaval or the sheer weight of the job have put paid to their predecessor. And mid-term prime ministers come to the job through very different means – a leadership contest rather than a general election, or sometimes even without that. They have less time to make a difference, a party looking for change, and a policy platform that is already well…
6 Aug 2026 · 38 min

Mid-term prime ministers – Episode 1: Preparing for change

Our first episode explores the recent history of mid-term changes of prime minister from John Major to Rishi Sunak. Speaking to senior officials and advisers involved, we go behind the scenes of the preparation and leadership contests, the context in which they took over, and find out what kind of experience makes a difference when inheriting the top job in UK politics. Featuring Gus O’Donnell, Mark Sedwill, Helen MacNamara, Simon Case, Stewart Wood, Salma Shah, Lee Cain, Asa Bennett and Rupert Yorke. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
30 Jul 2026 · 48 min

Andy Burnham: How is the new prime minister changing the direction of government?

One week on from becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham has now appointed his cabinet, reshuffled ministers, launched a series of machinery of government changes, and set out a range of immediate policy decisions. So what have these early choices revealed about the way Burnham wants to govern? How will his restructured No10 make a difference to the way Burnham leads? What does his reshuffled cabinet reveal about the PM's priorities? And how will the new prime minister set about delivering a "new political model and a new economic model" for the UK? An expert IfG panel assessed Burnham's early…
24 Jul 2026 · 44 min

He wants to be adored – Burnham’s people-pleasing policy debut

Andy Burnham finally takes over No.10 with promises to focus on the cost of living and to make politics better. Can he succeed? Is he the ruthless leader portended by his clearout of Starmerites, or someone more conciliatory? And how will unexpected new Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and surprise Chancellor John Healey work out alongside Shabana Mahmood, who’s staying at the Home Office? Plus, Burnham takes the IfG’s advice by finally creating a new Office for the Prime Minister and Cabinet. How will that work out? IfG associate director Hannah Keenan and our devolution expert Akash Paun join…
17 Jul 2026 · 49 min

Full Time for Starmer: Can Burnham Find a Way to Win?

Keir Starmer has bowed out of his final PMQs. Andy Burnham is about to become Britain's next prime minister. But after two turbulent years in Downing Street, what went wrong for Starmer? Can Burnham avoid the same mistakes? And will a change of leader be enough to turn Labour's fortunes around? Keir Starmer's former director of communications, Steph Driver, joins the podcast to reflect on the outgoing prime minister's biggest successes and failures - and what Burnham must do differently from day one. Plus: can the next government finally fix England's broken SEND system? We explore the…
9 Jul 2026 · 39 min

Burnham, Binface and Starmer's final flight

Reform UK may have dominated the headlines this week, but Westminster's attention is already turning to a far bigger political moment: the arrival of Britain's next prime minister. Mirror political editor Lizzy Buchan joins the podcast team to explore who Andy Burnham might appoint to his cabinet, the priorities that will define his first weeks in office, and whether he can succeed where Keir Starmer could not. As the Prime Minister attends his final NATO summit, we ask what mark he is trying to leave on foreign affairs and how much of Burnham's time will be consumed by international crises?…
2 Jul 2026 · 44 min

Northern Soul: Burnham's Manchester No10 plan

The King of the North says he will remain - for some of the time - in his kingdom, but how will Andy Burnham's vision for a devolution circuit breaker - powered by a new Number 10 in Manchester - really work? Former de facto deputy prime minister David Lidington joins the podcast to discuss the would-be PM's big speech. How would No.10 North work alongside the original? Who calls the shots? Who is in charge? And what does it mean for the balance of power across the centre of government? Plus: Keir Starmer’s parting gift/parting shot. What is in the Defence Investment Plan and how much will…
29 Jun 2026 · 53 min

Brexit at 10: A decade of drama, deals and disruption

A decade after the UK voted to leave the EU, the IfG's Jill Rutter and UKICE's Anand Menon are joined by the BBC's Adam Fleming - the former Brussels correspondent and Brexitcast presenter who followed every twist and turn of the UK's EU drama - to share their front row experiences of some of the most significant events in recent British and European political history. From the night of the referendum to the painful Brexit deal negotiations, the endless parliamentary votes and the rapid turnover of prime ministers, Jill, Anand and Adam get together for this special joint IfG/UKICE…
24 Jun 2026 · 42 min

What does Andy Burnham really stand for?

Keir Starmer has resigned. Andy Burnham is preparing for power. But what will a mid-parliament change of prime minister mean for the government? How should an incoming prime minister prepare for the biggest job in government? What can an outgoing leader do to ensure a smooth transition? And after seven prime ministers in a decade, could another change at the top finally bring greater stability to British politics—or is volatility now the new normal? The Economist's Hugo Gye joins the podcast to discuss what happens when power changes hands mid-parliament, and what Burnham's arrival could…
19 Jun 2026 · 45 min

Burnham v Starmer: The King of the North heads South

As Andy Burnham returns to Parliament after winning the Makerfield by election, the Guardian's Rafael Behr joins the podcast team to discuss a huge week for British politics. How should the prime minister - who insists he would compete in any leadership contest - respond? What does this period of volatility mean for how government works? And what would a prime minister Andy Burnham mean for the way Britain is governed? Hannah White presents. With Giles Wilkes and Cath Haddon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12 Jun 2026 · 32 min

The way you Makerfield

There is just a week to go until the people of Makerfield vote in what could turn out to be the most important by election in decades. More in Common's Luke Tryl joins the podcast from Makerfield to discuss the mood on the ground – and how this peculiar by-election, with both local and national consequences, is shaping how voters are thinking. Burnham is, presumably, both campaigning to win the seat and preparing for government if he makes it to Westminster. So how should he, Keir Starmer and others be thinking about what a transition of power would mean for government? Plus: Kemi Badenoch's…
4 Jun 2026 · 42 min

Protests, politics and the killing of Henry Nowak

With the murder of 18 year old Henry Nowak sending shockwaves through Westminster and beyond, IfG senior fellow - and former BBC home affairs correspondent - Danny Shaw joins the podcast team to discuss a fraught week for the police and for politics. What questions do the police need to answer? What could an inquiry explore - and what might need to change? And how could the events of this week shape British politics in the months ahead? Plus: The footage of the riots in Southampton has knocked the Mandelson files off the front pages, but the ongoing saga has left some questions for…
28 May 2026 · 52 min

The Blair Necessities

With a promise to abolish the position of Cabinet Secretary and scrap the Cabinet Office, Reform UK’s Danny Kruger has launched his party’s plans for reforming the civil service. IfG senior fellow Henry Hill joins the podcast team to explore the Kruger blueprint for government. Tony Blair has entered the Labour leadership race! Well, sort of. The former PM's 5000 word essay sets out his vision for government. But is it a sensible plan for the current - or future - prime minister to follow? Plus: Everyone is talking about Brexit again. Weeks away from the 10th anniversary of the referendum,…
22 May 2026 · 51 min

May 2026 elections: what are the implications for local government reorganisation?

How has England’s political landscape changed after the May 2026 elections? How will new local leaders go about their new roles? And what does this mean for the delivery of the government’s local government reorganisation (LGR) agenda? In this special episode of Inside Briefing, Matthew Fright, the Institute for Government’s LGR anorak, has been gathering views across three areas - Surrey, Essex and Kent – at the forefront of LGR delivery to see how the government’s aims to remove two-tier local government will be impacted by May’s elections. PLUS: An expert panel to unpick the election…
21 May 2026 · 41 min

Burnham Issues

With Andy Burnham inching closer to a return to Westminster, Sam White, Keir Starmer's former chief-of-staff, joins the podcast team to explore what happens next - and what the prime minister can do while this drama plays out around him. If Burnham makes it to Number 10, then he will follow a path once trodden by Boris Johnson in being a mayor turned prime minister. So what skills does the mayoralty provide - and how might they be transferable to Downing Street? Plus: What is in Rachel Reeves's economic support package and will it meet the scale of the Iran crisis? Catherine Haddon…
13 May 2026 · 40 min

Starmer, Streeting and the fight for No10

With Keir Starmer's premiership on the rocks, Claire Ainsley - a former adviser to Starmer in opposition - joins the podcast team to make sense of an explosive week in Westminster. Can the PM reassert his authority? How could a leadership contest play out? And what have the bust-ups of the last few days revealed about the failings of Starmer’s premiership - and what can he, or someone else, learn from these mistakes? Plus: On a day of pomp and pageantry, what stood out in the King’s Speech - and how much of it will actually make it onto the statute book? Hannah White presents. With Cath…
8 May 2026 · 1 hr 2 min

Elections 2026: Fragmentation nation

Keir Starmer and Labour government have just faced their biggest electoral test since the 2024 general election. Reform are on the rise. The SNP have made big gains. And Plaid Cymru are making history in Wales. The consequences for British politics could be huge. So what happens next? What will results mean for who governs in Holyrood? Is Wales ready for a whole new governing party? What will the changes - big changes - to England's electoral map mean for Keir Starmer's prospects? And how significant will Thursday night's votes be for the future of the United Kingdom? Hannah White and Akash…
30 Apr 2026 · 41 min

Is Keir Starmer in the last chance saloon?

After avoiding an ethics inquiry into the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal, what can Keir Starmer do to get the government agenda back on track? James Lyons, former director of communications in Number 10, joins the podcast team to assess the Prime Minister's options as the days count down to a big set of big local and devolved elections. For lessons on relationship rebuilding - and delivering the positive vibes - perhaps the PM should turn to King Charles? The monarch is over in the US, where he seems to be doing a good job of flattering Donald Trump. So is the special relationship special…
23 Apr 2026 · 42 min

Starmer vs Robbins: Why the Mandelson row keeps getting worse

Seven days in, Westminster is still consumed by the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal. The PM has had his say. Olly Robbins - the permanent secretary that Starmer dismissed - has also given his account. So where does this leave Keir Starmer? Foreign Office permanent secretary Peter Ricketts joins the podcast team to work out where a week of blame and counter-blame has left the government - and what it means for an already damaged relationship between civil servants and ministers. Plus: new IfG research on how civil servants should handle policy making in major crises. Hosted by Hannah White.…
22 Apr 2026 · 42 min

The Peter Mandelson scandal: What are the lessons for Keir Starmer's government?

The government is reeling from the revelation that Peter Mandelson was appointed as UK ambassador to the US despite having failed a security vetting process. With the blame-game dominating the week in Westminster, what will we learn from Keir Starmer's 'judgment day' Commons statement? What will Olly Robbins – who was sacked by the PM as Foreign Office permanent secretary – reveal in a crucial select committee appearance? What has the vetting row shown about the way decisions are made at the top of government? How should the vetting and appointments process be overhauled? And what does this…
16 Apr 2026 · 41 min

Is the UK (and Keir Starmer) under attack?

"We are underprepared. We are underinsured. We are under attack. We are not safe." George Robertson, former defence secretary and co-author of the government's strategic defence review, has issued a stark warning about Britain's national security. So how serious is it - and what should Keir Starmer do? PLUS: From defence to employment. A new IfG paper argues the government should go further and faster on devolving employment support - we talk to its authors about a potentially better route back into work. Hannah White presents. With Jill Rutter, Ben Paxton and Martha Ford. Produced by Milo…
2 Apr 2026 · 49 min

Who will pay the prices of war?

Oil is in short supply as the Middle East conflict continues. Donald Trump has told the UK to “build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.” Economist Duncan Weldon joins the pod team to discuss what the government can actually do to respond to rising energy prices. The message to consumers so far is keep calm and carry on as usual. But will this messaging hold - and, if not, how bad could things get - and how quickly? And finally: It’s a long time since we first heard about Universal Credit. But this major government project has, albeit a little late, nearly reached…

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.

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government is a English news podcast from Institute for Government. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Institute for Government
Language: English
Category: News
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 42 min
Latest episode: 9 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1484110214
Rights: Institute for Government

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