Ifg Events Podcast

Technology is profoundly reconfiguring our society, creating new opportunities but also new risks and inequalities. Many politicians and policymakers have a limited understanding of technology and its effects, yet government has no choice but to grapple with these issues. How do we take technology out of the box labelled 'digital policy' and give it the attention it needs at the heart of policy and public life? We were joined by Chi Onwurah, Shadow Minister for Science, Research and Innovation; James Plunkett, Executive Director at Citizens Advice; Hetan Shah, Chief Executive of The British Academy; and Jeni Tennison, Executive Director at Connected by Data. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

After a series of ethical scandal - from Matt Hancock's breach of lockdown rules, to 'wallpapergate' and 'partygate' - Labour has suggested it is time for an Independent Ethics Commission, to bring together all the various watchdogs and strengthen their powers. But how could such a proposal work? What responsibilities could the commission take on? And is it time to redesign the system of standards in public life? We were joined by Chris Bryant MP, Chair of the Committee on Standards; Thangam Debbonaire MP, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons; Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government; Duncan Hames, Director of Policy and Programmes at Transparency International UK and Amy Leversidge, Assistant General Secretary at the FDA (trade union). The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Acting Director of the Institute for Government. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

In the UK climate remains a top-tier issue even in the face of economic turmoil, even if net zero is yet to emerge as a key area of political competition. What are the lessons of recent elections around the world for campaigning on climate change? And what should UK Labour’s approach be at the next general election? We discussed recent elections, breakdown the attitudes of voters and geographies, and look at constituencies affected by the transition – pointing to lessons around building successful electoral coalitions in support of climate action. Our panel included Bengt Bergt, SPD Member of the Bundestag; Polly Billington, Chief Executive of UK100; Megan Corton Scott, Campaigner at Greenpeace UK Tim Dixon, Co-Founder of More in Common and former Adviser to Australian Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard; Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government; and Barry Traill, Head of Climate Action Network Australia. The event was chaired by Sam Alvis, Head of Economy at Green Alliance.

How should an incoming Labour government work with the civil service? We hosted an event exploring what mistakes previous new governments have made in how they work with civil servants for Labour to learn from. To discuss, we were joined by Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Member of Parliament for Leeds Central; Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee; Rt Hon Dame Margaret Hodge MP, Member of Parliament for Barking; and Alex Thomas, IfG Programme Director. The event w chaasired by Emma Norris, IfG Director of Research. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

The government has downplayed the role of behaviour change in net zero. But will people really be able to fly ‘guilt free’, or should they be expected to make modest changes to their diets and lifestyles? And how would a Labour government encourage behavioural change? We will discussed with: Kerry McCarthy MP, Shadow Minister (Climate Change and Net Zero) Darren Jones MP, Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee Dr Laure de Preux Gallone, Assistant Professor of Economics at Imperial College Business School’s Centre for Health Economics & Policy Innovation (CHEPI) Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE, Professor in the Department of Psychology and Director of the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) at the University of Bath. The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

What role should regulators play in levelling up under a Labour government? We discussed with Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town, Chair of the Lords International Agreements Select Committee; Martin Coppack Martin Coppack, Director of Fair By Design; and Ben Fisher, Director of Communications at the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

How can government policy best support innovation in the private sector to boost growth and reduce regional inequality? Our panel included Chi Onwurah, Shadow Minister for Science, Research and Innovation; Adam Bennett, Client Director for Central Government at Costain Group PLC; Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at the The University of Manchester; and John Whaling, Lead Officer for Innovation and Commercialisation at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. We also discussed what a Labour government’s approach to public R&D spending should be. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

The energy crisis – deepened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – has raised questions about the UK’s energy transition, including about affordability and security of supply.  How would a Labour government shift the UK to a net zero energy system? Our panel included Bill Esterson, Shadow Minister for Business and Industry; Sam Alvis, Head of Economy at Green Alliance; Sue Ferns, Deputy General Secretary at Prospect; Guy Newey, Chief Executive Officer at the Energy Systems Catapult. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

The UK government has promised further devolution to England’s cities and counties as part of its levelling up agenda, and wants metro mayors to play a leading role in closing regional economic and social disparities.   Is devolution the answer to tackling England’s regional inequality? How can local decision making lead to better outcomes? And what should be Labour’s distinct vision for generating economic growth and devolution?  We discussed with: Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester Christian Wakeford, Member of Parliament for Bury South and Member of the Transport Select Committee Francesca Gains, Professor of Public Policy and Academic Co-Director of Policy@Manchester at the The University of Manchester Phillip Woolley, Partner, Head of Public Services Consulting at Grant Thornton UK LLP This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

Coronavirus has placed a huge strain on the criminal justice system, with policing made more challenging, a huge growth in crown court backlogs, and prisons unable to deliver many rehabilitative services. But many problems predated the pandemic and must also be addressed. At the Labour Party Conference we explored how Labour would deliver a justice system that works for everyone. Our panel with Seetec, chaired by Nick Davies, included: Steve Reed, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Maria Eagle MP, Member of the Justice Select Committee Suki Binning, Chief Social Worker/Group Operations Director at Interventions Alliance Mark Fenhalls QC, Chair of the Bar Council This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

Wes Streeting MP, Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary, delivers a keynote speech on how Labour would tackle workforce shortages and burnout, backlogs and access to GP appointments. The event was followed by a discussion with Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research and REAL Centre at The Health Foundation and Emma Norris, IfG Director of Research. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Michael Cockerell, the BBC broadcaster and political journalist whose award-winning political documentaries have taken viewers behind the scenes of British politics for nearly half a century. He has interviewed a dozen prime ministers from Macmillan to Johnson, and made films about leading politicians including Roy Jenkins, Enoch Powell Denis Healey, Barbara Castle, Ken Clarke and Alan Clark. His documentary series have included the How to Be trilogy (How to Be Chancellor, How to Be Foreign Secretary and How to Be Home Secretary), The Great Offices of State and The Secret World of Whitehall. In conversation with IfG Senior Fellow Dr Catherine Haddon, Michael Cockerell discussed his memoir, Unmasking our Leaders, and share the stories and secrets – including clips from a number of his documentaries – of the politicians that he has met and interviewed. And with a new prime minister moving into 10 Downing Street, this event will also explore the qualities

The collapse of Carillion was driven by the reckless behaviour of the company’s directors, but the impact of its collapse on the public sector was also down to the government’s approach to outsourcing. Ministers have admitted that approach had often been flawed, and that the system of checks and balances had not worked. Four years on, and as the government seeks to make wholesale changes to procurement regulations, this event will assess whether it has learnt the lessons from Carillion. Key discussion points were: Has the government’s approach to outsourcing changed? How successful have the government’s post-Carillion reforms been? What impact have these reforms had on government procurement during the pandemic? Will the reforms in the proposed procurement bill help prevent future collapses of high-profile outsourcing firms? To discuss these we were joined by: Sally Guyer, Global CEO, World Commerce and Contracting Matthew Rees, Director of the NAO Commercial Hub Gareth Rhys Williams, Government Chief Comm

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 33rd in our series, the speakers will present their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker has eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers are: Claire Eadington, Head of Data Portfolio at the Central Digital and Data Office, on CDDO's strategic roadmap for data Alexis Castillo-Soto, Deputy Director for Digital and Data in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on how its Data Management Service (DMS) provides a flexible, scalable solution that can be reused to support existing/future digital services Anna Price, Statistics Regulator, Health and Social Care Lead at the Office for Statistics Regulation, on Reproducible Analytical Pipelines in government Matt Kerlogue, former Head of Data Innovation, Cabinet Office Analysis &

Diversity and inclusion are a key part of the discussion about how to run effective public services. The Cabinet Office's ‘Declaration on Government Reform’ reinforced the need for the civil service to draw on a more diverse range of experiences, skills and backgrounds, and set the standard for inclusive workplaces where people achieve their full potential. The new prime minister will need to make decisions about the government's approach to managing diversity and inclusion in the public sector. Such key decisions will be: How can current leaders create public sector workforces that reflect wider society? How can organisations support diverse groups of future public sector leaders and how can diverse public sector institutions deliver more inclusive policies and services? This panel event will draw on insights from the three previous private roundtables in the IfG and PwC’s Future Leaders Series. This series has brought together a mix of current and future public sector leaders to consider how the public s

After a frenetic summer, the new prime minister will arrive in Downing Street with a busy in-tray. From looming energy price rises to wider pressures on the cost of living, from backlogs in the NHS to questions over cleaning up government, Liz Truss will take over on 6 September with barely time to draw breath. At this event, IfG experts will explore the big questions facing the next occupant of No.10: what are the options for tackling the cost of living crisis? How can government sort out the problems in key public services? And how can the next prime minister demonstrate that he, or she, is serious about ministers maintaining high ethical standards? To discuss these questions and more, our IfG expert panellists were: Dr Hannah White, Acting Director of the Institute for Government Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Nick Davies, Programme Director of the public services team Alex Thomas, Programme Director of the civil service team Tim Durrant, Associate Director for the mini

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Dame Dr Jenny Harries OBE, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency. After serving as the UK’s deputy Chief Medical Officer during the pandemic, Dr Harries took on leadership of the new UK Health Security Agency in April 2021. In conversation with Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, she discussed her vision for the UKHSA: What role will it play in protecting the country from Covid and future pandemics? What does Dr Harries see as the main challenges and priorities for the agency? And how will Dr Harries’ time as Deputy Chief Medical Officer shape her approach to leading the UKHSA? Jenny Harries is the inaugural Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency. She was previously the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England. She has served on the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and worked in a variety of public health roles in the UK and abroad. #IfGHarries

Better use of data is key to more effective public administration, and the justice system is no exception. At this month's special event, the 32nd in our series, speakers working in the justice system responded to new public attitudes research commissioned by The Legal Education Foundation in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. Dr Natalie Byrom, Director of Research at The Legal Education Foundation, introduced the forthcoming report Justice Data Matters: Building a public mandate for court data use. The report presents findings from research led by Ipsos MORI, which is the first study of its kind globally to explore the public's views about the use of court data by third parties. Daniel Flury, Director of Access to Justice Directorate at Ministry of Justice Jennifer Gisborne, Senior Research Executive at Ipsos MORI, and Reema Patel, Research Director at Ipsos UK Daniel Hoadley, Head of Litigation Data, Mishcon de Reya on

Modelling and forecasting played a prominent role in the way policies were designed and decisions were made during the coronavirus pandemic. But the government’s handling of the crisis raised questions about how modelling - epidemiological and economic – was used by ministers. So how should models be produced and used within government? How should they be communicated to the public? And how well equipped are ministers and officials to understand and interpret modelling when making their decisions?. This panel explored the role of modelling in the Covid pandemic, the lessons that ministers should learn, and how the UK should draw on modelling in future crises. Ben Chu, Economics Editor for Newsnight Professor Neil Ferguson, Director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London Richard Hughes, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility Ruth Kelly, Chief Analyst at the National Audit Office. The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute f

From housing to aviation, the digital economy to patient safety, ministers have a huge range of responsibilities. Yet little is known about how different ministers approach their roles and the reasons for these differences. How do ministers make decisions? How do they work with the civil service and devise policy? And how do they manage their teams? Dr John Boswell and Dr Jessica Smith of the University of Southampton, drawing on the Institute for Government’s Ministers Reflect archive, have identified different patterns in the way ministers work and seek to lead the civil service - and the different approaches taken by men and women serving in ministerial roles. To discuss their findings, and how this can help future ministers and civil servants, we were joined by: Dr John Boswell, Associate Professor of Politics at the University of Southampton Dr Jessica Smith, Lecturer in Politics at the University of Southampton Margot James, former minister at DCMS and BEIS and MP for Stourbridge, 2010-19 Dame Una O’