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Artwork for Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

Institute for Government
Labour Party
Keir Starmer
UK Government
Donald Trump
Conservative Party
Civil Service
Rishi Sunak
Brexit
Public Services
NHS
Rachel Reeves
UK Politics
Boris Johnson
UK Economy
Devolution
Local Government
Economic Growth
General Election
Institute For Government
Cost-Of-Living Crisis

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 opportun... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes418Founded7 years ago
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Artwork for Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

Latest Episodes

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 leader... more

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 pecul... more

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.... more

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 Kru... more

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Recent Guests

Danny Shaw
One-time BBC Home Affairs correspondent, former advisor to Yvette Cooper, IFG senior fellow
Institute for Government
Episode: Protests, politics and the killing of Henry Nowak
Alice Lilly
Senior researcher for IFG, commentator on government communications
Institute for Government
Episode: Protests, politics and the killing of Henry Nowak
Henry Hill
Political editor at The Critic and senior fellow at IFG
The Critic / Institute for Government
Episode: The Blair Necessities
Vicky Elliot
IfG Academy Director
Institute for Government
Episode: May 2026 elections: what are the implications for local government reorganisation?
Ed Hammond
Director at Grant Thornton
Grant Thornton
Episode: May 2026 elections: what are the implications for local government reorganisation?
Heather Jameson
Editor at MJ
MJ
Episode: May 2026 elections: what are the implications for local government reorganisation?
Linden Kemkaran
Reform UK leader of Kent County Council
Kent County Council (Reform UK-led governance)
Episode: May 2026 elections: what are the implications for local government reorganisation?
Kevin Bentley
Conservative Leader of Essex County Council
Essex County Council
Episode: May 2026 elections: what are the implications for local government reorganisation?
Mari Roberts-Woods
Chief Executive of Reigate and Banstead District Council
Reigate and Banstead
Episode: May 2026 elections: what are the implications for local government reorganisation?

Hosts

Matthew Fright
Host of Inside Briefing; affiliation with Institute for Government
Hannah White
Host of Inside Briefing; Institute for Government
Alex Thomas
Host of Inside Briefing; Institute for Government podcast
Catherine Haddon
Host of Inside Briefing; Institute for Government
Jill Rutter
Senior Fellow at Institute for Government; policy commentator

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 423 ratings
  • Misleading title

    It’s very misleading to call an episode ‘Home Office truths with Shabana Mahmood’ only for it not to feature her!

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    anotherpod
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • Chilling

    Chilling episode on ministers, they’re so unqualified, our system is nuts!

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Niky_Noodles
    United Kingdom10 months ago
  • Interesting

    An interesting listen.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    veganman1961
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • 5 stars just aren’t enough

    If you want a podcast that oozes intelligence; informedness; nuance; and courtesy, look no further. It’s hard to exaggerate the high quality of this. Perhaps what you’d expect from the IFG. Please subscribe and tell your friends and take a deep dive into the website. An absolute essential if you want to begin understand our fiendishly complex world. I promise I’m not on commission. Thank you IFG.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Michael Coxon
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Stop saying “sort of”

    Just had to give up again on a potentially interesting episode because one of the participants can hardly get through a sentence without stuffing in a “ sort of”. Like “kind of” it can have the function of conveying fuzziness. But mostly it now seems to be used by experts to avoid sounding too expert or as a substitute for “ you know” or “ like” when someone doesn’t exactly know what they want to say. The IFG is particularly prone to including speakers who say “sort of stop” or“sort of decide” ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Lacwn
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Praise for balanced moderation and practical reform insights across local and national government.
Some critics note sound quality inconsistencies and occasional participation concerns.
The show is seen as essential for understanding complex government processes and reforms.
Listeners praise non-partisan, in-depth governance analysis and high-quality guests.
Guests frequently viewed as authoritative voices in public administration and policy implementation.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#1
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#150
Canada/Government
Apple Podcasts
#42
Italy/Government
Apple Podcasts
#83
Australia/Government
Apple Podcasts
#86
France/Government
Apple Podcasts
#205
Germany/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

May 2026 elections: what are the implications for local government reorganisation?
Q: What are the implications for how this is delivered locally with new leaders taking office?
There will be uncertainty and a strong emphasis on maintaining service delivery while establishing new governance, with a risk that some councillors and officers feel dislocated or pressed to move quickly into transitional duties.
May 2026 elections: what are the implications for local government reorganisation?
Q: Akash, could you walk us through some high-level results from the local elections?
Labour losses across England were substantial, while Reform UK made gains by taking control of several councils; many areas are still forming coalitions or minority administrations, and the overall map is still taking shape.
Money talks: Influence and interference
Q: How should the centre of government respond to ensure reforms across NHS, local government, and policing are coherent?
Create a stronger central vision and governance mechanism, pause or slow some reforms to allow cross-department alignment, and establish a cabinet-level forum (e.g., Chief Secretary to the PM) to coordinate priorities and measure progress against a unified reform package.
Keir Starmer's Mandelson Scandal
Q: Alex, looking forward, what do you think the effect of this is going to be on Starmer's agenda?
The government may struggle to navigate this political distraction effectively, leaving Starmer vulnerable as it could gum up the decision-making processes in light of the urgency before the upcoming elections.
Keir Starmer's Mandelson Scandal
Q: Jim, bringing this into the current politics, what is your take on how significant these emerging events are?
While it's clearly a major scandal for Mandelson, it's also crucial for Keir Starmer's political judgment regarding the appointment and management of his former ally as the situation unfolds, casting a shadow over Starmer's leadership.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A policy-focused program that examines how government works in Westminster and Whitehall, with a regular emphasis on local government reform, devolution, public service delivery, and civil service performance. Episodes frequently feature senior policymakers, think-tank researchers, and council leaders, plus practitioner guests from finance, energy, and public administration. The show tends to dissect governance challenges, explore reform options, and assess political feasibility, with a steady thread on how to make government more capable, data-driven, and accountable. Notable strengths include its inside-the-beltway access, nonpartisan analysis, and a consistent emphasis on practical reforms that can be implemented across local and nationa... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. The Week in Westminster
2. Political Fix
3. The Politics Show
4. Westminster Insider
5. Political Currency

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this podcast launched 7 years ago and published 418 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Danny Shaw
2. Alice Lilly
3. Henry Hill
4. Vicky Elliot
5. Ed Hammond
6. Heather Jameson
7. Linden Kemkaran
8. Kevin Bentley

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