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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
Brexit
Civil Service
Rishi Sunak
Public Services
NHS
Rachel Reeves
UK Politics
Boris Johnson
Devolution
UK Economy
Local Government
Andy Burnham
Economic Growth
General Election
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 opportun... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes436Founded7 years ago
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GovernmentNewsPolitics

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Artwork for Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

Latest Episodes

With Andy Burnham trying to navigate the ever-precarious tightrope that is doing diplomacy with Donald Trump’s White House, Anand Menon joins the podcast team to weigh up the prime minister’s prospects.

Burnham is also exploring a new relationship wi... more

Another by-election, another win for Andy Burnham - with the Greens defeated in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Deltapoll's Joe Twyman joins the pod team to explore what the PM’s by-election double really tells us about his electoral prospect... more

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 th... more

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 jo... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Anand Menon
Director of the Centre for European Reform and founder of UK in a Changing Europe.
Centre for European Reform
Episode: What’s on Burnham’s Brexit menu?
Joe Twyman
Co-founder and director of DeltaPoll
DeltaPoll
Episode: Can Zack fight back?
Amber Dellar
IFG researcher and author of the Public Services Performance Tracker report on schools
Institute for Government
Episode: Can Zack fight back?
Tom Pope
IFG chief economist
Institute for Government
Episode: Can Zack fight back?
Claire Ainsley
IFG Senior Fellow, former Executive Director of Policy to Keir Starmer
Institute for Government
Episode: Burnham goes big: What difference does it make?
Sophie Stowers
Research Manager for More in Common
More in Common
Episode: Burnham goes big: What difference does it make?
Emma Burnell
Editor of LabourList
LabourList
Episode: Mersey Mersey Me: Will Burnham pass his Labour conference test?
Catharine Haddon
Senior fellow and party conference veteran
Institute for Government
Episode: Mersey Mersey Me: Will Burnham pass his Labour conference test?
Ben Paxton
Senior Researcher
Institute for Government
Episode: Mersey Mersey Me: Will Burnham pass his Labour conference test?

Hosts

Catherine Haddon
Host of Inside Briefing series
Hannah White
Host of Inside Briefing

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 423 ratings
  • What’s going wrong at IoG

    This used to be one of my favourite podcasts for its objectivity and insights. Yet this programme is dominated by partisan commentary from Henry Hill with little scrutiny or challenge. This comes hard on the heels of your JL Partners promotional episode ( I wonder what they’ve been up to recently?). Such a shame

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    AlanFGB
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • 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 Kingdoma year ago
  • Chilling

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

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Niky_Noodles
    United Kingdoma year 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

Listeners Say

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

Many appreciate the practical, insider perspectives on how Whitehall and No.10 function and reform efforts.
Listeners praise the show for intelligent, non-partisan analysis of government and public policy, with well-chosen guests.
Sound quality and pacing are often cited as strengths, though occasional balance concerns are noted by some listeners.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#2
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#203
Canada/Government
Apple Podcasts
#43
Germany/Government
Apple Podcasts
#49
France/Government
Apple Podcasts
#72
Italy/Government
Apple Podcasts
#89
Australia/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What’s on Burnham’s Brexit menu?
Q: Anand, does this surprise you or is it sort of the inevitability of where politics was going to go in the Labour Party?
Menon says the language of Burnham's Europe speech surprised him, but the direction did not. Labour backbenchers had already been considering a more ambitious EU policy, though Burnham had not yet set out specific proposals.
What’s on Burnham’s Brexit menu?
Q: But what power does Burnham actually have over the US President, or any prospects of securing EUS commitments in Ukraine?
Anand Menon says Burnham has very little leverage and faces the same challenge as his predecessor: supporting Ukraine publicly while avoiding an immediate falling-out with Donald Trump.
Andy Burnham: How is the new prime minister changing the direction of government?
Q: To what extent do you feel the direction Andy Burnham wishes to take the government and his desire for a new economic model will be impeded by his simultaneous commitment to stick to the existing fiscal rules?
The panel argues that while fiscal rules provide a framework, true reform will require broader tax policy changes and careful budgeting; the rules themselves aren't the main constraint, and more significant issues lie in tax policy choices and political feasibility.
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.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

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

A thoughtful, policy-forward show that centers on how government works in practice—covering machinery of government, public services, and civil service reform, with a steady stream of interviews from think tanks, journalists, and policy insiders. Episodes frequently dissect devolution, central-local relations, and how leadership transitions shape delivery, often weaving in Brexit-era lessons and contemporary fiscal and governance challenges. A standout feature is the mix of practical governance analysis with insider perspectives from senior officials, researchers, and political commentators, offering clear takes on what's working, what isn't, and how reforms could be implemented more effectively. This combination tends to appeal to listener... more

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1. Political Fix
2. The Politics Show
3. Westminster Insider
4. Political Currency
5. Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

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this podcast launched 7 years ago and published 436 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. Anand Menon
2. Joe Twyman
3. Amber Dellar
4. Tom Pope
5. Claire Ainsley
6. Sophie Stowers
7. Emma Burnell
8. Catharine Haddon

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