Burnham Issues

Burnham Issues

Author: Institute for Government May 21, 2026 Duration: 40:30
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 presents.With Hannah Keenan and Tom Pope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government picks up the conversation where the headlines leave off. With a new Labour administration in place after fourteen years, the sheer scale of its agenda comes into sharp focus. This podcast, from the Institute for Government, digs into the practical realities of governing. Each episode moves beyond the political rhetoric to examine how policies are actually made and implemented, exploring the pressures on public services and the civil service tasked with delivering change. We consider the government's ambitious missions and whether ideas like leveraging AI or fostering a new culture can genuinely "rewire" the state to meet complex challenges. The discussions aim to identify where government is functioning effectively and, just as importantly, where the obstacles lie. By speaking with experts, analysts, and those with firsthand experience, the series provides a clear-eyed look at the mechanics of power and the ongoing effort to turn political goals into tangible results. It’s for anyone curious about the forces that shape our public institutions and the day-to-day work of making government happen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government
Podcast Episodes
Will Ukraine be “Keir Starmer’s Falklands - or his Iraq”? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:27
So much has happened since that explosive – and unsettling – White House press conference bust-up between Donald Trump and Vlodymer Zelensky, but does Keir Starmer have a workable plan for peace? UKICE’s Anand Menon join…
Starmer and Trump: special relationship or odd couple? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:50
Keir Starmer has completed his first visit to the White House – and delivered a letter from King Charles to Donald Trump. So just how special is the special relationship looking this weekend? Defence expert Karin von Hip…
What is the UK’s place in Trump’s world? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:57
With Donald Trump making a series of headline-making statements on Ukraine and its leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, former national security adviser Peter Ricketts joins the podcast team to make sense of America’s place in th…
In conversation with John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:27
The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Rt Hon John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, to discuss his priorities for reforming UK defence. With war in Europe, instability in the Middle East and a ne…
Starmer’s border crackdown, Trump’s Ukraine sellout [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:05
Valentine’s Day is upon us... but there doesn’t seem to be a great deal of love for Keir Starmer and his government right now. So what is the PM going to do about it? Commentator Ian Dunt joins the podcast team to weigh…
Keir Starmer: Leader or HR Manager? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:58
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor of the Sunday Times, joins the podcast team to discuss his new book Get In, which is being billed as the definitive account of Labour’s reinvention under Keir Starmer. The prime minister…
Does Rachel Reeves have a runway to growth? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:12
No more talk of blackholes. No more doom. No more gloom. So what is Rachel Reeves’ plan for economic growth all about? Times columnist Sebastian Payne joins the podcast team as they make their way through the chancellor’…
The Southport attacks: Has terrorism changed? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:10
The details of how Axel Rudakubana, the Southport killer, plotted his attack have forced the government into action. Ciaran Martin, the former CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre, joins the podcast team to discuss…
Government 2025 at The IfG: Darren Jones Keynote Speech [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:34
In a speech at the IfG this week, Darren Jones MP, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, insisted that “we are long overdue a reckoning with government spending and a realistic appraisal of how we're using taxpayers' mone…
Rachel Reeves takes a gilt trip [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:10
It has been a tricky couple of days for the chancellor. But how much trouble is Rachel Reeves really in and how much attention should people be paying to the markets? Politico’s Esther Webber joins the podcast team to lo…