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
Happy New Year, Keir? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:33
Tricky poll ratings, gloomy economic news, and Elon Musk's online onslaught have made for a tricky start to 2025 for Keir Starmer, but how much should No10 be worrying? Theo Bertram, a former adviser to Tony Blair and Go…
2024 in Review: The Start of the Keir Show [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:54
It has been quite some year for British politics. Sure, there were no mass-ministerial resignations, rule-breaking No10 gatherings or economy-shaking mini budgets, but July’s general election saw a change of ruling party…
Christmas Special: IfG Book Club [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:44
The IfG team has spent the year reading government reviews, white papers, select committee reports, consultations, manifestos plans for change… you get the idea. But this podcast is going to step away from the treadmill…
Power to the people [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:32
The devolution revolution is in full swing, with Angela Rayner setting out the government’s plans to give power away across England. Former Conservative special adviser Salma Shah joins the podcast team to explore what t…
Appetite for Disruption [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:34
Pat McFadden – the minister for the Cabinet Office – is making a plea for an army of disruptors to sign up to the Civil Service and make Whitehall think like a start up. Jess Studdert, director of New Local, joins us to…
The Plans they are A-Changing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:25
Is that sound the heavy thud of a gauntlet been thrown down? The podcast team are joined by Peter Hyman, a former adviser to Keir Starmer – when he was a key player in designing Labour’s missions – and Tony Blair, to mak…
Cabi-not yet Secretary [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:55
It’s a competition that has gripped the nation. The candidates have been whittled down. The country is on tenterhooks. Strictly? Of course not. We’re talking about the appointment of the next cabinet secretary. The Guard…
Starmer’s Farmer Drama [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:42
Keir Starmer has been on his travels again, but it has been a tricky week at home for the government. Tim Ross and Rachel Wearmouth, the authors of new book Landslide: The Inside Story of the 2024 Election, join the podc…
Donald Trump's Team Calls [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:25
We are living in a different world. Donald Trump’s world. Kim Darroch, the UK's former ambassador to the US, joins the podcast team to make sense of what could be some jaw-dropping appointments to the Trump administratio…