Four mayors delayed, three ministers reflect, and a House of Lords battle renewed

Four mayors delayed, three ministers reflect, and a House of Lords battle renewed

Author: Institute for Government December 12, 2025 Duration: 38:46
The government announced that elections for new mayors in four regions will now be delayed. Voters in Greater Essex, Sussex and Brighton, Hampshire and the Solent, and Norfolk and Suffolk will be waiting until 2028 instead. Why has the government done this? Is this part of a clever strategy or a desperate last-minute fumble?  Meanwhile, the government is installing yet more peers into the House of Lords after a series of battles between the government and the second chamber. So what lies behind the battle, what might happen and will it make a difference to the long-running debate about Lords reform? And finally... Sajid Javid says he lost faith in Boris Johnson’s leadership, Simon Hart says the Sunak government nearly collapsed over the Rwanda bill and Theresa Villiers says that WhatsApp group chats were critical to defeating Theresa May’s Brexit deal. We speak to the team behind our latest Ministers Reflect series. Hannah White presents With Akash Paun, Jack Pannell and Rebecca McKee 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
Gloves off: Starmer v Reform [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:38
The gloves are off. And it's a fight for the soul of our country. So says Keir Starmer. So how is he planning to win it? Sophie Stowers of More in Common joins the IfG podcast team for instant reaction to the Prime Minis…
Starmer’s Liverpool Drama [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:19
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Trump’s State Visit: The Sequel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:36
The US president is in town. And the timing could probably hardly be worse for a prime minister still reeling from his sacking of Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the US. Michael Martins, a former senior officia…
The Mandelson misjudgement  [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:49
Peter Mandelson has been sacked as the UK’s ambassador the US. But what does his downfall say about Keir Starmer’s judgment in making appointments? The Observer’s Cat Neilan joins the podcast team to weigh up the dramati…
Stand and deliver? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:18
Phase one is complete. Phase two begins. And it’s all about delivery. But just how hard is it for governments to do the delivery bit of governing? The IfG podcast team give their expert view. Civil servants are key to ma…
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Duration: 44:21
The party conference countdown has begun, and the Westminster Village is set to decamp to Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bournemouth and beyond. But what this the point of the party conference jamboree? What is it re…
The secrets of being a government minister   [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:43
Being a minister is a job like no other. No briefing, no training and, sometimes, no warning – from day one a new minister could find themselves making high-stakes decisions with huge consequences for the country. So get…
Government in summer: who feels the heat? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:50
What is it really like to govern in summer? Who is in charge when ministers leave Westminster? And what happens when, as it so often does, the summer isn’t all that quiet? The Inside Briefing podcast team have headed int…
The reshuffle revelations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:24
Kemi Badenoch has completed one. Keir Starmer is rumoured to be lining one up. Yes reshuffles, or rumours of ministerial reshuffles, are never far away in Westminster. So what should ministers fear? What should the prime…