Growth strategy pains, trains and regional deals

Growth strategy pains, trains and regional deals

Author: Institute for Government January 29, 2026 Duration: 41:28
Of all its manifesto pledges, missions and milestones, Labour has been most keen to tell the public that it is ‘going for growth’. But does the government have a robust and well thought-through plan to deliver that growth? Or is it, like so many before it, struggling to really take the ‘tough decisions’ required to drag UK GDP growth rates up to meet – and indeed surpass – those of our fellow G7 nations? This government has not been short of plans and strategies, but what it has not produced is a strategy for growth that helps it make hard choices nor the right support in place for the PM to follow through on them. This is a problem, as a new paper out this week from IfG and Imperial College London explores. Meanwhile, regional inequalities are one barrier to growth, and transport is both a symptom and a cause of this. Many regions lag far behind the capital on funding and transport connectivity, preventing people from getting new jobs, travelling to existing ones or otherwise moving about the country – all harming productivity. The authors of another new IfG report supported by Arup join us to discuss their findings – including a case study of the mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham’s work on the Bee Bus Network.   Hannah White presents With Giles Wilkes, Akash Paun, Harriet Shaw and special guest Soumaya Keynes 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: 50

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government
Podcast Episodes
Is Ed Miliband rethinking UK foreign policy?  [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:47
Foreign secretary Ed Miliband has announced UK sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. So what does this change of position say about UK foreign policy under Andy Burnham - and what are the possible c…
Burnham down the House - the new PM's Parliamentary debut [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:31
The summer recess is over. Parliament is up and running. And the new prime minister gave a mammoth statement in the Commons. There were no new policy announcements, but there was a promise to do things differently. Henry…
Totally Rewired - Can Burnham really do government differently? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:20
Andy Burnham has clocked up a month mark in Number 10. As the long recess draws to a close and Parliament prepares to return, the Guardian's Kiran Stacey joining the podcast to look back on a summer of speeches, policy a…
Mid-term prime ministers – Episode 3: Adjusting to the role [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:57
Every new prime minister arrives in No.10 with a view about what brought down their predecessor as well as a ringside seat to the downfall. So after convincing their colleagues why a change of PM is necessary, what happe…
Mid-term prime ministers – Episode 2: The Transition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:50
Becoming prime minister is a job like no other. The arrival of Andy Burnham is the latest in the UK’s recent history of prime ministers coming to the job mid-way through a parliament. Mid-term prime ministers often take…
Mid-term prime ministers – Episode 1: Preparing for change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:23
Our first episode explores the recent history of mid-term changes of prime minister from John Major to Rishi Sunak. Speaking to senior officials and advisers involved, we go behind the scenes of the preparation and leade…
He wants to be adored – Burnham’s people-pleasing policy debut [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:42
Andy Burnham finally takes over No.10 with promises to focus on the cost of living and to make politics better. Can he succeed? Is he the ruthless leader portended by his clearout of Starmerites, or someone more concilia…
Full Time for Starmer: Can Burnham Find a Way to Win? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:47
Keir Starmer has bowed out of his final PMQs. Andy Burnham is about to become Britain's next prime minister. But after two turbulent years in Downing Street, what went wrong for Starmer? Can Burnham avoid the same mistak…
Burnham, Binface and Starmer's final flight  [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:02
Reform UK may have dominated the headlines this week, but Westminster's attention is already turning to a far bigger political moment: the arrival of Britain's next prime minister. Mirror political editor Lizzy Buchan jo…