He wants to be adored – Burnham’s people-pleasing policy debut

He wants to be adored – Burnham’s people-pleasing policy debut

Author: Institute for Government July 24, 2026 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 conciliatory? And how will unexpected new Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and surprise Chancellor John Healey work out alongside Shabana Mahmood, who’s staying at the Home Office? Plus, Burnham takes the IfG’s advice by finally creating a new Office for the Prime Minister and Cabinet. How will that work out?  IfG associate director Hannah Keenan and our devolution expert Akash Paun join special guest Joshi Herrmann of independent news site the Manchester Mill join Alex Thomas to look at Burnham: Week One.  Presented by Alex Thomas. Produced by Jade Bailey for Podmasters.   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
Trump vs Iran: Is the UK ready for war? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:47
The Middle East is at war - but how does the conflict end and what role will the UK play? Sir Alex Younger, the former head of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) joins the podcast team to discuss what the US strikes o…
Will Rachel Reeves spring a forecast surprise? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:52
Fire up the forecasts. Read up on the rules. Study the spending plans. And get ready for Rachel Reeves' big day in Parliament. Rupert Harrison, former chief of staff to George Osborne, joins the Inside Briefing team to p…
All roads lead to Romeo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:23
Antonia Romeo has been appointed as the new Cabinet Secretary and is the first woman to hold the post. So what can she do to turn the civil service, and perhaps the government, around? Keir Starmer's administration is st…
Resets and resignations: Starmer's worst week yet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:34
Former Downing Street chief of staff Gavin Barwell joins the podcast to discuss another explosive week at the heart of government. On Sunday afternoon the prime minister’s chief of staff and closest adviser, Morgan McSwe…
Keir Starmer's Mandelson Scandal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:45
The revelations about what contact Peter Mandelson had with Jeffrey Epstein, what the government knew, and what it did or is now doing about it is the story that is dominating Westminster. The FT’s Jim Pickard joins the…
Growth strategy pains, trains and regional deals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 growt…
Starmer’s Trump diplomacy and Darren Jones’s fast fixes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:07
In a week when Donald Trump has been escalating his threats to NATO member states over Greenland, Darren Jones was on the home front ensuring that the government’s desire to transform government was also continuing. So w…
Wes Streeting’s government health-check [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:56
Drop the excuses culture. Stop complaining about civil servants. And just get it right the first time rather than repeatedly u-turning. Wes Streeting didn’t hold back at the IfG conference this week - so what does the he…
Donald Trumps Starmer’s New Year Plans [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:41
With US military strikes on Venezuela dominating headlines, Lawrence Freedman joins the podcast team to ask what Donald Trump's foreign plans mean for the UK - and assess whether Keir Starmer’s Trump strategy will hold i…
2025 in Review: Starmer's Year of Drama  [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:28
A year is a long time in the podcasting world, especially for podcasts keeping a close eye on the highs, lows, trials and tribulations of government. Because it has been quite some year for Keir Starmer and his team - an…