The Prisons Crisis Strikes Back

The Prisons Crisis Strikes Back

Author: Institute for Government October 23, 2025 Duration: 34:57
Prisons nearly bursting. Court cases backlogged. Prisoners released early. It couldn’t happen again, could it? Former BBC journalist and Labour adviser Danny Shaw joins the podcast team to discuss a brand new IfG report into the state of the criminal justice system. In another difficult week for the government, the inquiry into grooming gangs has run into problems after at least four members of the victims and survivors panel quit in protest at how the government has handled the process so far. Can Louise Casey fix it? Plus: Prince Andrew, the Royal family, and the government. What happens next?   Catherine Haddon presents. With Alex Thomas and Cassia Rowland.  Produced by Milo Hynes. 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
Keir Starmer gets ready for war [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:07
The newly-published Strategic Defence Review sets out how the UK can fight and win a full-scale war. So what is it recommending and just how dangerous is the world right now? Tom Newton Dunn, presenter of The General and…
How will Starmer rate his ministers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:17
It is one year since the 2024 general election campaign kicked off and already reshuffle rumours are doing the rounds. Adam Payne, Editor of PoliticsHome, joins us to discuss whether a reshuffle is a good way to inject e…
THE ART OF THE BREXIT DEAL [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:51
Keir Starmer has signed off on a so-called UK/EU reset. So, what’s in the new deal and what does it mean for the never-ending Brexit drama? The Guardian’s Kiran Stacey joins the podcast team to dig into the detail. Davie…
Starmer and the strangers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:26
After Keir Starmer made headlines with his warnings of an “island of strangers”, British Future’s Sunder Katwala joins the podcast team to dig into the detail of the government’s new immigration policy. Farewell to 102 P…
The Trump-Starmer trade deal: What’s the beef? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:34
Will white smoke on two trade deals help shift the narrative for Keir Starmer after a tricky week? Peter Foster, the FT’s new world trade editor, joins the podcast team to dig into the details of breakthrough agreements…
Local elections: Ready for Reform? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:01
Votes have been counted – well, most of them. So what do Thursday’s elections for four regional mayors, more than 1000 councillors and the new MP for Runcorn and Helsby mean for British politics, Keir Starmer and the Lab…
Are Starmer and Badenoch making plans for Nigel? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:31
As Labour jostles with Reform for polling points and the Conservatives debate the merits of cosying up to Nigel Farage's party, More in Common's Luke Tryl joins the podcast team to take stock of the polls - and what they…
Extra: What is the role of big suppliers in government procurement? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:55
Procurement is central to the operation of modern government but, following a series of high-profile scandals, is often controversial. Much of the criticism has focused on the role of the biggest suppliers, some of whom…
Trump’s Tariff Turnaround [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:06
As Donald Trump pauses his trade war (well, except in the case of China) the podcast team are joined by economist and author Duncan Weldon to make sense of the president’s wild economic rollercoaster ride – and the uncom…
Trump Declares War: Tariff Liberation Day [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:51
The rules of global trade have been dramatically ripped up by Donald Trump. So what is the US president’s tariff plan actually meant to do? Has a global trade war started? How big a hit will the UK economy take? And what…