Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

John Healey’s “breathing space” budget was short on big decisions but big on smaller, immediate measures – so did it all add up? Nick Garland, a former speechwriter to ex-chancellor Rachel Reeves, joins the podcast team to explore the significance of Healey’s big day.

There are always winners and losers in budgets – so who did well? What choices have Healey and Andy Burnham left for another day? And are there really more civil service efficiency savings to be made?

Plus: Ringfencing preventative budgets. One of the IfG’s longstanding recommendations has been taken on by John Healey. We’re going to take a closer look. 

Hannah White presents.

With Tom Pope, Giles Wilkes and Hannah Keenan.

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John Healey’s first budget as chancellor on 28 October was a huge moment for Andy Burnham’s government.

A difficult fiscal inheritance, made more challenging still by the war in Iran, means Healey and Burnham faced a series of tough choices.

So what will the chancellor’s spending decisions reveal about the government’s priorities? Will he send a clear signal about the future tax changes that are – or are not – on the table? Can Healey and Burnham show that they are capable of taking the difficult decisions facing government? And will they avoid mistakes made by Keir Starmer and former chancellor Rachel Reeves?

Just a few hours after Healey set out his plans, the IfG shared their instant expert analysis in this must-watch budget day webinar.

We were joined by an expert panel including:

This webinar was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Executive Director for Research and Innovation at the Institute for Government.

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The budget is nearly here. So what is chancellor John Healey going to say at the Despatch Box on Wednesday? The Observer’s Ben Zaranko joins the podcast team to preview the biggest day yet in Andy Burnham’s premiership.

The PM has said he will pull every lever he can to help with the cost of living. The chancellor has said he won’t budge from Labour’s fiscal rules - or its 2024 manifesto pledge not to raise the three main personal taxes. So are Healey’s options and what does he need to do?  

Plus: How can he turn around public service performance? A new IfG report says things aren’t likely to much get better by the time of the next election. Can Healey and Burnham do anything about that gloomy prediction? We’ll reveal all.

Hannah White presents.

With Jill Rutter and Nick Davies.

Produced by Milo Hynes

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With Andy Burnham trying to navigate the ever-precarious tightrope that is doing diplomacy with Donald Trump’s White House, Anand Menon joins the podcast team to weigh up the prime minister’s prospects.
Burnham is also exploring a new relationship with Europe, but could that really mean reversing Brexit?
Plus: Can the government fix the criminal justice system. A new IfG report has given its verdict on the performance of prisons, courts, the police and more - some good, some bad, lots of decisions for the PM to make.
Presented by Alex Thomas.
With Jill Rutter and Cassia Rowland.
Producer by Podmasters

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Another by-election, another win for Andy Burnham - with the Greens defeated in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Deltapoll's Joe Twyman joins the pod team to explore what the PM’s by-election double really tells us about his electoral prospects.

It was another bad day for Green leader Zack Polanski, who was already under pressure after a difficult conference in Brighton. 

Kemi Badenoch, on the other, was all smiles in Birmingham - but does the Conservative party really have grounds for optimism?

Plus: How well are schools performing? A new IfG report has the answer.

Hosted by Hannah White.

With Cath Haddon, Thomas Pope and Amber Dellar.

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No lectern. No tie. And quite a few tears. Andy Burnham promised a different kind of speech. But did the prime minister deliver?

After watching Burnham's first Labour conference speech as party leader and prime minister, Hannah White is joined in the IfG's pop-up studio in Liverpool by the IfG's Alex Thomas, IfG senior fellow (and former executive director of policy to Keir Starmer) Claire Ainsley, and More in Common's Sophie Stowers to share their instant reactions on the big speech, dissect the policy announcements, and explore what the Burnham agenda means for government. 

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From meeting Donald Trump in New York to heading to his first Labour conference as prime minister, it's quite some week for Andy Burnham - so what does he need to do to make a success of Labour's Liverpool gathering? LabourList editor Emma Burnell joins the podcast team to review Burnham's Trump test and preview his conference challenge. 

Plus: We take a closer look at an issue that saw Keir Starmer stumble badly, and that’s benefits reform. How could Burnham approach this thorniest of issues? A new IfG report has the answers.

Alex Thomas presents.

With Cath Haddon and Ben Paxton

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With Westminster been rocked by the news of a record-breaking – and maybe game-changing – £72 million donation to Reform UK, new Lib Dem peer Tim Leunig joins the podcast team to assess how the government might respond, and what comes next for party political donations.

Next up on the conference circuit are the Liberal Democrats. So how much pressure is leader Sir Ed Davey under as his party gather in Brighton this weekend?

Plus: These are uncertain times... but just how uncertain are they?

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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 consequences for UK domestic policy? The i's Kitty Donaldson joins the podcast team to assess the PM's big move.

On the domestic front it was chancellor John Healey’s turn to make headlines, with a big pre-Budget speech on growth and the economy. So does this mark the dawn of a new economic policy?

Plus: Angela Rayner has hit the pause button on the Local Government Reorganisation plans. What has happened and has it all gone wrong?

Presented by Alex Thomas.

With Giles Wilkes and Akash Paun

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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 Hill joins the podcast team to make sense of Andy Burnham's first day back in Parliament.Kemi Badenoch has been busy too, with the Conservative leader reshuffling her top team and bringing in, amongst others, a new chancellor and foreign secretary. So what is she trying to do and what difference could it make?Plus: Farewell to Keir Starmer. As the former prime minister is quitting parliament, we give the Inside Briefing verdict.

 Hannah White presents

With Cath Haddon 

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