Boris Johnson reckons he is now more popular in parts of Kyiv than parts of Kensington, so how worried should the prime minister be as Partygate returns to the frontpages?

With the UK at the heart of the West’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the podcast team weigh up Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin’s comments at the IfG on UK defence priorities.

And if it wasn’t for crises – of very different natures – we might be talking more about policy, so was the government’s new education white paper worth the wait?

Former Department for Education adviser Sam Freedman joins the podcast to discuss another eventful week in British politics.

Bronwen Maddox presents, with Alex Thomas and Tim Durrant.

Produced by Candice McKenzie.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After Rishi Sunak's spring statement was met with a barrage of bruising headlines, we crunch the numbers and assess what the chancellor announced - and what he didn't say - with guest John Rentoul, the Independent's chief political commentator.

Who authorised an airlift of animals in the midst of the UK's chaotic evacuation from Kabul? That was the subject of an excruciating select committee session this week, but what does it say about how well the Foreign Office is functioning? 

And what's up with WhatsApp? Westminster's favourite way to communicate may not be great for good government - and a new IfG paper sets out the problems, and what could be done to fix them.

Bronwen Maddox presents. With Jill Rutter, Tim Durrant, Tom Pope and guest John Rentoul.

Produced by Candice McKenzie 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Britain’s economy survived omicron relatively unscathed, but soaring inflation and energy price rises exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine mean Rishi Sunak has a tough job on his hands to ease the worst cost of living crisis in decades.

Ahead of Wednesday’s spring statement, we discuss what options the chancellor has available to him to ease the squeeze. Former Treasury advisor Tim Pitt and National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses Martin McTague are our special guests.

“Unless wage growth can match inflation, the cost of living squeeze is going to be much worse than expected.” - Tom Pope

“Ukraine produces a lot of the world’s grain, so food prices are rising because of the conflict.” - Tom Pope

“The Chancellor can only take the edge of the pain for people, it will be a difficult period for millions.” - Tim Pitt

“Helping the vulnerable has to be the priority, but swathes of middle England are also about to be slapped.”- Tim Pitt

“I’ll be very interested to see if the Chancellor mentions the phrase net-zero.” - Jill Rutter

“Small businesses are having to compete for a shrinking pool of labour, so there will be pay rises.” - Martin McTague

This budget preview edition is supported by the Federation of Small Businesses. Find out more at www.fsb.org.uk

Presented by Gemma Tetlow with Tom Pope and Jill Rutter. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia faces a raft of sanctions amid global disgust at the invasion of Ukraine. We discuss nations severing ties with Vladimir Putin’s regime, and what long term ramifications there might be. Plus, as oligarchs hit the headlines, we discuss Russian money in Britain. Financial Times correspondent Polina Ivanova, King’s Russia Institute director Samuel Greene, and Butler to the World author Oliver Bullough join Bronwen Maddox to unpack these issues. 

“These are speeches and addresses [from Putin] that are meant to make Russian’s angry.” — Samuel Greene 

“As long as they’re his [Putin’s] friends, he doesn’t really see them as oligarchs.” — Oliver Bullough

“This is about punishment and about changing the power structure in Russia.” — Samuel Greene 

“Russian oligarchs don’t really trust the Russian legal system any more than anyone else does.” — Oliver Bullough

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with . Audio production by Jade Bailey. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite peace talks taking place, Russia’s assault on Ukraine shows no sign of slowing down. With Boris Johnson jetting to the Gulf in an effort to ease the energy crisis, we discuss the latest from the conflict.

Also, in light of Partygate plans to streamline the prime minister’s team have emerged. Will they work? And we take a look at a new IFG report on how Brexit is affecting agricultural support. Former Sky News editor Adam Boulton is this week’s special guest.

“We’re in a different time, Russia is aggressive in a way that it wasn’t for much of the Cold War.” - Adam Boulton

“The Government have changed their relationship with Russian donors, but Johnson has gone to another dictator looking for oil.” - Cath Haddon

“British foreign policy is all over the place… Brexit means we’re not identifying with a common European effort.” - Adam Boulton

“The Cabinet Office has grown to over 8,000 people as it has taken on the operational aspects of Government.” - Alex Thomas

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon, Alex Thomas and Jill Rutter. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The war in Ukraine shows no sign of easing, and its impact is being felt across UK government. What will it mean for bills if Russian energy imports are cut off? And why is the Home Office making such a mess of the Ukraine refugee crisis? Robert Colvile, director of the Centre for Policy Studies and Sunday Times columnist, joins the pod team to discuss.

And a new IfG report looks back at the last crisis, which saw a lack of accountability and blame-gaming mark central government’s relationship with public bodies during the pandemic. So what went wrong and what needs to be done to get it right next time? We speak to the report author.

Presented by Catherine Haddon, with Giles Wilkes, Jill Rutter and Matthew Gill.

Produced by Candice McKenzie.

“The problem with energy is that you can’t conjure it into being” – Robert Colvile

“Net zero commitments are just going to be parked in a lot of countries while we deal with this crisis” – Robert Colvile

“Lord knows how the internal economy of Russia works right now” – Giles Wilkes

“I’m still recovering my morale … I might own a little bit of Chelsea” – Giles Wilkes

“The Home Office is fundamentally a department of control – it’s lagging very badly” – Jill Rutter

“It’s not an accident that the phrase ‘not fit for purpose’ was coined about the Home Office” – Robert Colvile

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The awful scenes of war and violence in Ukraine show no sign of ending. Will an unprecedented barrage of sanctions be enough to shift Vladimir Putin’s strategy? If not, what other options are available to the West? The IfG team are joined by Georgina Wright of Institut Montaigne to discuss where the crisis might go next, assess a notably coordinated EU response, and make sense of a stunning shift in German policy.

We then switch attention to the UK, where questions at the heart of the IfG’s mission – how good governments function, how to strengthen institutions, and how to ensure politicians follow the rules and are held to account – look more relevant than ever. Two new IfG reports set out what can be done to reform and strengthen the civil service.

“Other than some kind of major event in Russia, it is hard to see a route of this that isn’t incredibly depressing” - Catherine Haddon

“The threat that Putin could put his missiles on an even higher standing of readiness is hanging over this” – Bronwen Maddox

“It is absolutely incredible what we are seeing happen in Germany. You have a government that is giving way completely to radical new policy” – Georgina Wright

“We saw how difficult it was to leave the EU. It’s just as difficult to join. Can the EU realistically grant Ukraine, a country at war, candidate status?” – Georgina Wright

“Confused accountability undermines the civil service’s confidence. Bolstering its legitimacy will help bolster its confidence and authority inside government” – Alex Thomas

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alex Thomas, Cath Haddon, and guest Georgina Wright.

Produced by Candice McKenzie for the Institute for Government in association with Podmasters.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia invades Ukraine and shocks the world, with casualties already reported and citizens fleeing Kyiv. What does Putin want? And can a raft of sanctions introduced by Western governments force him to change his mind? Former chair of the Intelligence and Security committee DOMINIC GRIEVE joins us to discuss the crisis and its ramifications for Europe.

“Ukraine’s status as an independent state on Russia’s borders has become intolerable to Putin.” - Alex Nice

“The signs have been clear for a long time that Putin will use any means if it furthers his agenda.” - Dominic Grieve

“This crisis could extend to the Baltic states. If Putin thinks there is a weakness, then he will exploit it.” - Dominic Grieve

“BBC Russia does an excellent job, and removing RT might result in a ‘tit-for-tat’ response from Russia.”

“This refugee crisis will primarily focus on Poland, but other states including the UK should be involved in this.” - Alex Nice 

“Three decades of German foreign policy has been washed away by this crisis.” - Cath Haddon

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon and Alex Nice. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ukraine Crisis is still unresolved. What exactly does Putin want, is he determined to use force to achieve it – and can Britain do anything about it? Plus, Boris Johnson plans to create a new ‘Office of the Prime Minister’. But what exactly is the Cabinet Office, how does this “odds and sods department” work – and is the idea of creating a whole new department wise, Prime Minister? 

Ex-Cabinet Office minister and Justice Secretary David Lidington and former (founding) head of the National Cyber Security Centre Ciaran Martin are our special guests. 

Presented by Alex Thomas and Cath Haddon. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. 

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bronwen Maddox gives the Institute for Government’s annual Director’s Lecture, followed by a response from New Statesman political editor Stephen Bush and a discussion chaired by Sir David Lidington, the former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for the Cabinet Office, and Justice Secretary.

In her speech, Bronwen reflects on the Government’s handling of the pandemic, expectations of government now, and the reforms that are needed.

Audio production by Candice McKenzie for IfG

#IfGDirector

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices