Ifg Events Podcast

Institute for Government/Bennett Institute 'Review of the UK Constitution' launch event. From Supreme Court interventions to accusations of ‘dead parliaments’, the Brexit impact to the pandemic response, a tumultuous period in British politics has put the UK constitution under huge strain and undermined public faith in how the UK is governed. Calls for change have come from all sides. Should the UK’s constitution be codified? Does parliament have enough power to hold the government to account? Are the courts going too far in diluting government power? Does the role of the House of Lords and the monarchy need rethinking? Is devolution working – and do we need more of it? How do governments deal with the public and can trust be restored? While the last five years have brought the constitution’s sustainability into question, they have also created a real opportunity to reinvigorate UK democracy, restore trust in the political system and improve the way that government works. But without a clear vision for the

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 26th in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker has eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Hamish Dibley, Director at BearingPoint, on how humanising the use of NHS data leads to performance improvement and better person outcomes John Bryant, Head of Strategy and Development, Torbay Council, on Greener Care Collaborative: Releasing Time to Care Arnie King, Research and Policy Lead at Coproduce Care CIC, on social care voice data for those receiving ‘worst outcomes’ Juliana Outes Velarde, Data Steward at the Government Outcomes Lab, Blavatnik School of Government (University of Oxford), on better data for social outcomes The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Go

The long-awaited government white paper on levelling up is due to be published in early 2022, but the government alone cannot pay for the policies needed to help the UK’s left-behind areas. So what can ministers do to involve the private sector in shaping and delivering the levelling up agenda? What more can be done to unlock greater private sector investment? How can private investment deliver social as well as economic impact? What lessons can be drawn from previous public-private partnerships to deliver major infrastructure improvements? To discuss these questions, the IfG was delighted to host an expert panel including: Kevin Hollinrake MP, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Business Banking and member of the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee Stephen Muers, Chief Executive Officer at Big Society Capital Sara Williams, CEO of the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce John Wrathmell, Director, Strategy, Research and Economy at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The event

The government's Subsidy Control Bill sets out how the UK will replace EU state aid rules, but will this deliver a post-Brexit dividend, and how will the UK's system change how subsidies are offered? With the bill having passed through the House of Commons and set to be scrutinised in the House of Lords, this Institute for Government panel will explore the opportunities – and risks – of setting up a bespoke post-Brexit state aid regime. While leaving the EU allows the UK's system to focus domestic concerns and government priorities like reaching net zero, a poorly designed system could mean poor regulation of subsidies and creating legal uncertainty. Will the new system provide the additional flexibility, freedom and certainty that the government has promised – or is it a recipe for confusion? And as the legislation is scrutinised in parliament, how can it be improved to ensure it delivers for UK governments, public bodies and businesses? On our panel to discuss these issues: Peter Foster, Public Policy

Having introduced a legally binding target to achieve net zero by 2050 and with the Environment Act – designed to enforce UK environmental standards – now on the statute book, the UK government is proud of its green achievements. But does the UK’s post-Brexit independent trade policy live up to its domestic environmental commitments? Earlier this year the UK agreed to omit references to temperature goals committed to in the Paris Agreement in order to secure a free trade agreement with Australia – an agreement which, on the government’s own analysis, will result in increased use of scarce natural resources and increased waste. So does the UK need to do more to position its environmental goals at the heart of its trade policy or would this hinder the UK’s ability to strike deals across the globe? Can trade policy help deliver positive gains for the environment? And should the UK government set out an overarching trade policy to bring consistency and coherence to its trade deals? To answer these questions, an

Two years ago, Boris Johnson was elected on a promise to ‘get Brexit done’ and ‘level up’ the UK. Then Covid-19 struck and dominated government time, energy and resources. But with the worst of the crisis now passed, and with the UK having left the EU, where will ministers turn their attention in the second half of the parliament – and is the government well set up to deliver its priorities? Is Brexit really ‘done’? Do the government’s ‘net zero’ plans add up? Does more need to be done to support the post-pandemic economic recovery? And how will the government turn its flagship ‘levelling up’ slogan into reality? The Institute for Government was delighted to bring together the following expert panel to reveal the inner workings of government – and discuss whether Boris Johnson’s administration is well-placed to deliver its manifesto promises: Kelly Beaver, Chief Executive of Ipsos MORI Stephen Bush, Political Editor at the New Statesman Dan Corry, Chief Executive of New Philanthropy Capital and former Head

The UK’s two decade-long campaign in Afghanistan ended this summer with the withdrawal of British troops and diplomatic personnel from Kabul. A mission that began with the overthrow of the Taliban ended with the Taliban returning to power. What did the UK’s 20-year stay in Afghanistan accomplish? Should politicians or the military take the blame for its failures? And how should Afghans and the international community approach the next phase of Taliban rule? To discuss these questions the Institute for Government was delighted to bring together: Jack Straw, UK Foreign Secretary (2001–05) Hasina Safi, Afghanistan's acting Minister for Women (May 2020 – August 2021) Tobias Ellwood MP, Chair of the Commons Defence Select Committee The discussion was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome John Pullinger, Chair of the Electoral Commission, who was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. With voter ID, political party funding, and the abuse of candidates all in the spotlight, is enough being done to inspire the confidence of voters, parties and politicians in the electoral system? More than six months after becoming Chair of the Electoral Commission, John Pullinger discussed the challenges facing UK democracy and some of the changes voters might see in the months ahead. This in conversation event also explored issues relating to John Pullinger's previous role as National Statistician. John Pullinger was appointed Chair of the Electoral Commission in May 2021. Until 2019, he was the UK’s National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority. He has served as President of the Royal Statistical Society, Chair of the United Nations Statistical Commission, and Librarian and Director G

The Institute for Government was pleased to welcome the Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow First Secretary of State, to deliver a keynote speech setting out how Labour would reform the systems that govern standards in public life. She was then in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. The row over Owen Paterson’s paid lobbying and the wider debate it has stimulated about MPs’ second jobs have again brought into the spotlight the systems designed to uphold ethical standards in public life. As well as the codes and institutions governing MPs, the rules about how ministers should behave and the processes that uphold these standards have been called into question. In her speech, Angela Rayner set out how Labour would redesign those rules, strengthen existing standards bodies and put new institutions in place to uphold standards in public life. Angela Rayner has been the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne si

What does it mean to be a member of parliament? What do people expect from their elected representatives? And how much have these expectations changed in recent years? The row about MPs’ second jobs has triggered a discussion about what MPs are for and what their priorities should be. From representing constituents and dealing with casework to scrutinising government and improving legislation, MPs have many responsibilities. So how should an MP divide his or her time? How has this changed over recent years? Should MPs be taking on extra paid work outside parliament? And what do constituents ultimately want from their representative? To discuss these questions and more, the IfG brought together an expert panel: Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary, University of London Sir Peter Bottomley, Conservative MP for Worthing West Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion Marie Le Conte, political journalist and author This event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Governm

The use of data has been at the forefront of the government’s handling of Brexit shocks and the Covid-crisis. But how can data best be used to address government priorities such as net zero, “levelling up”, and tackling the social and economic scarring from the pandemic? This IfG event discussed how improvements can be made to the way governments identify data and use it to help make decisions. What have the experiences of Brexit and the pandemic revealed about the government’s use of data? What are the limits of data-driven decision making? How can governments better tap into external data expertise? On our panel to discuss these questions were: John Burn-Murdoch, Chief Data Reporter at the Financial Times Jane Duncan, Partner, Workforce Advisory, EY Niamh McKenna, Chief Information Officer at NHS Resolution Matt Warman MP, former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Digital Infrastructure The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Having 'taken back control’ of the UK border after Brexit, the government has ended free movement of people and introduced a new points-based immigration system. But 10 months on, the UK labour market is under pressure, with a combination of Covid-19, Brexit, and other structural forces causing widespread shortages of workers. To what extent has the new immigration regime contributed to these labour problems? Is the UK worse affected than other countries? Will there be longer-term benefits from the new immigration regime? Has Brexit made the UK more or less able to address labour market issues? And how is the government making the most of its new-found control? To discuss these issues, we were joined by an expert panel: Seema Farazi, Partner, Financial Services, Immigration and Brexit at EY Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Paul Wilson, Policy Director at the Federation of Small Businesses The event was chaired by Dr Gemma

How we are taxed will be crucial to how government pays for net zero. It can use the tax system to incentivise sustainable choices by businesses and consumers as well as disincentivise harmful ones. But government revenues will also fall as people and businesses adapt their behaviour to reduce carbon emissions, with the shift to electric vehicles set to eliminate fuel duties. So what changes are needed to ensure the tax system raises revenue to fund public interventions, redistributes the costs of getting to net zero, and shores up the tax take as fuel duties decline? This event was held after a busy autumn of net zero strategies, a budget and COP26. It asked how the government should adapt the tax system to reach net zero and whether the budget was a missed opportunity, look at the steps being taken in other countries, and set out how to overcome the barriers – political and otherwise – to reform. On our panel to discuss these issues: Rt Hon David Gauke, Head of Public Policy at Macfarlanes LLP and forme

As part of our ongoing series of events on devolution and the Union, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome John Swinney MSP, the Deputy First Minister of Scotland. What is the state of the relationship between the UK and Scottish governments? How well is devolution working for Scotland? What are the current tensions in the devolved settlement and how can they be resolved? John Swinney, who is also Scotland’s cabinet minister for Covid recovery, gave a short speech before being in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, and programme lead for devolution. John Swinney has been an MSP since 1999, and currently represents Perthshire North. From 1998 to 2000, he served as deputy leader of the SNP, and then as party leader between 2000 and 2004. He has previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy, and as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. He has been Deputy First Minister since 2014. #IfGDevo

As part of our ongoing series of events on the future of devolution across the UK, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and leader of the West Midlands Combined Authority. Six months after his re-election to a second term in office, Andy Street – who was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government – discussed his role as a ‘metro mayor’, the constraints he faces in the role, and how metro mayors can help deliver the government’s levelling up and net zero objectives. Andy Street started his career at the John Lewis Partnership in 1985 as a trainee at Brent Cross and rose to become the managing director in 2007. He resigned in order to stand for election, and was successfully elected in May 2017 as the Conservative Mayor of the West Midlands. He was subsequently re-elected to this position in May 2021. #IfGDevo

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 24th in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Harry Lee, Deputy Director, Data Protection and Data Rights at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on the government's 'Data: a new direction' consultation. Selvin Brown MBE, Senior Responsible Officer – Net Zero Building Delivery at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and Alastair Vetch, Client Service Partner at Slalom, on establishing a culture of data-led policy delivery Brhmie Balaram, Head of AI Research & Ethics at NHSX AI Lab, on the work of the AI Ethics Initiative and the ethical questions it is addressing about the use of AI in health and care Toby Jol

In the past year, the public appointments process has been in the public eye with allegations of politicisation. The process is much misunderstood and there is widespread uncertainty about the balance between the principles of fair and open competition and decision making by ministers. Is that balance now under threat? And what other roles should be formally regulated? What are the barriers to expanding the range of people serving on the boards of arms-length bodies? In the closing speech of our conference, Peter Riddell, who was the Commissioner for Public Appointments until September 2021, gave his thoughts on how the appointment process can be improved. Dr Matthew Gill, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, responded to Peter’s speech. This event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. #IfGstandards

The UK government has faced criticism over its approach to standards, but it is not the only government around the world – or even within the UK – grappling with these questions. With other governments taking different approaches to setting and upholding rules for standards in public life, this panel discussion will explore what the UK can learn about upholding standards from governments across the world, what role parliaments play in this process and whether standards need a stronger legislative basis. We were joined by: Mario Dion, Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner of the Canadian Parliament Duncan Hames, Director of Policy Transparency International UK Dr Melissa McCullough, Commissioner for Standards at the Northern Ireland assembly This event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGstandards

Various codes of conduct and constitutional guides – including the ministerial code – set standards for those in public life. However, events throughout 2021 have raised questions about whether the rules, and the various bodies that enforce them, are robust enough to uphold expected standards of behaviour. So how can the various standards watchdogs hold ministers, officials and others to account for their behaviour in public life? Are current sanction sufficient? Should these bodies have greater legal powers and more independence from government? To discuss all this and we were joined by: Chris Bryant MP, Chair of the Committee on Standards and Privileges Dame Shirley Pearce DBE, Member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life Lord Pickles, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGstandards

The Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) is an independent body which advises the prime minister on arrangements for upholding ethical standards of conduct across public life. The committee’s latest review, Standards Matter 2, has been examining the institutions, processes and structures in place to support high standards of conduct. Following the publication of the review’s final report, Upholding Standards in Public Life, on 1 November, Lord Evans, Chair of the CSPL, set out the committee’s suggestions for improving standards in government in an opening keynote. This event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. #IfGstandards