Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

There’s no escaping COVID19, and with calls for a ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown growing by the day, how is the Government coping as the pressure mounts? And with Number 10 sidelining the devolved administrations, Jess Sargeant joins to discuss the impact of the Britain’s varied coronavirus response. Plus, with the US Presidential election less than a week away, what will the result mean for the UK? “Boris Johnson hasn’t found a way to navigate between the scientists and his backbenchers” - Mark Landler “Whether or not the Government acts now affects if people can see their families at Christmas” - Cath Haddon “Angela Merkel has political capital to spend on a lockdown that Boris Johnson does not” - Alex Thomas “Closing borders is not a sustainable solution, practically or politically” - Jess Sargeant “Biden would not view a UK-US trade deal as a priority” - Mark Landler Presented by Hannah White with Cath Haddon, Alex Thomas, Jess Sargeant and Mark Landler. Audio production by Alex Rees. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who came off worse in the stand-off between Manchester’s Andy Burnham and London, and what does the confrontation say about Westminster’s real attitude to the regions? With Rishi Sunak launching yet more economic support packages, is the Government’s economic strategy in disarray? A new IfG report reveals exactly what Dominic Cummings’ reforms of Special Advisors is meaning for day-to-day government. Oh, and the Brexit talks. Yes, they’re still going.  “The Treasury and No.10 are paying a price for not treating Manchester strategically.” – Jill Rutter “Yes, the Brexit talks are about brinkmanship – but it’s also about making any failure look like the other side’s fault.” – Cath Haddon “Many PMs have complained that No.10 is underpowered compared to departments – and that’s why SpAds have become so important.” – Tim Durrant “A lot of business leaders didn’t see the sunlit uplands that Michael Gove was seeing” - Jill Rutter “None of the SPADs we spoke to had anything positive to say about the management of the civil service” – Tim Durrant Presented by Emma Norris with Jill Rutter, Alex Thomas, Tim Durrant and Cath Haddon. Audio production by Alex Rees See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First birthday edition! Is Boris Johnson’s tiers-based compromise on fighting COVID worse than simply biting the bullet of a national lockdown? Is Westminster command-and-control creating an irreparable breach between London, Scotland, Wales and the North of England? And does that road end in full devolution? JACK BLANCHARD, UK politics editor at politico.com, is our special guest.   “It’s very hard to find anyone who thinks the tiers approach is really going to work.” – Jack Blanchard “We assume that the Government has good reasons for its approach, not just ‘We’re frightened of the lockdown sceptics’.” – Jill Rutter “There is no worse way to win hearts and minds than to have scenes of angry disagreement like we saw this week.” – Jack Blanchard Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Jill Rutter and Cath Haddon. Audio production by Alex Rees See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is an audio recording of an IfG Live Event The UK and EU have agreed to continue the Brexit negotiations in an effort to resolve outstanding issues such as fishing rights, state aid and governance. Although both sides say they want an agreement, a no-deal Brexit is still possible.Even if there is a deal, there will be significant changes to how businesses trade between the UK and EU – but this message has failed to cut through. Selling a deal back home – and the compromises it might involve – could also be politically difficult.In the week of the Prime Minister’s initial deadline for negotiations and a critical meeting of the European Council, our panel takes stock of the Brexit talks and look ahead to what we can expect before the end of the year.Panellists Tony Connelly, Europe Editor at RTE News Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) James Forsyth, Political Editor at The Spectator Sam Lowe, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Reform The event is chaired by Georgina Wright, Senior Researcher, Institute for Government#IfGBrexit See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is the smorgasbord of Big Ideas that Boris Johnson announced to the virtual Conservative Conference actually deliverable? Do plans for the Saudi Arabia of wind, expanded social care and a New Jerusalem all at once contradict one another? And as the Corona bills come in, is crunch time on the way for former distributor of good news and sunshine Rishi Sunak? Special guest SALMA SHAH, former advisor to Sajid Javid, joins us for the IfG’s own autumn statement.  “Nobody doubts that the Government can make big announcements. The question is whether they can deliver it.” – Jill Rutter “This wasn’t a traditionally Conservative speech and this isn’t a traditional Conservative government.” – Salma Shah “When we hear about 30 year mortgages or social care or offshore wind, it’s fair to wonder why nobody’s delivered them so far. And the answer is, it’s hard.” - Giles Wilkes “We’ve had two consecutive governments that are, for Conservatives, amazingly uninterested in what business has to say.” – Jill Rutter Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Jill Rutter and Giles Wilkes. Audio production by Alex Rees See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the EU gives notice of legal action against Britain, are the trade talks about to enter the Tunnel, the Submarine or total meltdown? Is Lindsay Hoyle right to accuse the Government of holding Parliament in contempt with its overreach on Corona powers? Is a Tory backbench rebellion brewing already – and could some internecine warfare be a good look for embattled Boris Johnson? And can Dominic Cummings just snap his fingers and bring a billion-dollar tech giant to life just like that? “This looks like an increasing war between backbenchers and Boris Johnson and his advisors.” – Jill Rutter“The Government thinks that under these circumstances, Parliament should be a rubber stamp. But MPs think you make better policy by debating it.” – Hannah White“It’s not always a bad look for a PM to be fighting a lone battle, as long as it’s for the right thing.” – Giles Wilkes“The Government seems in tune with public opinion but not with the libertarian wing of its own party.” – Jill RutterPresented by Bronwen Maddox with Hannah White, Jill Rutter and Giles Wilkes. Audio production by Alex Rees See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the COVID outlook worsens dramatically, can Boris Johnson make another six months of restrictions stick? Is Rishi Sunak’s new Job Support Scheme just the old furlough in disguise, and will it hold back a tide of autumn job losses? And how prepared are public services for an extended crisis? Special guest Sir David Lidington, former de facto Deputy Prime Minister, explains the consequences of a new near-lockdown for consumer confidence, public health and the Government’s stability. “If you don’t get the tax receipts coming in from the economy then you’ll have some very difficult decisions about public spending.” – David Lidington“The Government needs to be seen to reach out… Metro mayors and local authorities need to be partners not adversaries.” – David Lidington“MPs who brief the papers about how unhappy they are generally do not speak for the majority of the Parliamentary party” – David LidingtonPresented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon, Nick Davies and Gemma Tetlow. Audio production by Alex Rees See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What has gone so wrong with the Government’s “world-beating” COVID response? After a summer of confusion, can the “moonshot” get the Government’s pandemic policy back on course, or is it just more spin? And can its audacious Internal Market Bill make it through the Commons and Lords without being amended out of all recognition? Special guest Anoosh Chakelian of the New Statesman joins us to discuss Boris Johnson’s two biggest headaches.   “From the start this Government has been putting spin and rhetoric before levelling with the public.” – Anoosh Chakelian “If Boris Johnson is having deep conversations with MPs in the tea room, you know they’re spooked.” – Anoosh Chakelian Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Jess Sargeant, Tom Pope and Alex Thomas. Audio production by Alex Rees See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Boris Johnson attempts to feed the Withdrawal Bill into a shredder marked “Internal Market Bill”, what does it mean for the rule of law, civil servants and the devolved nations when a government tries to abrogate international law? And as a new IfG report shows the Government’s plans to reach zero carbon by 2050 are way off track, what does it need to do to meet this ambitious target – and what will it cost?  “I can’t see any way this gets through the Lords in its current form.” – Alex Thomas “The nature of the law is, you don’t get to choose when to follow it – because it’s the law.” – Raphael Hogarth“Some of the rationale for this is reasonable and some of it is Mad Max chaos and destruction.” – Alex ThomasPresented by Bronwen Maddox with Maddy Thimont-Jack, Alex Thomas and Raphael Hogarth. Audio production by Alex Rees See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s all change at the top of the Civil Service as the youngest Cabinet Secretary in over a century begins his job next week. But who is Simon Case? Why has he got the job? And what are the big tasks lining his in-tray?Plus - despite everyone around him taking the fall, Gavin Williamson still remains in post at the Department for Education, but what does this say about the accountability of ministers? And as schools reopen and people are urged to return to the office, we’ll look back at Government decision making in the first phase of the pandemic. “The key is having the Prime Minister’s confidence in your own authority” - Cath Haddon “The real issue in terms of ministerial responsibility is that other people have gone” - Cath Haddon “The Dept for Education made grade inflation their issue, which is why we ended up where we did” - Chris Wilkins “At DfE you fix the last battle and another one comes onto the horizon” - Alex Thomas “How much sympathy do you give the Government for a lack of information?” - Cath Haddon Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon, Alex Thomas and Sarah Nickson. Audio production by Alex Rees. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices