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Institute for Government

Institute for Government

Think_tank | United Kingdom | Centre

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Discussions from Institute for Government

Politics

No.10 North: Burnham needs to be clear-eyed about the purpose of his Manchester office

No.10 North: Burnham needs to be clear-eyed about the purpose of his Manchester office sam.macrory Mon, 29/06/2026 - 18:05 An overwhelmed 10 Downing Street could be improved by creating No.10 North. 5 Comment Hannah Keenan Institute for Government Yes Rethinking and reshaping No.10 is long overdue. Civil service Machinery of government Civil service reform Civil servants Labour Prime minister Number 10 Cabinet Office No At any given time, No.10 is – or should be – the immediate policy, commun...

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Politics

From mayor to prime minister

From mayor to prime minister melissa.ittoo Fri, 26/06/2026 - 09:39 15 Insight paper Tim Durrant Thomas Pope Akash Paun Institute for Government Yes Andy Burnham has confirmed he will run to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. Ministers Devolution Leadership election Parliamentary scrutiny Local government Labour Prime minister Metro mayor Starmer government Number 10 No Does Andy Burnham’s experience as a regional mayor prepare him for No.10? Introduction Andy Burnham is expected to succe...

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Politics

What changes do you think Andy Burnham should make as the next prime minister to improve the government?

Andy Burnham must sort out the centre of government on day one jack.sanders Fri, 26/06/2026 - 15:33 A weak No.10 and ineffective Cabinet Office require urgent attention 6 Comment Thomas Pope Hannah Keenan Institute for Government Yes Instead of splitting the Treasury, Andy Burnham ought to reform the centre of government on day one. Civil service Public finances Civil servants Machinery of government Labour HM Treasury No Andy Burnham, the overwhelming favourite to be the UK’s next prime minister, is reported to be planning changes to the centre of government. He is right to do so. Our work shows that the Cabinet Office is bloated and unfocused, and has lost credibility inside Whitehall. No.10 is too weak, which perversely leads successive prime ministers to draw more functions into the centre rather than devolving and decentralising. Burnham’s team are also mulling whether to break up the Treasury by creating a new more powerful economics ministry alongside a finance department. Again, he is right to identify problems with the role the Treasury can play, no doubt informed in part by his spell as a Treasury minister in the late 2000s. And solving these will be critical if he is to deliver a successful domestic policy agenda. But breaking up the Treasury, without broader reform, would be a distraction that would not solve the underlying problems. Change is vital, and Burnham must re-balance the centre of government by strengthening No10, not weakening the Treasury. But it is essential that he works out what he wants to do right now, then announces and implements reforms at the very start of his administration. The IfG’s Commission on the Centre of Government showed what he needs to do – and if he stalls, then we know from experience that nothing will happen. Creating a more effective No10 must be one of Burnham’s top internal priorities Burnham is currently on course to inherit a centralising and controlling, yet ineffective, set of institutions in No.10 and the Cabi

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Politics

What does Andy Burnham really stand for?

What does Andy Burnham really stand for? melissa.ittoo Thu, 25/06/2026 - 15:07 The Economist's Hugo Gye joins the podcast to discuss what happens when power changes hands mid-parliament. 1 Podcast Institute for Government No Ministers Civil service Parliament and the constitution Leadership election Cabinet Political parties Labour Prime minister Starmer government Number 10 No Keir Starmer has resigned. Andy Burnham is preparing for power. But what will a mid-parliament change of prime minis...

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Politics

Effective transitions of prime minister: lessons for Andy Burnham

Effective transitions of prime minister: lessons for Andy Burnham sam.macrory Thu, 25/06/2026 - 17:16 Andy Burnham needs to be ruthless with his time and priorities in his preparations for power 7 Comment Catherine Haddon Hannah White Institute for Government Yes Burnham will be inundated with ideas from those inside and outside government about what to do as prime minister. Ministers King's Speech / State opening of parliament Government reshuffle Civil servants Civil service reform Foreign ...

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Politics

Brexit at 10: The Conservative Party

Brexit at 10: The Conservative Party melissa.ittoo Mon, 22/06/2026 - 09:16 Brexit accelerated the Conservatives’ collision with long held tensions in its political coalition. 5 Comment Institute for Government Yes Brexit Parliament and the constitution Leadership election Political parties Shadow cabinet Conservative Leader of the opposition Cameron government May government Johnson government Truss government Sunak government No Henry Hill Not only was the balance of opinion inside the party...

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Politics

When trust is lost: Making sense of the damaged relationship between ministers and civil servants

When trust is lost: Making sense of the damaged relationship between ministers and civil servants will.driscoll Tue, 23/06/2026 - 15:35 2 Insight paper Hannah Keenan Alex Thomas Institute for Government No The ministerial-civil service relationship is in poor shape. Ministers Civil service Civil servants Civil service reform Labour Conservative Starmer government Johnson government Cabinet Office When trust is lost No Ministers have lost trust in the civil service: that is damaging. It makes ...

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Politics

Keir Starmer failed to make government work better

Keir Starmer failed to make government work better melissa.ittoo Tue, 23/06/2026 - 15:52 The next prime minister’s challenge is to strike the right balance between continuity and change. 4 Comment Hannah White Institute for Government Yes Keir Starmer announces his resignation at 10 Downing Street. Parliament and the constitution Leadership election Political parties Cabinet Labour Prime minister Starmer government Number 10 No The new occupant of Number 10 will inherit a country increasingly...

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Politics

In conversation with Richard Tice MP, Deputy Leader of Reform UK

In conversation with Richard Tice MP, Deputy Leader of Reform UK zuzanna.juszkiewicz Mon, 22/06/2026 - 11:12 Online event Tuesday 07 July 2026, 09:30 Economy Local elections Reform UK Institute for Government Tuesday 07 July 2026, 08:45 BST Devolution England What would Reform UK mean for the way UK government works? Following the May 2026 local and devolved UK elections, Reform UK is running over 20 local authorities, has two regional mayors, and is the second largest party in the Welsh parl...

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Brexit at 10: The Labour Party

Brexit at 10: The Labour Party melissa.ittoo Mon, 22/06/2026 - 11:49 Labour inherited a government machine still reeling in large part from the effects of Brexit. 5 Comment Institute for Government Yes Brexit Parliament and the constitution Political parties General election Labour Prime minister Starmer government Number 10 No Claire Ainsley The failure of the leaders of the Leave campaign to translate the result into a comprehensive and lasting settlement that delivered on the promise of a ...

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Politics

Brexit at 10: Political fragmentation and the rise of smaller parties

Brexit at 10: Political fragmentation and the rise of smaller parties melissa.ittoo Mon, 22/06/2026 - 21:46 Post-Brexit political fragmentation has opened up space for smaller or fringe parties. 5 Comment Sam Freedman Institute for Government Yes The exit poll in the 2024 general election projected onto the BBC building. The emergence of smaller political parties like Reform UK has accelerated in the decade since the UK left the EU. Brexit Parliament and the constitution Political parties Gen...

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Geopolitics

How has Brexit changed the UK's role in the world and its government services?

Brexit at 10: UK foreign policy melissa.ittoo Wed, 17/06/2026 - 15:56 The geopolitical shifts of the mid-2010s have only intensified in the decade since Brexit. 5 Comment Rt Hon Sir David Lidington KCB Institute for Government Yes Where Brexit made things harder was in removing UK officials and ministers from the conversations in Brussels and the gatherings of EU member state ministers. Brexit International relations Foreign affairs Defence and security European Union Conservative Labour Foreign secretary Cameron government May government Johnson government Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministry of Defence No In 2014, Russia's invasion of Crimea and Donbas removed any doubt still lingering after the 2008 attack on Georgia about President Putin’s desire to smash the post-Cold War settlement in Europe. Then, in 2015, the Chinese government published Made in China 2025, setting out its strategy to achieve domination of the global supply chains in every one of the key 21st century technologies by the centenary of the People's Republic in 2049. And in 2016 the election of Donald Trump heralded the end of a 70-year period in which European democracies could rely on America’s commitment to their defence. It was in this context that the UK voted, on 23 June 2016, to leave the EU. Related content Brexit at 10 Global Britain stays close to home For all the excited talk about “Global Britain”, in practice even the most enthusiastic supporters of leaving the EU ended up largely aligning British policy with that of our European neighbours because that was what the national interest required. The E3 meetings of British, French and German political directors and foreign ministers continued, for instance, even while EU exit negotiations were at their most fraught. Despite pressure from Washington, Boris Johnson’s policies on Russia, Israel/Palestine, Iran, China and climate change stayed close to those of the other Europeans, and Liz Truss (a fervent convert to Brexi

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