Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

What does the defenestration of Lee Cain from No.10 mean for the Vote Leave faction that got Johnson into power? Who are the Conservatives’ restive ‘Covid Recovery Group’ and what do they want? As the end of Brexit transition looms, does the PM have to choose between the economic damage of No Deal and the political damage of caving to the EU? And will government ever get out of London? This week’s special guest is Peter Foster, public policy editor at the FT.

• “People should be really clear: we’re going back to 1992. The big political calculation is, does Johnson want to own this deal?” – Peter Foster
• “Seeing through the fog, this is all about the Prime Minister’s authority... and he’s failed to make clear what his decision is.” – Peter Foster
• “If No Deal happens it’s a lot easier to blame disruption on the EU.” - Maddy Thimont Jack
• “If we’re heading towards No Deal, the Government will put extraordinary pressure on the Lords to let the clauses through” – Alex Thomas
• “Westminster still treats the regions like distant colonies” – Peter Foster

Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Alex Thomas, Maddy Thimont-Jack and Sarah Nickson. Audio production by Alex Rees

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This is an audio recording of an IfG Live Event

The announcement of a second England lockdown came following repeated warnings from the UK government’s scientific advisers about the spread of coronavirus. Throughout the Covid-19 crisis, scientific advice to the government has been highly visible, with Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, repeatedly sharing a platform with Boris Johnson. Members of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) continue to feature prominently across broadcast outlets and in coverage of the government’s handling of the crisis.

Other forms of advice, including economic advice from the Treasury, have been far less transparent, often creating the impression that SAGE is the government’s main and most influential advisory body. And yet economic arguments have also featured prominently in the debate about whether and when to lockdown again.

How should science advice be combined with other kinds of evidence and presented to ministers? Does there need to be more transparency about the type of advice government is receiving and how it is using it? Does the prominence of SAGE undermine public understanding of other forms of evidence?

To discuss these questions, the IfG was delighted to welcome:

• Professor John Edmunds, Professor of Infectious Disease Modelling at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and participant in SAGE
• Professor Susan Michie, Professor of Health Psychology at UCL and participant in SAGE and Independent SAGE
• Lord Macpherson of Earl’s Court, former Treasury Permanent Secretary (2005–16)
• Nancy Hey, Executive Director of What Works Wellbeing

This event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

#IfGScience

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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

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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

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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

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