Sir Jeremy Farrar has been at the heart of the global fight against Covid-19. As head of one the world’s most influential medical research charities and a leading member of SAGE, he has played a decisive role as complex decisions were taken to meet the rapidly-evolving threat of the pandemic. Sir Jeremy discussed his new book, Spike – The Virus v The People: The Inside Story, with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. The book, co- authored with the Financial Times science columnist, Anjana Ahuja, sets out his reflections on the extraordinary last 18 months and puts forward his ideas on how the world can be better prepared to tackle future threats.

Institute for Government

In conversation with Sir Jeremy Farrar, Director of Wellcome Trust

In our report Taking back control of trade policy, the Institute argued that the government needed a clear trade strategy. So far, the government’s main goal appears to be to strike as many deals as it can. But recent disagreements in cabinet over whether to open UK markets to Australian agricultural produce, and whether UK farmers will be able to compete, suggest that the government is still struggling to make the necessary trade-offs. This panel examined whether the UK has a trade policy, and if so, what it hopes to achieve. To discuss these issues, we were joined by: Martin Bell, Deputy Director of Trade at the Scotch Whisky Association Anna Isaac, Incoming Economics Editor at The Independent Graham Stuart MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Exports) at the Department for International Trade Emily Thornberry MP, Shadow International Trade Secretary Nick von Westenholz, Director of Trade and Business Strategy at the National Farmers Union The event was chaired by James Kane, Associate at the Institute for Government.

Does the UK have a trade strategy yet?

As part of a new series of events on the future of devolution and the Union, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome The Rt Hon Mark Drakeford, Welsh Labour leader and First Minister of Wales. After setting out his vision for devolution and reforming the Union, based on the Welsh government paper, Reforming Our Union: Shared Governance in the UK 2nd Edition, the First Minister was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. The First Minister discussed the state of relations between Westminster and Cardiff, the scope for changes to the powers and funding of the Welsh government, the case for reform of the House of Lords, and what needs to be done to create a new culture of shared governance between UK and devolved administrations.

Reforming the Union: Mark Drakeford MS, First Minister of Wales

The Brexit negotiations demonstrated long-standing weaknesses in parliament’s ability to scrutinise trade negotiations and international treaties – with much of the May government’s time spent managing attempts by parliamentarians to enhance their role. In light of the government’s post-Brexit ambition to conclude new trade deals with countries around the world, this panel examined how parliament currently scrutinises international treaties and what more parliamentarians should do to ensure effective scrutiny. To discuss these issues, we were joined by: Jill Barrett, , Associate Member 6 Pump Court, International Law Consultant and former Foreign Office legal adviser Mark Garnier MP, Member of the House of Commons International Trade Committee and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Trade, 2016–18 Professor Holger Hestermeyer, Professor of International and EU law at King’s College London Alex Horne, Counsel at Hackett and Dabbs LLP and Special Adviser to the House of Lords International Agreements Committee The event was chaired by Maddy Thimont Jack, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. The event was part of our day exploring 'Five years of the Department for International Trade: what progress has been made?' https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/events/five-years-department-international-trade

Parliament, trade and treaties

Membership of the EU meant that the UK had not had its own independent trade policy for more than 40 years. In one of her first acts as prime minister, Theresa May established the Department for International Trade to take on this function. This panel will look back at how department was established, how effective it has been in developing the UK’s skills and approach to international trade policy, and what more needs to be done to make the UK the big player in international trade it aspires to be. To discuss these issues, we were joined by: John Alty, Interim Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Trade Dr Lorand Bartels, Reader in International Law at the University of Cambridge and Counsel at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP Sam Lowe, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Reform Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Maddy Thimont Jack, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. The event was part of our day exploring 'Five years of the Department for International Trade: what progress has been made?' https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/events/five-years-department-international-trade

Creating the Department for International Trade

The current government has close ties to Australia, with Australian campaign strategists such as Sir Lynton Crosby and Isaac Levido both having led successful election campaigns for the Conservatives in recent years, and the new trade deal between the UK and Australia agreed in principle in June 2021. British politicians also like to point to Australia as an example of policy models to follow – from an ‘Australian-style’ immigration system to the prospect of an ‘Australian-style’ deal with the European Union. This event brought together an expert panel to discuss why Australia has so captured the government’s imagination, what the UK is learning from Australia, whether the ‘Australia-style’ label glosses over important differences between the UK and Australia, and also whether there are any Australian policy successes that aren’t yet part of the political debate in the UK. On the panel were: James Starkie, Founding Partner at 5654 & Company and former Chief of Staff to Priti Patel Marc Stears, Director of the Sydney Policy Lab and former Chief Speechwriter to the Labour Party Laura Tingle, Journalist and Chief Political Correspondent at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation John McTernan, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and former Director of Political Operations for Tony Blair and for Director of Communications for Julia Gillard The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

‘Australian-style’ politics: what is the government learning from abroad?

At this month's event, the 21st 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: Adam Brocklesby, EY Partner, UK&I Consulting, on how government can improve policy decisions and citizen services by being 'insight led' and 'data enabled' Pye Nyunt, Head of Insight & Innovation at the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, on insight-led action on reducing homelessness and improving financial resilience Madeline Lasko, Service Owner, Trading Environment, and Simon Worthington, Chief Data Architect, Trading Environment, Department for International Trade, on publishing the UK tariff as open data Ben Lyons, Head of External Affairs and Insight at the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, on public engagement research to scope standards on public sector algorithmic transparency The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

Data Bites #21: Getting things done with data in government

The G7 in Cornwall was a big opportunity for Boris Johnson to set out his vision for Global Britain. On the agenda was famine prevention, girls’ education, tackling climate change and, of course, recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic. But the summit also took place against the backdrop of criticism, at home and abroad, of the government’s decision to cut the UK’s foreign aid budget. To assess how much the summit achieved and to discuss what needs to happen next for the UK to reach its global ambitions and priorities, and how it can be a force for global good, the Institute for Government was delighted to bring together the following expert panel: Mike Adamson, Chief Executive of the British Red Cross The Rt Hon Baroness Amos, Master of University College, Oxford and former UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator and former Secretary of State for International Development Tobias Ellwood MP, Chair of the Defence Select Committee Laila Johnson-Salami, Journalist at Arise TV and Founding Member of Feminist Coalition The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

How can the UK be a force for good in the world?

Announcing the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the prime minister declared that “we have taken back control of every jot and tittle of our regulation”. Regaining regulatory autonomy was a key UK objective in the negotiations. The question now is what the government wants to do with it. There is no shortage of ideas about how the government could regulate differently outside the EU. The taskforce set up by the prime minister to identify post-Brexit opportunities has made much of the ability to change regulation to better reflect the needs of the UK economy and promote innovation, and recommended reform in areas like financial services and life sciences. The government is now launching a search to find a director for its Brexit Opportunities Unit to "develop a cross-government strategy for regulatory change, while driving policy development on new opportunities across Whitehall." As our recent report, Taking back control of regulation, shows, doing things differently from the EU presents opportunities, but also brings potential costs and risks. To discuss how the government should think about regulation after Brexit, we brought together a panel representing a range of views: Bernardine Adkins, Partner, Head of EU, Trade and Competition at Gowling WLG John Foster, Interim Director of Policy and Communications at the Confederation of British Industry Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Iain Martin, Columnist for The Times The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Taking back control of regulation: how can the government make the most of its post-Brexit freedoms?

On his final day as Chief Economist at the Bank of England, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Andy Haldane. After seven years in this position, and as a member of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee, he discussed with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the IfG, his more than 30 years at the Bank of England and reflected on some of the big economic events he has witnessed during that time and the lessons he draws from those experiences.

In conversation with Andy Haldane, Chief Economist at the Bank of England

The prime minister says a "green recovery” will be at the heart of the UK's post-pandemic comeback. But his government has so far set out less ambitious measures than some other countries and it cancelled its flagship scheme, the Green Homes Grant, after six months due to low take up. With the UK hosting the COP26 climate conference in November, this panel discussed what combination of policies, public and private investment and skills programmes will be needed to turn the government's vision of a green recovery into reality. On our panel were: Josh Buckland, Director at Flint Global and former Energy Adviser to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Sam Fankhauser, Professor of Climate Change Economics and Policy at the University of Oxford Rosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for Government Bridget Rosewell, Commissioner for the National Infrastructure Commission Catherine McGuinness, Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee at the City of London Corporation, made the opening remarks. The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

How can the government build a green recovery?

The vote to leave the European Union on 23 June 2016 marked the start of a tumultuous period in British politics. The government was set on a collision course with parliament over what Brexit really meant. The civil service began to untangle 43 years of EU membership, building up new capabilities and preparing for new responsibilities. And the Brexit effect placed the United Kingdom under huge strain – with growing support for independence in Scotland and a new border in the Irish Sea. What impact has the referendum had on the governance of the UK? Has control really returned to parliament, or to the government? And what does Brexit mean for the future of the union? To mark five years since the end of the referendum, the Institute for Government brought together people who were either involved in, or had front-row seats to, this remarkable period in British politics. We were joined by: Katy Balls, Deputy Political Editor at The Spectator Luke Graham, former MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, 2017-19, and former head of the Union Unit in No.10 Lord McDonald of Salford, former Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2015-20 Lisa O’Carroll, Brexit Correspondent at The Guardian The event was chaired by Maddy Thimont Jack, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

The Brexit referendum – five years on

Since the 2019 general election, 'levelling up' has been the government’s go-to slogan. The Queen’s Speech set out an ambition to "level up opportunities across all parts of the UK". The chancellor has previously unveiled a 'levelling up' fund. The prime minister has recently appointed a 'levelling up' adviser. And the promise to 'level up' featured heavily during the recent Hartlepool by-election. But what does 'levelling up' actually mean? How does the government intend to turn this slogan into reality? How can voters judge the success – or not – of the 'levelling up' agenda at the next election? The Institute for Government was delighted to bring together an expert panel to discuss past efforts at distributing investment, creating job opportunities and increasing productivity, and to assess whether Boris Johnson’s ‘levelling up’ agenda will see the Conservatives hold on to electoral gains in the so-called ‘red wall’ constituencies. On the panel were: John Godfrey, Corporate Affairs Director at Legal & General and former Head of Policy at No.10 (2016–17) Lord Mandelson, Chairman of Global Counsel and former European Commissioner for Trade and MP for Hartlepool (1992–2004) Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and former Special Adviser to Theresa May Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First and former Education and Innovation Adviser to David Cameron The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

What does 'levelling up' really mean? How to turn a promise into reality

As the economy recovers from the pandemic, the government wants to ‘build back better’ and ‘level up’. Improving public health could play an important role in achieving these objectives. We are a less healthy nation than many of our European neighbours, and there are huge differences in health between more and less prosperous parts of the UK. This affects quality of life as well as how productively people can work. How can public health policy form a part of the levelling up agenda? What is the appropriate role for government and businesses in promoting good public health? What interventions would make a difference and what incentives would help people to get healthier? To discuss these questions and more, we were delighted to bring together an expert panel featuring: Jo Bibby, Director of Health at the Health Foundation Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology at University College London, Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity and Past President of the World Medical Association Nigel Wilson, Group Chief Executive at Legal & General Tina Woods, Founder and CEO of Collider Health and CEO and co-founder of Longevity International The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government, with an introduction by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

How can government level up the UK's health?

The Institute for Government was delighted to bring together two of the UK's most experienced former diplomats for a discussion on the future of Global Britain. Lord Ricketts has held the posts of permanent secretary to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, National Security Adviser and UK Ambassador to France. Sir Peter Westmacott's distinguished career has included stints as the UK's Ambassador to the United States, France and Turkey. They discussed Britain's foreign policy priorities and how they can be achieved, the many international challenges and dilemmas facing the UK, and what Global Britain really means. They also discussed their newly published books: 'Hard Choices: what Britain does next' by Peter Ricketts and 'They call it diplomacy - forty years of representing Britain abroad' by Peter Westmacott. Peter Ricketts and Peter Westmacott were in conversation with the IfG's Director, Bronwen Maddox.

What does Global Britain mean? A conversation with Peter Ricketts and Peter Westmacott

The leading think tank working to make government more effective.

hubhopper

Institute for Government

hubhopper