Keir Starmer’s next cabinet secretary must learn the lessons from Chris Wormald’s mistakes
The next cabinet secretary needs to be a far more visible civil service leader.
Keir Starmer's Mandelson scandal
The FT’s Jim Pickard joins the podcast team to look back at an explosive week in UK politics.
Cabinet secretary
The cabinet secretary is the most senior civil service adviser to the prime minister and cabinet.
How the centre of government can design better growth policy
Why does the UK struggle with growth?
Selected features
Latest commentary
See allKeir Starmer’s next cabinet secretary must learn the lessons from Chris Wormald’s mistakes
The next cabinet secretary needs to be a far more visible civil service leader.
The UK needs a detox from fiscal turmoil
Budget speculation dominated much of 2025. The chancellor’s new year’s resolution should be to avoid a repeat in 2026.
The Peter Mandelson case shows peers need stronger sanctions
Removing a peerage should be a realistic prospect.
The government is wrong to ditch plans for the Audit and Reporting Governance Authority
Ministers have not set out a convincing rationale for scrapping the ARGA project.
Keir Starmer's Mandelson scandal
The FT’s Jim Pickard joins the podcast team to look back at an explosive week in UK politics.
Listen to the episode
IfG Ministers Database
Search our database of all government ministers since 1979.
IfG Academy
We help those working in government to improve it, and those outside government to understand and engage with it.
Topics
Our work examines the core institutions, processes and cross-cutting themes of UK government.
Our events
See allIfG DevoLab #4: How can mayors increase the supply of affordable homes?
Join us in Manchester to explore how mayors and local leaders can use devolved powers to increase the supply of affordable homes.
How should ministers decide the size and shape of new unitary authorities?
Our first Making a Success of Local Government Reorganisation event explores how ministers should decide the ‘footprints’ for new unitary authorities.
In conversation with Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Leader of Plaid Cymru
Rhun ap Iorwerth joins us to discuss the 2026 Senedd election, his plan for government, and Plaid Cymru’s vision for the future of Wales.