IfG in the news

How special advisers took over Westminster

28 MAY 2021

Tim Durrant, IfG associate director, explains how political advisers and Whitehall officials sometimes — though not always — work hand in glove.

20 OCT 2020 Report

How Boris Johnson's changes to the role of special advisers disempowered ministers and undermined the quality of decision making in government.

01 DEC 2020 Online event

1 December 2020

Peter Cardwell, Salma Shah and John McTernan joined us to explore the role of spads following Dominic Cummings' departure from government.

26 FEB 2020 Explainer

Special advisers (SpAds) are political appointees hired to support ministers.

15 MAY 2024 IfG in the news

Dr Hannah White comments on the sharp fall in trust in the government and the parliament over the past year, as reported by The Times.