Incisive commentary from the IfG’s expert team on issues facing government and key ministerial decisions.
From analysis of key political events such as budgets and party conferences to snap responses to unexpected developments such as government reshuffles, our writers set out their views and analyse what government gets right, what it gets wrong, and what it can do better.
Going down to the wire is eating into time for the second stage of Brexit
Even if (and that's a big if) a deal goes through, the UK now faces the prospect of a long transition.
The Treasury’s value-for-money drive must survive the Spending Review
The Treasury’s new-found commitment to getting value for money from taxpayers’ money is welcome – but it needs to be permanent.
A longer Brexit extension might come back on the table
If MPs are serious about avoiding a no deal, their only option may be a longer extension.
‘Indicative votes’ are a procedural fix for a political problem
The 'indicative votes' process is doomed to fail if MPs refuse to compromise.
The Speaker's Brexit ruling does not rule out a third meaningful vote
The Government should not have been caught off guard by the Speaker's meaningful vote ruling – but the convention can be worked around.
The lessons from Interserve must be learnt
Another of the Government’s biggest contractors has gone into administration because it took on risky contracts it couldn’t deliver.
Emergency police funding continues a sticking plaster approach to public services
The latest emergency funding for knife crime continues the Government’s crisis-cash-repeat approach to public services.
How the Government could recover from its Brexit hangover
The Government has compounded its loss of control of Parliament with a loss of control of Cabinet.
Four things we learnt from the Spring Statement
The key moments from the Chancellor’s Spring Statement.
Boris Johnson has missed the point about public inquiries
Public inquiries are a vital public resource – providing accountability that protects the public from repeated harmful and costly failures.