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.
Reshuffles will always primarily be about politics
Tim Durrant responds to Tim Leunig's suggestions for overhauling the way government reshuffles are run.
Five takeaways from Rishi Sunak’s August 2023 ‘mini-reshuffle’
The IfG expert team assess what Rishi Sunak's ministerial changes reveal
Northern Ireland water charges illustrate the tough decisions facing Chris Heaton Harris
Northern Ireland's water charging row is one which may need to be resolved in Westminster.
Better borrowing numbers do not mean the chancellor has a tax cuts war-chest
The chancellor and prime minister should not use inflation to cut spending by the back door.
A full statutory inquiry is needed into the Letby murders
A thorough assessment is what families deserve and what only a statutory inquiry can provide.
‘Health week’ can’t hide slow progress on Rishi Sunak’s NHS pledge
While some waiting time data is moving in the right direction, the prime minister is still some way off meeting his NHS pledge.
Strained Whitehall relationships need a long-term fix
Another warning over poor relations between ministers and civil servants highlights the need for a change of approach.
Briefings and barges do not make for good asylum policy
The government’s ‘small boats week’ may fill a recess-shaped hole in the media grid, but won’t help the prime minister ‘stop the boats’.
Elected mayors will be undermined by recent changes to the voting system
The next London mayoral election will be the first conducted under first past the post.
Parliament should do more to scrutinise the government’s plans for emergency response
PACAC has looked at the rollout of the new emergency messaging system tested in April.