Government 2023: IfG's annual conference
After a tumultuous 2022, the Institute brought together experts to discuss what we should expect from government in the coming year.
The Institute for Government hosted its inaugural annual conference, to look at the key questions facing government in 2023.
After a tumultuous 2022, which saw three prime ministers, war in Europe and an unprecedented cost of living crisis, the Institute brought together influential speakers and IfG experts to share ideas, stimulate new thinking and discuss what we should expect from government in the coming year.
What can be done to strengthen the UK’s battered economy? Can we tackle regional inequality? How can we restore trust in politics? And how should the civil service be reformed to deliver for ministers? The day will be packed with panel discussions, keynote speeches, in-conversation events and a live podcast recording, all exploring what government is doing well – and what it should be doing better.
We would like to thank Grant Thornton UK for supporting this event.
Introduction – Dr Hannah White OBE, IfG Director
In her introduction to the conference, Hannah White, the Institute for Government’s Director, set out the Institute’s priorities for 2023 and explained how the IfG is working to make government more effective.
Plus opening remarks from Grant Thornton UK.
Government 2023: the challenges of the year ahead
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Speakers:
- Sam Freedman, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
- Ayesha Hazarika, Times Radio presenter and former Labour adviser
- Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies
- Rt Hon Chloe Smith MP, Member of Parliament for Norwich North
This session was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.
Read the highlights of the discussion.
Civil service 2023: Reset, regroup or reform?
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Speakers:
- Stephen Bush, Associate Editor and columnist at the Financial Times
- Munira Mirza, former Head of No.10 Policy Unit, and Chief Executive of Civic Future
- Antonia Romeo, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice
This session was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.
Read the highlights of the discussion.
Keynote speech: Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP, Leader of the House of Commons
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After her speech, Penny Mordaunt was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director at the Institute for Government, and took questions from the audience.
Read the highlights of the discussion.
IfG expert briefing
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Speakers:
- Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government
- Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government
- Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government
This session was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.
Read the highlights of the discussion.
Keynote speech: Lisa Nandy MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
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After her speech, Lisa Nandy was in conversation with Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government, and took questions from the audience.
Read the highlights of the discussion.
England 2023: Devolving power and tackling regional inequality
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Speakers:
- Councillor Ben Bradley MP, Member of Parliament for Mansfield and Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council
- Jamie Driscoll, Mayor of the North of Tyne
- Seb Payne, Director of Onward
- Jennifer Williams, Northern England correspondent at the Financial Times
This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.
Read the highlights of the discussion.
Inside Briefing – A live recording of the IfG’s weekly podcast
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Speakers:
- Dan Snow, Historian, author, TV presenter and host of the HistoryHit podcast
- Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government
- Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.
Closing remarks
Closing remarks from the Institute for Government.
#IfGgovt23
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