Emma Norris

Emma was the deputy director at the Institute for Government, where she had oversight of the organisation’s research programme and leads work on strategy, audience and impact, and resourcing. She helped build the Institute’s partnerships function. She left the IfG in July 2025.

Emma has extensive experience of public policy, Whitehall and Westminster. At the Institute, she has led work on policy making and implementation, public engagement, net zero and is the IfG’s expert on public inquiries, leading our work on the Covid-19 inquiry.

Prior to joining the Institute, she was a director in the RSA’s public policy team, working on a range of issues including public service reform, social exclusion and governance. Emma has also worked as a research fellow at IPPR on social policy, and she is a former president of Oxford University Student Union.

She is a commentator both in print and broadcast, for outlets including the Today programme, Newsnight, BBC News, Sky News and is a regular on the Institute’s podcast, Inside Briefing. She has written for a range of publications including The Guardian, The Times, Prospect and Civil Service World.