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.
Who is standing in the select committee chair elections?
The House of Commons is electing the chairs to 28 select committees for the new parliament.
A decade of reform has left the government better equipped to take the Huawei decision
The creation of the National Security Council has helped the government to deal with sensitive judgement calls like Huawei
Guest blog: Bernard Jenkin on why the civil service should welcome No 10's reform agenda
Sir Bernard Jenkin reflects on the weaknesses of the civil service and what needs to be done to bring about lasting change
The Dominic Cummings agenda requires forensic scrutiny from a crucial parliamentary committee
The next chair of PACAC must bring his colleagues together around a programme of sustained and forensic scrutiny of the government
Ministers should not forget the human side of rearranging departments
With department shake-ups, it is important to remember that the civil servants tasked with making the changes work are real people
The UK would be right to prioritise an EU trade deal over the US
The UK will struggle to reach a trade deal with the US in the short term – and should instead prioritise securing a deal with the EU
Knife crime is not the main challenge faced by police forces
The bigger challenge facing police forces is the increase in serious, organised and complex crimes
HS2 is still the quickest way to invest in northern and Midlands transport
HS2 is still the quickest way for Boris Johnson to fulfil his plans to upgrade northern and Midlands transport.
The government should tell us what it wants from the trade deal with the EU
If Boris Johnson is open about what he wants from Brexit negotiations, then he will help the government get a better deal
The civil service is getting older and younger – what does that mean?
The changing profile of the civil service is a challenge which can be met by reinforcing established values