Send In The Not Complete Clowns

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

Institute for Government

News, Government, Politics

4.5 • 278 Ratings

🗓️ 11 February 2022

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Will Boris Johnson’s panic reshuffle provide the hard reset he needs? Can reorganising the No.10 backroom dispel the shadows of the Gray Report and the Met investigation into parties at Downing Street? Plus Sir John Major launches stinging criticism of the PM at an IfG event this week. Will it tip the scales for Boris Johnson? And the big question… what’s wrong with British government? Political commentator Steve Richards – host of the Rock’n’Roll Politics podcast – is our special guest this week. “This is the most blistering attack from a former occupant of No.10 to a current occupant that I can recall.” – Steve Richards “This was John Major battling for the heart and soul of the Conservative Party… He was calling out the entire Cabinet for tolerating this Prime Minister.” – Jill Rutter “Blair told me one of his reshuffles was a two-year project. This one took place over a weekend. It’s shallow.” – Steve Richards “You can have the most tightly organised government in the world but unless Johnson becomes more serious and focused, it won’t matter.” – Emma Norris Presented by Bronwen Maddox with Emma Norris and Jill Rutter. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to Inside Briefing, the podcast from the Institute for Government.
0:10.9	I'm Bronwyn Maddox.
0:12.6	Boris Johnson has reset his government, with policy announcements, a reshuffle and a restructuring of his number 10 team.
0:19.3	Is it going to make any difference as he cheered up his party
0:21.9	that the public even noticed? We'll take a look. One man, not impressed, is a former Prime Minister
0:27.8	for seven years at Sir John Major. The Prime Minister and our present government not only
0:33.0	challenged the law, but also seem to believe that they and they alone need not obey the rules,
0:39.6	traditions, conventions, call them what you will, of public life.
0:43.6	That's what he said in a speech given just a few hours ago at the Institute for Government
0:47.5	and very exciting to walk up to our building and see all the broadcast trucks outside.
0:52.8	So is he right? What impact will his intervention have?
0:56.6	Instant analysis here in the studio.
0:58.9	Talking of speeches, on Tuesday I gave my annual lecture.
1:02.0	The title was, what's wrong with Britain's government?
1:04.4	Yes, it was only 30 minutes long, but are we any closer to finding the answer?
1:08.7	We'll take a look.
1:10.1	I'm joined remotely, but from our
1:12.4	all-new podcast studio, an IFG duo with unparalleled knowledge of how government runs. That's Emma
1:18.9	Norris, our Director of Research. Hi, Emma. Hi, Brumwin. Great to have you. And Jill Rutter,
1:22.9	senior fellow once of number 10, the Treasury and a few other departments. Hi, Jill.
1:26.8	Good afternoon, Bronwyn.
1:28.2	And I'm delighted to be joined to by Steve Richards, political commentator, broadcaster, columnist,
	...

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