The Expert Factor

We’ve had missions. We’ve got foundations. We had some first steps. And now we have milestones.   So what are they? Are targets a sensible way to go about governing? How do they change the way civil servants work? Whose heads roll if targets aren’t met? And has Keir Starmer even chosen the type of targets that the voters care about.   Anand, Paul and Hannah have read every word (probably) in Keir Starmer’s Plan for Change, and are here to tell you exactly what the targets say, whether they can be reached, and what they mean for Starmer and his Labour government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the assisted dying bill dominating discussions and debates in Westminster, former House of Commons clerk David Natzler joins Hannah and Paul to explain how private members’ bills work – and why they sometimes don’t.   The bill to legislate for assisted dying isn’t a government bill. It hasn’t emerged from a Whitehall department. And it isn’t being steered through parliament by a minister. It is a private member’s bill, introduced by a Labour backbencher – Kim Leadbetter – whose name was drawn from a ballot.   So why might that be an issue? Has this particular bill exposed the disadvantages of this way of legislating? And what might be a better way of allowing backbenchers to make law? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does Donald Trump’s plan to make America great again mean for everyone else? What do tariffs actually achieve and who feels the pain or reaps the benefits? Will Trump’s America First vision push the UK towards the EU? Could the UK’s defence spending rise - and what might that mean for public services? Is there any chance of a US/UK trade deal happening? And does the US result tell us what voters might be looking for here at the next general election here?   Hannah, Paul and Anand assemble in the podcast studio to make sense of some of the many questions facing the UK – and Keir Starmer – since Donald Trump’s election triumph confirmed his return to the White House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is nearly a week since Rachel Reeves set out her Halloween Budget – the first from a Labour government in 14 years. So who are the winners? Who are the losers? Do the numbers add up? How big are the numbers? And have manifesto promises been broken along the way?   Former Treasury special adviser Sonia Khan joins Paul and Anand to crunch the budget sums, dig into the chancellor’s plans and strategies, and explain what it all means for the government, for the economy, and for everyone who listens to the Expert Factor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Remember the days when Keir Starmer used to campaign for a second Brexit referendum? Since the general election we hear rather more about the Labour government wanting to reset the UK’s relations with the EU.   So have there been any substantial changes in the relationship so far? How likely is it that the government will be able to successfully negotiate on any trade barriers? What about Labour's plan for a security pact with the EU - what could this look like? And from the EU's perspective, is there even any appetite for closer relations?   Brexit expert Jill Rutter, of both UKICE and the IfG, dials in from Madrid to join Anand and Paul for am expert tour across the UK’s post-Brexit landscape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nobody wants to be in debt? To find themselves owing money? Or to end up paying back high levels of interest? But it has been reported that Rachel Reeves is looking to adjust the government’s rules to allow her to borrow more. So what’s the chancellor thinking? How can the government borrow more? What can it spend money on if it borrows more? If the rules are so quick to change then why doesn’t every chancellor do it? And what actually happens if the government racks up a bigger debt? Well, take a deep breath, get your calculators out, and let the Expert Factor tell you all about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How does power work in government? Where does power really sit in government? And how can power best be given away from government?   The Expert Factor team aren’t exactly known for being 24-hour festival people – but when it comes to a festival about policy they are properly in the mood.   And in this special recording for this year’s Policy Festival, Hannah, Anand and Paul explore how policy is made (and could be made better through) with a fascinating discussion taking in missions, devolution, ministers, money and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hannah, Paul and Anand – with some snazzy new remote podcast recording equipment – met up at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham to record a special episode of the Expert Factor. So what is the mood? How does it compare to Labour’s get together in Liverpool? Has the Conservative party reflected on its historic defeat and considered how it might govern differently? And are there any announcements that we need to be paying attention to? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How many people claim benefits in this country? Who should be allowed to claim benefits? How much money does the government spend on benefits?   Questions about benefits are back on the agenda. The row over cutting the winter fuel allowance is ongoing. Keir Starmer is insisting that most people who claim benefits should be looking for work. And the government is planning to legislate to stop benefit fraud. So is the government taking the right approach for bringing the benefits bill down? -------- THE EXPERT FACTOR: Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, explore and explain the big questions and policy challenges that will be faced by the Labour government, dominate debate in Westminster and beyond, and shape the political landscape for years to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How angry should people be about Keir Starmer’s free gift list? How does a confusing set of rules governing standards and ethics in public life actually work? Whatever happened to Labour's grand plans for reform? And what can the PM due to reset the narrative? The IfG’s standards expert Tim Durrant joins Hannah and Anand to get beyond the row over Keir Starmer’s new suits and Arsenal tickets and explore how the standards system works - and often doesn’t - and what could be done to fix it. -------- THE EXPERT FACTOR: Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, explore and explain the big questions and policy challenges that will be faced by the Labour government, dominate debate in Westminster and beyond, and shape the political landscape for years to come. Produced by Milo Hynes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What exactly is a National Wealth Fund? Lots of other countries have one - or something similar. In fact, there are 179 of them - holding up to $12.4 trillion in assets.   And now the Labour government is going to set one up too. So how do they work? Where does the money come from? Where does the money go? What are the opportunities? And what are the risks? And how might Rachel Reeves’ wealth fund vision play out?   Hannah and Paul are joined by top macroeconomist, finance expert, development specialist and sustainability adviser Sony Kapoor to explain all.   THE EXPERT FACTOR is the podcast for people who haven’t had enough of experts. Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, debate and explain the big questions and themes that will shape the election – and the political landscape for years to come.    Produced by Milo Hynes and Podmasters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parliament has returned. MPs are back in Westminster. And the government is gearing up for a busy autumn, with the budget and some big legislation in parliament coming down the track. The Conservative party is battling through a leadership contest. The party conference season is almost upon us. And there’s a rather important election taking place in the US.   So what do we need to look out for? Where might the government run into difficulties? Which political rows might erupt? And are there actually any taxes to raise? Hannah, Anand and Paul return to the studio to bring you an expert preview of what might happen next in British politics.   THE EXPERT FACTOR is the podcast for people who haven’t had enough of experts. Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, debate and explain the big questions and themes that will shape the election – and the political landscape for years to come.   Produced by Milo Hynes and Podmasters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are the right people making the right decisions about your future? How do politicians really know what you are thinking about the big questions facing the country? And is a tick in a box once every half a decade really a good enough way to tell our politicians what you want them to do?   Polly Curtis, CEO of the think tank Demos, joins Hannah and Anand to dive into the world of citizens' juries, citizens’ assemblies, and the new democratic experiments that could shake up how policy is made. Can these ideas make a difference, or are they just a distraction?    --------   THE EXPERT FACTOR: Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, explore and explain the big questions and policy challenges that will be faced by the Labour government, dominate debate in Westminster and beyond, and shape the political landscape for years to come.   Produced by Milo Hynes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The country is reeling from the worst civil unrest in the UK since the London riots of 2011. So why did violence break out across England in recent weeks? How well has the Government handled it? What can be done about disinformation on social media? And should we be thinking about the root causes of dissatisfaction? Nazir Afzal, former Chief Crown Prosecutor and Chief Executive of the country’s Police & Crime Commissioners, joins Anand and Hannah to try and make sense of the scenes that followed the tragic events in Southport last month - where three young girls attending a dance class were murdered by a 17-year old assailant. Produced by Milo Hynes and Podmasters. ———— THE EXPERT FACTOR: Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, explore and explain the big questions and policy challenges that will be faced by the Labour government, dominate debate in Westminster and beyond, and shape the political landscape for years to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of the Labour government’s big missions is to deliver clean power by 2030 – so what is its plan for getting there? Nick Butler, a top energy consultant and economist, joins Hannah, Paul and Anand to explain what the government is trying to do, who is going to pay for it, and examine whether it will actually work. What exactly is GB Energy? How does the Crown Estate fit into the plans? Is onshore wind going to be enough or do we need a bigger mix? How many more pylons does the UK need to build – and will people really accept this as a price to pay for cleaner energy? And talking of prices to pay, are people’s bills actually going to come down? ———— THE EXPERT FACTOR: Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, explore and explain the big questions and policy challenges that will be faced by the Labour government, dominate debate in Westminster and beyond, and shape the political landscape for years to come. Produced by Milo Hynes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rachel Reeves has accused the previous government of leaving a £22 billion shortfall in public finances. But do the chancellor’s sums add up or was this all about the politics? Anand, Hannah and Paul examine what could be a defining moment for this government, explore what Reeves is trying to do, and try to make sense of some of the decisions - like scrapping road and hospital building projects, restricting winter fuel payments, and cancelling the imposition of a cap on social care charges – that she made this week.  So what actually is the state of the public finances? Did Labour really not know how bad things were? What does this mean for the Civil Service and, whisper it, independent experts? And with a Budget now inked in for October, what should we be looking out for – and how tough are the decisions now facing the chancellor?  ———— THE EXPERT FACTOR: Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, explore and explain the big questions and policy challenges that will be faced by the Labour government, dominate debate in Westminster and beyond, and shape the political landscape for years to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The general election was less than a month ago, but Keir Starmer has already had to deal with an assassination attempt in the United States, a NATO summit, and hosting the European Political Community at Blenheim. And there are more challenges ahead. The US election. The question of how to deal with China. And, of course, Gaza and Ukraine will continue to dominate the headlines. So how clear a plan does Labour have? How might it approach these and other challenges? And to what extent does David Lammy’s doctrine of ‘progressive realism’ provide a useful guide?  Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College London, joins Anand and Hannah for a fascinating tour of the government’s global priorities, opportunities and potential risks. Produced by Milo Hynes  ———— THE EXPERT FACTOR: Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, explore and explain the big questions and policy challenges that will be faced by the Labour government, dominate debate in Westminster and beyond, and shape the political landscape for years to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Within days of winning the general election, Keir Starmer has had to respond to what is undoubtedly a crisis – perhaps even an emergency – in prisons across England and Wales.  The equation is a simple one. Too many prisoners, not enough prison places. More prisons are being planned. But even this won’t keep track of the expected rise in prisoner numbers. So how on earth was this allowed to happen? Who is to blame?And has the Labour government come up with a sensible plan to fix the problem – or just a short term sticking plaster? Ken Macdonald, crossbench peer, former Director of Public Prosecutions and president of the Howard League for Penal Reform, joins Anand and Hannah to examine one of the biggest headaches facing the new government. Produced by Milo Hynes. -------- THE EXPERT FACTOR: Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, explore and explain the big questions and policy challenges that will be faced by the Labour government, dominate debate in Westminster and beyond, and shape the political landscape for years to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s not even a week since the British electorate voted to hand power back to Labour. Keir Starmer now leads a government with a huge majority. Rishi Sunak is still – just – leading a massively reduced Conservative opposition. The Liberal Democrats have reclaimed their status as Parliament’s third largest party. The SNP had a terrible night. Reform have established a foothold in Westminster too. British politics has been turned on its head. So what does it mean for how this country is governed? Is this a significant shift or a short term protest? What do Keir Starmer’s first appointments tell us about what he wants from his ministers? What actually happens next in Parliament? And just how hard will it be for Labour to achieve its arms and policy priorities? Plus: The elections in France: what just happened and what happens next? -------- THE EXPERT FACTOR: Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, explore and explain the big questions and policy challenges that will be faced by the Labour government, dominate debate in Westminster and beyond, and shape the political landscape for years to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whoever wins the general election – and right now it looks set to be Labour – is going to inherit a particularly stacked and complicated in-tray. And most complicated of all might just be housing. It’s a problem that so many people are facing – and it’s a problem that successive governments have completely failed to solve. There aren’t enough houses. There aren’t enough houses being built. Houses are too expensive to buy. In some places they are too expensive to rent.  So what is the solution? Hannah and Paul are joined by special guest Toby Lloyd, a housing policy expert and former No10 adviser, to make sense of what has gone wrong – and what could be done to fix it. PLUS: Just how bad are these gambling headlines for the government? ------- Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, explore and explain the big questions and policy challenges that will be faced by the Labour government, dominate debate in Westminster and beyond, and shape the political landscape for years to come. Produced by Milo Hynes and Podmasters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices