How the centre of government can design better growth policy
This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government Labour sets out how the government can be better equipped to take tough choices on growth. The government needs to sharpen up its strategy for raising the rate of growth, led by a stronger more economically capable No.10. This report, in partnership with Imperial College...
Learning from the DevoLab : How devolution can improve transport connectivity
This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at how devolved powers and mayoral influence have been used to improve transport connectivity. Improving transport connectivity is one of the central policy objectives of mayors across England. Mayoral strategic authorities hold a range of responsibilities for transport including producing local transport plans, regulating...
Trial and error?: The impact of restricting jury trials on court demand
This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government examines the impact of restricting jury trials on court demand. The government’s reforms – particularly judge-only trials – will unlock only relatively modest reductions in demand given the scale of institutional upheaval. It should focus instead on reversing productivity declines. The Ministry of Justice estimates...
Whitehall Monitor 2026
This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government assesses the government's progress and judges whether it is heading in the right direction. Labour came into power in 2024 with big ambitions for state reform. Mission-driven government would break open Whitehall, transforming the civil service into a collaborative, innovative, dynamic workforce, operating in partnership...
How can the government ensure inquiries are set up to succeed?
This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government explores how inquiries are established and managed and how these processes can be improved. Public inquiries have become a central feature of the UK’s response to crises, with a record 27 public inquiries currently underway. In 2025 alone the UK government announced seven new inquiries...
Rapid policy making: How civil servants can make effective policies under pressure
This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government explores how civil servants can deliver rapid yet robust policies in compressed timeframes. The Institute has previously warned of the risks of rapid policy making – success stories are the exception, not the norm. That warning remains true today. But in an age of the...
Learning from the DevoLab #1: How devolution can address health inequalities
This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at how devolved powers have been used to address health inequalities. Although health is not a devolved function within England, many regional mayors have identified addressing health inequalities as an important objective and have taken action to improve population health, using a range of...
Abolished to perfection? Building a better centre for the NHS
This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government examines how the abolition of NHS England creates both risks and opportunities. The abolition of NHS England comes with significant opportunities to make the health service’s centre work better within government and in leading the service. It also carries significant risks. The consistent lesson from...
Ministers reflect on the Treasury
This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government explores the Treasury’s role and the tensions it creates across Whitehall. With the 2025 budget just days away, this Ministers Reflect report on the Treasury offers candid insights from former Treasury ministers – including four chancellors in Jeremy Hunt, Philip Hammond, Alistair Darling and Ken...
Performance Tracker 2025: Schools
This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at the challenges facing the government in meeting its education priorities within budget. Research conducted since, including by the Institute for Government, shows that educational inequalities across English schools opened up at an alarming rate over this period, with some gaps growing to their...