IfG Events

Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government was joined by Daisy Cooper MP, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. Hannah Marwood, Head of Government Affairs at The Investment Association made opening remarks.

This event was in partnership with The Investment Association.

This event was part of the IfG's programme of events at the Liberal Democrat Conference 2026.
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High-profile incidents of misconduct, political donations, and freebies have all raised concerns about standards and integrity in UK public life – so what more can be done to tackle corruption in national and local government?

In his new book Corrupted Kingdom, Robert Barrington argues that corruption in Britain is not just a matter of isolated scandals but reflects deeper systemic vulnerabilities that risk undermining trust in democratic institutions. This Institute for Government event will bring together a panel of experts – including Robert – to explore the scale and nature of corruption risks in the UK today, examine where current safeguards are working or falling short, and discuss what reforms may be needed to strengthen transparency and accountability.

Robert’s book argues political leaders are facing a clear choice: tackle corruption or continue on the road to decline. This event will explore what that choice looks like in practice – and whether the UK is ready to act.

The event brought together an expert panel, including:

Robert Barrington, author of Corrupted Kingdom: Britain's Disappearing Integrity – And How We Can Get It Back

Jenna Corderoy, Investigative reporter at Democracy for Sale

Kamila Kingstone, Defending Democracy Programme Lead at Spotlight on Corruption

John Penrose, former government Anti-Corruption Champion

The event was chaired by Vicky Elliott, Director of the IfG Academy at the Institute for Government.
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The new prime minister has appointed his ministers and put his No.10 team in place. He has created a new Office for the Prime Minister and Cabinet. And set out some immediate policy changes while promising a 10-year plan later in the year. So what happens now?

Having spent the summer setting out the new government's direction, how will Andy Burnham meet the challenge of being prime minister? How will he respond to parliamentary scrutiny? What do his spending choices mean for his fiscal policy? How might a challenging global situation impact his domestic policy? And what are his priorities at the upcoming Labour Party Conference?

The event brought together an expert panel, including:

Steph Driver, Keir Starmer’s former No.10 Communications Director

Paul Johnson, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and former Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (joining virtually)

Neal Lawson, Executive Director at Compass

Alex Thomas, Executive Director at the Institute for Government

The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, CEO of the Institute for Government.
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The Institute for Government was pleased to welcome Daron Acemoglu, the Nobel Prize-winning co-author of Why Nations Fail, to discuss his new book: What Happened to Liberal Democracy? Remaking a Politics of Shared Prosperity.

In his latest book, Daron Acemoglu, a Nobel Prize winner in economics, documents the rise and, some would argue, fall of liberal democracy, recounting how liberal democratic institutions plunged themselves into crisis over the last several decades.

Looking at rapid advances in technology, shifts in regulatory environments, global political history, and economics, Acemoglu lays out the challenges to these institutions and sets out a new way forward, which he calls working-class liberalism: a philosophy that prioritizes shared prosperity, empowers communities, and accommodates a range of views – essential if liberal democracy is to survive in the 21st century.

Daron Acemoglu was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, CEO of the Institute for Government, before taking part in an audience Q&A, followed by a book signing.

Daron Acemoglu is a professor at MIT and Faculty Co-Director of MIT’s Shaping the Future of Work Initiative in Boston. Why Nations Fail (2012) has sold over one million copies globally.

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Angela Rayner, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, has put plans to restructure local government on hold. So what went wrong and what happens next?

The government’s ambitious local government reorganisation (LGR) programme, which affects around 41% of the population, aims to replace all county and district councils with a single tier of unitary local government. This would make it the largest LGR wave since 46 unitary authorities (UAs) were established between 1995 and 1997.

Angela Rayner has now launched a full review of her predecessor’s decisions on future council boundaries, following new legal advice and in the face of a wave of judicial challenges. Rayner said she wanted to be satisfied the right process is in place and to test whether LGR proposals meet the priorities of the new prime minister.

So how did this situation come about? What are the implications for trust between central government and local government? And how do these decisions affect broader ambitions for the government to rewire the state and deliver good growth in every postcode?

As local leaders and the sector process the government’s decision, the IfG assembled an expert panel to respond to these developments, featuring:

Amanda Askham, Partner, Consulting at Grant Thornton UK LLP

Dr Matthew Fright, Associate Director at the Institute for Government

Heather Jameson, Editor of The MJ

Akash Paun, Director at the Institute for Government

This event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

We would like to thank Grant Thornton UK LLP for kindly supporting this event.
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