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The first Labour government in 14 years is facing a daunting to-do list and complex challenges at every turn. Public services are under strain. The civil service is under pressure. And ministers must deliver the government’s missions and milestones. But could Keir Starmer’s plan to “rewire the British state” – through using AI and creating a “start-up” culture – turn these challenges into opportunities? So where is government working well and what is it doing badly? What can be done to make ...
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International Women's Day and modernising parliament: Lucy Powell in conversation with Hannah White
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48:38This special event to mark International Women’s Day, saw Lucy Powell, Leader of the House of Commons, discuss the modernisation of parliament and how the Modernisation Committee can help make the House more accessible, effective and inclusive.Powell was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.Lucy Pow…
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Keir Starmer rewires the state: An interview with the prime minister
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43:26Minutes after setting out his plans for reforming the civil service, abolishing NHS England, and ending ministerial reliance on quangos, Keir Starmer joined Inside Briefing for an exclusive interview with IfG director Hannah White. So what type of civil service does the PM need to deliver his missions? Why does he want to close down NHS England? An…
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What lessons can government learn from the insourcing of probation services?
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1:01:04The new public sector Probation Service was created in 2021 to unify the outsourced management of low- and medium-risk offenders with the public sector management of high-risk offenders.While the initial transition went well, four years on probation still faces deep structural challenges – as do other public services. The government is committed to…
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What is Keir Starmer’s new plan for government reform?
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59:08This Institute for Government webinar brought instant expert analysis of the prime minister’s plans to radically overhaul the British state.Ahead of his speech, Keir Starmer told officials he wants to unshackle them from bureaucracy to stop their talent being "constrained”, and to create an “agile, mission-focused and more productive” civil service…
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The state of the civil service: recruitment and turnover
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47:31Whitehall Monitor 2025 – the Institute for Government’s flagship annual report on the civil service – found that high staff turnover, confused workforce planning, slipping morale and uncompetitive pay will hinder its ability to deliver Labour’s missions, even with an increasing headcount and a relentless pressure for greater efficiency and producti…
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How can the government support mayoral combined authorities to deliver economic growth?
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1:02:17The Labour government wants mayoral combined authorities (MCAs) to play a leading role in delivering faster economic growth – so what can ministers do to help MCAs achieve success in this mission? With an expanding set of devolved transport, skills, housing and planning powers, MCAs are well-placed to drive regional growth – but success is not a gi…
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Will Ukraine be “Keir Starmer’s Falklands - or his Iraq”?
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38:27So much has happened since that explosive – and unsettling – White House press conference bust-up between Donald Trump and Vlodymer Zelensky, but does Keir Starmer have a workable plan for peace? UKICE’s Anand Menon joins the podcast team to reflect on another extraordinary week of UK/US/EU relations. Despite the focus on international affairs, the…
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The state of the civil service: size and shape
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49:39Whitehall Monitor 2025 – the Institute for Government’s flagship annual report on the civil service – found that high staff turnover, confused workforce planning, slipping morale and uncompetitive pay will hinder its ability to deliver Labour’s missions, even with an increased headcount and a relentless pressure for greater efficiency and productiv…
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How can the government help boost growth in the science-based industries?
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58:16As part of its mission to make the UK the fastest-growing economy in the G7, the government has embarked upon a new industrial strategy. Science and innovation feature prominently, with life sciences identified as holding “enormous potential to drive economic growth and productivity” in the decades ahead. So how can this potential be fulfilled? The…
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How to make a success of local government reorganisation
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58:02With an aim of delivering ‘simpler, more sustainable local government structures, alongside a transfer of power out of Westminster through devolution’, the government has formally invited proposals for local government reorganisation from all two-tier and small neighbouring unitary authorities in England.Delivering this ambitious agenda will be com…
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Starmer and Trump: special relationship or odd couple?
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49:50Keir Starmer has completed his first visit to the White House – and delivered a letter from King Charles to Donald Trump. So just how special is the special relationship looking this weekend? Defence expert Karin von Hippel, formerly of RUSI, joins the podcast team to look back on a huge week for international relations. Does the PM’s plan to boost…
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How to legislate for the duty of candour?
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1:01:22Keir Starmer has promised to introduce legislation to parliament – before this April’s anniversary of the Hillsborough football stadium disaster – that would extend a statutory duty of candour to public authorities and officials.Starmer hopes that the new Hillsborough law, which will require government organisations and officials to be truthful and…
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What is the UK’s place in Trump’s world?
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44:57With Donald Trump making a series of headline-making statements on Ukraine and its leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, former national security adviser Peter Ricketts joins the podcast team to make sense of America’s place in the world – and what it means for the UK and Europe. British politicians have been scrambling to respond, not least defence secretar…
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In conversation with John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence
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41:27The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Rt Hon John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, to discuss his priorities for reforming UK defence. With war in Europe, instability in the Middle East and a new US administration, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has taken centre stage during the Labour government’s first six months in power…
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In conversation with John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence
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41:27The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Rt Hon John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, to discuss his priorities for reforming UK defence.With war in Europe, instability in the Middle East and a new US administration, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has taken centre stage during the Labour government’s first six months in power.…
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Starmer’s border crackdown, Trump’s Ukraine sellout
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39:05Valentine’s Day is upon us... but there doesn’t seem to be a great deal of love for Keir Starmer and his government right now. So what is the PM going to do about it? Commentator Ian Dunt joins the podcast team to weigh up Labour's latest policy blitz – this time on immigration – and what seems to be ever-increasing pressure on chancellor Rachel Re…
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Keir Starmer: Leader or HR Manager?
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46:58Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor of the Sunday Times, joins the podcast team to discuss his new book Get In, which is being billed as the definitive account of Labour’s reinvention under Keir Starmer. The prime minister is continuing his mission to reset UK/EU relations, all while trying to work out what a relationship with Donald Trump’s America …
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The future of the Civil Service Policy Profession: The end of the generalist?
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1:00:58Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Head of the UK Civil Service Policy Profession, is clear that generalist skills are essential but questions whether it is time to move away from generalists as roles sitting outside of professions. Tamara set out current plans for the Polic…
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How can the government accelerate its clean power mission?
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1:10:25Decarbonising the power system by 2030 and accelerating to net zero is one of Labour's five key missions. But this extremely ambitious target means moving much faster than the previous government managed. So how much progress has the Labour government already made, and what more could it do to speed up delivery?The government’s first weeks in offic…
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Does Rachel Reeves have a runway to growth?
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37:12No more talk of blackholes. No more doom. No more gloom. So what is Rachel Reeves’ plan for economic growth all about? Times columnist Sebastian Payne joins the podcast team as they make their way through the chancellor’s vision of reservoirs, runways and the UK’s own Silicon Valley – and ask whether government is really set up to make it all happe…
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Productivity Pitches #5
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1:15:41Productivity in public services has never been more important. Most services are struggling to return to pre-pandemic performance levels, and the government has indicated that spending will be tight from April 2026 onwards. Improvements in performance will likely come from frontline workers finding new, innovative ways of delivering services. So wh…
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The Southport attacks: Has terrorism changed?
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50:10The details of how Axel Rudakubana, the Southport killer, plotted his attack have forced the government into action. Ciaran Martin, the former CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre, joins the podcast team to discuss Keir Starmer's response - and his decision to put tech firms in the spotlight. The government also had some more positive tech ann…
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Rewiring the civil service: What can the UK learn from the rest of the world?
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1:13:08As Sir Chris Wormald starts his new job as cabinet secretary, two panels – one livestreamed from Singapore – brought together civil service leaders from other countries to explore how they approached the job and what the UK could learn from their experiences.With:Pamela Dow, Chief Operating Officer at Civic Future and a former UK civil servantLesli…
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Government 2025 at The IfG: Darren Jones Keynote Speech
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47:34In a speech at the IfG this week, Darren Jones MP, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, insisted that “we are long overdue a reckoning with government spending and a realistic appraisal of how we're using taxpayers' money." So what is Jones planning? Where might the spending cuts fall? How can AI – the so-called Chat HMTGPT – help deliver Whitehall…
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The devolution revolution: What next for England’s mayors?
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46:58Two of England’s elected mayors join an expert panel to explore how well mayors are working with central government – and what powers they need.- Ben Houchen, Mayor of Tees Valley- Claire Ward, Mayor of the East MidlandsThis panel was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.…
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Breakfast session: US election – The night after president Trump’s inauguration
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31:37What will the return of Donald Trump to the White House mean for Keir Starmer, the government and British politics?- Mark Landler, London Bureau Chief at The New York Times- Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, Director, US and the Americas Programme at Chatham HouseThis panel was chaired by Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.…
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- Dr Hannah White OBE, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government - Phillip Woolley, Partner, Head of Public Sector Consulting at Grant Thornton UK LLPInstitute for Government által
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Six months on: How is the Labour government performing?
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47:41This expert panel assessed how Labour has performed since returning to government, and what challenges – and opportunities – await in 2025. Polling presentation by Joe Twyman, Director of Deltapoll.- Claire Ainsley, Director of the Project on Center-Left Renewal at the Progressive Policy Institute- Anushka Asthana, Deputy Political Editor at ITV Ne…
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In conversation with Alex Burghart MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
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35:40Alex Burghart MP was in conversation with Dr Hannah White OBE, Director and CEO of the Institute for GovernmentInstitute for Government által
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How to embed a mission-led approach in the spending review
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42:48As the spending review approaches, this session, featuring IfG senior fellow Sam Freedman, explored how the government can best use its missions – and milestones – to shape its spending choices.- Nehal Davison, Programme Director at the Institute for Government- Cassia Rowland, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government- Giles Wilkes, Senior…
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How to fix local government
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56:05Local government has faced huge financial pressures, leaving residents across England struggling to access services. Featuring presentations from council leaders, this panel explored what can be done to turn around performance. Presentations from:- Jenny Rowlands, Chief Executive of Camden Council- Claire Taylor, Chief Operating Officer, Sheffield …
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Government keynote: Rt Hon Darren Jones MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury
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48:42Following his speech, Rt Hon Darren Jones MP was in conversation with Dr Hannah White OBE, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.Institute for Government által
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Liberal Democrat keynote: Daisy Cooper MP, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats
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37:28Following her speech, Daisy Cooper MP was in conversation with Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for GovernmentInstitute for Government által
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Rachel Reeves takes a gilt trip
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47:10It has been a tricky couple of days for the chancellor. But how much trouble is Rachel Reeves really in and how much attention should people be paying to the markets? Politico’s Esther Webber joins the podcast team to look at the challenges facing the chancellor. The prime minister tried to inject some optimism into the government’s week with a big…
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Tricky poll ratings, gloomy economic news, and Elon Musk's online onslaught have made for a tricky start to 2025 for Keir Starmer, but how much should No10 be worrying? Theo Bertram, a former adviser to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown joins the pod team to give his verdict. Musk's X attacks have placed the child grooming scandal on the front pages, but…
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2024 in Review: The Start of the Keir Show
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53:54It has been quite some year for British politics. Sure, there were no mass-ministerial resignations, rule-breaking No10 gatherings or economy-shaking mini budgets, but July’s general election saw a change of ruling party for the first time in 14 years. So did Rishi Sunak’s final rolling of the dice really achieve anything? Could the general electio…
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Christmas Special: IfG Book Club
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40:44The IfG team has spent the year reading government reviews, white papers, select committee reports, consultations, manifestos plans for change… you get the idea. But this podcast is going to step away from the treadmill of political news and instead bring the IfG book club to the podcast studio. So put down whichever IfG report you’re reading, get …
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The devolution revolution is in full swing, with Angela Rayner setting out the government’s plans to give power away across England. Former Conservative special adviser Salma Shah joins the podcast team to explore what the plan contains – and whether it stands any chance of working? Asylum is one of the trickiest issues facing this or any governmen…
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What does Labour’s devolution white paper mean for England?
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1:00:33The government’s devolution white paper – published on 16 December – will set out the detail of Labour’s promised ‘devolution revolution’. Ministers plan to further empower England’s existing 12 metro mayors, to extend devolution to the whole of England, and to reorganise local government. But what exactly will the white paper commit the government…
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Appetite for Disruption
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42:34Pat McFadden – the minister for the Cabinet Office – is making a plea for an army of disruptors to sign up to the Civil Service and make Whitehall think like a start up. Jess Studdert, director of New Local, joins us to ask whether this is fresh thinking? Plus, Rachel Reeves has another plan to whip Whitehall into shape, and it’s a familiar one. Th…
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The Plans they are A-Changing
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44:25Is that sound the heavy thud of a gauntlet been thrown down? The podcast team are joined by Peter Hyman, a former adviser to Keir Starmer – when he was a key player in designing Labour’s missions – and Tony Blair, to make sense of the government’s new Plan for Change. What do the six new ‘milestones’ say about this government’s five missions? Do ta…
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In conversation with Cat Little, Civil Service Chief Operating Officer
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57:43The government has set out its intention to support the civil service with the necessary tools to deliver for the public. As the IfG has argued, reforms to improve the capability of the civil service are needed – particularly in a tight fiscal situation where efficient and effective government is essential. We believe there are a variety of areas f…
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The new cabinet secretary: Can Sir Chris Wormald rewire the British state?
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51:12After weeks of speculation, and many rounds of interviews, Sir Chris Wormald has been confirmed as the UK’s new cabinet secretary. But who is Chris Wormald, why has Keir Starmer appointed him, and how can he succeed as the country’s top civil servant? David Lidington, the former minister for the Cabinet Office and Theresa May’s one-time de facto de…
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The new cabinet secretary: Can Sir Chris Wormald rewire the British state?
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51:12Following weeks of interviews and much speculation, Sir Chris Wormald has been confirmed as the new cabinet secretary. After a long civil service career, including stints as permanent secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education and Skills, Wormald will succeed Simon Case and begin work as the country's mos…
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It’s a competition that has gripped the nation. The candidates have been whittled down. The country is on tenterhooks. Strictly? Of course not. We’re talking about the appointment of the next cabinet secretary. The Guardian’s Rafael Behr joins the podcast team to speculate about who might get the job – and what they need to do. How can the governme…
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Keir Starmer has been on his travels again, but it has been a tricky week at home for the government. Tim Ross and Rachel Wearmouth, the authors of new book Landslide: The Inside Story of the 2024 Election, join the podcast team to discuss how Labour returned to power – and how Starmer and his team are faring. The Budget has gone down very badly wi…
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What next for standards in public life?
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1:01:57Thirty years ago, following a series of high-profile political scandals, John Major set up the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) to advise him – and future prime ministers – on ethics and behaviour. So has the CSPL been a success – and what might come next for standards in public life?Over the last three decades the committee has been an…
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In conversation with Kate Forbes MSP, Deputy First Minister of Scotland
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1:01:20The Institute for Government was pleased to welcome Kate Forbes MSP, Deputy First Minister (DFM) of Scotland and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, for an 'in conversation' event on 18 November 2024.The DFM reflected on the 10th anniversary of the Scottish independence referendum and the 25th anniversary of Scottish devolution. She also disc…
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What kind of reform does the NHS need?
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1:00:22The Labour government has inherited an NHS in crisis. Pre-existing challenges of growing demand, an ageing population, and high levels of staff vacancies have been exacerbated by the pandemic, resulting in record backlogs and waiting times.With substantial increases in hospital funding and staffing failing to turn performance round, the new governm…
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