Bennett Institute podcasts

This panel discussion was part of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy Annual Conference 2025. Have western governments got a handle on the root causes of the inequalities creating deep disenchantment and occasional citizen unrest in hinterland places and poorer communities? What kinds of policy tools and interventions are most likely to address these factors? What can be learned from central, regional and local government initiatives since the mid-2000s? Is devolution an important part of the answer? The panel explored these issues, looking in-depth at the UK’s recent experience and considering trends across western Europe. Do liberal democracies have the right kinds of policy tools and ambition to move the dial on geographically rooted inequalities?Speakers:Prof Andres Rodriguez-Pose, London School of EconomicsJessica Studdert, New LocalTom Walker, Essex County CouncilChair: Prof Michael Kenny, Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of CambridgeFor more Conference session recordings visit Bennett Institute podcasts.

This keynote speech was part of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy Annual Conference 2025. Much like a viral contagion, misinformation can spread rapidly from one mind to another.  Inoculation theory offers a natural basis for developing a psychological ‘vaccine’ against the spread of fake news and misinformation. In this keynote, Prof Sander van der Linden discusses how it is possible to pre-emptively “immunise” people against disinformation by pre-exposing them to severely weakened doses of the techniques that underlie its production. This process of ‘prebunking’ helps people cultivate cognitive antibodies in both simulated and real social media environments. Prof Linden showcases several interventions he developed and evaluated—with public health authorities and social media companies—to help citizens around the world recognise and resist unwanted attempts to manipulate and mislead.Keynote speaker:Prof Sander van der Linden, Department of Psychology, University of CambridgeChair: Prof Diane Coyle, Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of CambridgeFor more session recordings, head to Bennett Institute podcasts.

This session was recorded as part of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy Annual Conference 2025. Work is much more than a means to an end—it shapes our identity, values, social status, and how we spend our lives. As a central principle of society, work underpins individual wellbeing, collective resilience, and societal progress. Yet the nature of work is undergoing profound changes, driven by technological advances, shifting societal values and the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, the UK’s longstanding productivity challenge remains unresolved. This panel will explore how we can balance productivity, fairness, and wellbeing to create work that is sustainable, meaningful, and productive for individuals, organisations, and society.Guest speakers: Kate Bell, Trade Union Congress (TUCProf Brendan Burchell, Faculty of Human, Social and Political Sciences, University of CambridgeSarah O’Connor, Financial TimesChair: Dr Nina Jörden, Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of CambridgeFor more session recordings, visit Bennett Institute podcasts.

This panel discussion was part of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy Annual Conference 2025.Both Europe and the UK share common challenges, such as weak productivity growth, and sliding competitiveness, together with broader concerns such as climate change and weak defence spending in a worsening geopolitical environment. For all of these issues, greater investment has been identified as a fundamental tool. Several questions remain unanswered however: what share of the investment gap can credibly be filled by the public sector? Are flanking reforms needed to ensure money is well spent, and to crowd in private investment? How does this interact with fiscal rules, when the world is reaching all-time-high public debt levels?Guest speakers: Prof Diane Coyle, Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of CambridgeProf Flavio Toxvaerd, Faculty of Economics, University of CambridgeProf Guntram Wolff, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and BruegelChair: Dr Alessio Terzi, Department of Politics & International Studies, University of CambridgeFor more session recordings visit Bennett Institute for Public Policy podcasts

This panel discussion was part of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy Annual Conference 2025.With the complexity of policy issues seemingly ever increasing, what reforms does government need to undertake if it is to fully get to grips with issues in areas like climate change, mental health,  and food security? Whilst there has been mounting recognition of the ‘wicked’ nature of these problems, there is much less certainty on what the solutions might be, and what the role of government might be in providing them. Should we accept that wicked problems are now simply too big to solve, or do we require a new leap of imagination to conjure solutions that match the complexity of the problems themselves?The experts included: Prof Laura Diaz Anadon, Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance, and Department of Land Economy, University of CambridgeProf Shailaja Fennell, Department of Land Economy, University of CambridgeProf Gordon Harold, Faculty of Education, University of CambridgeHosted by Prof Dennis Grube, Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of CambridgeListen to other sessions from the Conference by visiting the Bennett Institute for Public Policy podcasts.

As the nation grapples with the intertwined challenges of health, sustainability, and social equity, Henry Dimbleby has been at the forefront of advocating for healthier eating habits and systemic change. He led the Government’s School Food Plan (2013) and the National Food Strategy (2021) emphasising health, sustainability, and social responsibility. Yet, despite some progress, he resigned as a government advisor in 2023 citing concerns over policy translation. Henry discusses how, through collaboration and innovation, he continues to commit to transforming the food landscape.Keynote speakerHenry Dimbleby, Co-Founder of Leon, Food Campaigner, Speaker, Author and Non-Executive Director ChairProf Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor, University of Cambridge.

It often seems policies are developed in real time in reaction to ever-changing geopolitical events. In this session, our guest speakers discuss how the UK’s institutions – business, policy, and civil society – can help proactively shape resilience to domestic and international shocks and firm-up socio-economic stability. They explore the investment priorities for building economic, political, and social resilience, even in the face of climate change, inflation, war and inequality, and suggest real-world policy solutions.Guest speakers Catherine Little, Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office Dr Gillian Tett, Provost, King’s College, Cambridge, and Journalist, Financial TimesDr Anna Valero, Distinguished Policy Fellow and Director of the Growth Programme, London School of Economics’ Centre for Economic PerformanceChair Dr Matthew Agarwala, Economist, Bennett Institute for Public PolicyThis discussion was part of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy Annual Conference 2024 recorded on Friday 22 March 2024 at Churchill College, Cambridge, UKhttps://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/events/annual-conference

The Northcote Trevelyan Report of 1854 is seen as the foundation document for the UK Civil Service. The pillars it established have shaped the institution ever since. But much has changed in the 170 years since that report’s publication. The size, sophistication, and range of responsibilities of the Civil Service are immensely different. So too is the governing context, in which social media, a 24/7 news media, rapid technological change, a less trusting public and a hyper-partisan political environment are re-shaping the boundaries of what is possible and what is expected. In the midst of so much change, is it time for a fundamental rethink - a new ‘Northcote Trevelyan’ moment - to capture the essence of what the Civil Service is now for and what we want it to be able to do?Our guest speakers capture the essence of what the Civil Service is now for and what we want it to be able to do.Guest speakersDr Anjana Ahuja, Financial TimesJonathan Slater, Visiting Professor at King’s College London and Queen Mary University London and former Permanent SecretaryDr Hannah White, Director, Institute for GovernmentChairProf Dennis C. Grube, Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge, and Research Lead in Political Decision-Making, Bennett Institute for Public Policy.This discussion was part of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy Annual Conference 2024 recorded on Friday 22 March 2024 at Churchill College, Cambridge, UKhttps://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/events/annual-conference

Infrastructure is vital for the economic growth of places and enhancing the wellbeingand quality of life of its citizens. In this session, our guest speakers discuss why infrastructure matters in the 21st century and how decision-makers can deliver it. What actions are needed to improve the delivery of infrastructure? How can data-driven tools improve decision-making? And how can policymakers future-proof infrastructure projects to ensure that new plans benefit people and places now and in the future?Guest speakers:Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Member of Parliament for Tunbridge Wells, and former Minister for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in 2022Prof Jennifer Schooling, Professor of Digital Innovation and Smart Places at ARU (Anglia Ruskin University) Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for GovernmentChair:Prof Michael Kenny, Professor of Public Policy and inaugural Director of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy.This discussion was part of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy Annual Conference 2024 recorded on Friday 22 March 2024 at Churchill College, Cambridge, UKhttps://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/events/annual-conference

With rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and telecommunications and the growing importance of data in our decision-making, we are witnessing a period of significant digital disruption. The resource-intensive nature of these technologies has also created a growing divide between the leaders and the followers, and the winners and the losers.Experts will discuss how the current disruption materialises socially, economically, andgeopolitically. This is not the first wave of disruption in recent history, so how can we learn from earlier examples, and is it different this time? How can policymakers not only manage the risks, but ensure the new technologies benefit society as a whole?Guest speakersEmran Mian, Director General for Digital Technologies and Telecoms, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)Prof Gina Neff, Executive Director of the Minderoo Centre for Technology & Democracy, University of CambridgeBrittany Smith, UK Policy and Partnerships Lead, OpenAIChair:Prof Diane Coyle, Bennett Professor of Public Policy and Co-Director of the Bennett Institute for Public PolicyThis discussion was a part of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy Annual Conference 2024 recorded on Friday 22 March 2024 at Churchill College, Cambridge, UKhttps://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/events/annual-conference/