Parliament is sitting for the first time since Andy Burnham took office and his government must now face a series of difficult trade-offs, and not a lot of money to help ease them. How the new PM handles them will be critical to the success of both his government and the country. Domestic issues loom large as concerns about the cost of living persist and public services continue to struggle. Questions remain about how Burnham’s devolution agenda will be delivered in practice, and whether it can foster greater equality between the regions. Hard choices must be made on how to fund new policy commitments, notably the Defence Investment plan and even more ambitious NATO targets. And with geopolitical crises causing shocks that are increasingly being felt at home, whether through inflationary pressures or rising energy and food costs, it’s unlikely to be a smooth road ahead. What are the biggest public policy challenges facing the new Government? How should the PM balance his domestic agenda with a turbulent foreign landscape? What might this shape the Budget next month? And how can the Government address these challenges in a way that resonates with a more and more fragmented public? The Resolution Foundation and UK in a Changing Europe are hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions and more. The organisations have partnered to produce Policy Landscape 2026; a series of evidence led, research-based assessments of the key issues facing the country. At this event we will hear from leading experts on key highlights from the report on the public policy challenges facing the UK, and how politicians could respond. The event will be open for people to attend in-person, and will also be broadcast via YouTube and the Resolution Foundation website. Viewers will be able to submit questions to the panel before and during the event via Slido.
