Is the UK ungovernable?

The UK faces profound governing challenges. After years of weak economic growth, strained public services, major infrastructure delays, and growing public frustration with the capacity of the state, many commentators are asking: has the UK become ungovernable?    

This question is no longer confined to constitutional theorists or political commentators. It now sits at the heart of debates about growth, delivery, and public faith in institutions. Governments of different parties have entered office promising reform only to find that fragmented accountability, risk-averse institutions, weak delivery mechanisms, and a political system often better at diagnosing problems than solving them slow, dilute, or block manifesto commitments. But the UK’s governing weaknesses are not inevitable. In moments of crisis, governments have often risen to the challenge, in stark contrast to others where they have failed catastrophically. Is the UK really ungovernable?   

As part of Re:State’s Plan for Government programme, this panel will bring together senior figures from politics and civil society to discuss whether the UK really is becoming ungovernable and what practical reforms could restore the capacity of government to act decisively, deliver effectively, and regain public confidence.