Negotiating Government: Public Sector Strategy for Business Leaders

Negotient | Public Sector Negotiation Experts
  • 0.0 (0)
  • POLITICS

Negotiating Government is the podcast about how to negotiate with government, influence public sector decisions, and understand how power, policy and fiscal strategy shape outcomes. Hosted by former Cabinet Ministers, Treasury officials and senior public sector negotiators, the show provides an insider perspective on how the UK government really makes decisions — and what that means for business leaders, advisers and organisations engaging with Whitehall. Each episode explores: How the UK Budget process works inside HM Treasury What the Spending Review reveals about government priorities How fiscal rules and the Office for Budget Responsibility shape policy Public sector negotiation strategy and government contracts Industrial action, strikes and collective bargaining Trade deals, regulatory reform and sector-specific tax risk Whether you are negotiating with the Treasury, responding to a government consultation, managing industrial relations, or operating in a regulated sector, Negotiating Government explains the institutional dynamics and political pressures that determine real-world outcomes. If you want to understand how to negotiate with government more effectively — and anticipate the forces shaping UK public policy — this podcast provides practical insight grounded in first-hand experience at the highest levels of government.

Episodes

  1. The SAG-AFTRA Strike Explained: AI, Streaming Residuals and Labour Negotiation Strategy

    JAN 14

    The SAG-AFTRA Strike Explained: AI, Streaming Residuals and Labour Negotiation Strategy

    The SAG-AFTRA Strike Explained: AI, Streaming Residuals and Why Strikes Escalate Why did the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike last so long — and why do rational negotiators sometimes accept mutually damaging outcomes? In this episode of Negotiating Government, Miranda Worthington (former Director of Industrial Relations at the UK Department of Health & Social Care) and Josh Flax (former Deputy Director of the US Federal Mediation Service) analyse the SAG-AFTRA strike and what it reveals about modern labour negotiations. They explore: The role of AI and digital likeness rights in actors’ contractsHow streaming residuals changed the economics of film and televisionWhy high-profile strikes escalate despite clear financial lossesHow cognitive biases such as the sunk cost fallacy and stop-loss bias distort decision-makingThe power of “moves away from the table” and shaping public opinionHow celebrity visibility created leverage in a public negotiationUsing Hollywood as a case study, this episode explains the strategic dynamics behind major industrial disputes — and what negotiators in any sector can learn about leverage, escalation and reputational pressure. If you want to understand why strikes happen, why they last, and how negotiation psychology shapes outcomes, this episode offers a practical and analytical perspective.

    23 min
  2. How the UK Budget Affects Business: Pharma, Energy, Oil and Regional Growth Strategy

    12/09/2025

    How the UK Budget Affects Business: Pharma, Energy, Oil and Regional Growth Strategy

    Inside the UK Budget 2025: Tax Rises, the Fingleton Review and What It Means for Business What does the UK Budget 2025 really mean for businesses negotiating with government? In this episode of Negotiating Government, former Treasury official John Hall and former Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke analyse the November 2025 UK Budget from an insider’s perspective — focusing on what matters most for the private sector. They examine: Why the Budget prioritised fiscal repair over economic growthWhat the Fingleton Review reveals about regulatory reform and infrastructure deliveryWhether the government’s fiscal headroom strategy is sustainableThe pressure points facing sectors such as NHS pharmaceuticals and energyWhether “temporary” taxes like the Energy Profits Levy ever truly remain temporaryThe strategic importance of the new Local Growth Fund and mayoral investment powersDespite significant tax measures, the Budget left many business leaders questioning the UK’s growth strategy. This episode explores how fiscal policy, regulatory reform and political constraints shape the environment for companies engaging with government. If you operate in a regulated sector or face sector-specific tax risk, this episode explains how to interpret Budget signals — and how to respond strategically.

    26 min

  3. 11/04/2025

    How the UK Budget Process Works: Inside HM Treasury and the Role of the OBR

    How the UK Budget Process Works: Inside HM Treasury and the Role of the OBR How does HM Treasury build a Budget — and who really shapes the final decisions? In this episode of Negotiating Government, former Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke and former senior Treasury official John Hall explain how the UK Budget process actually works, from early internal negotiations to last-minute fiscal decisions. They explore: How HM Treasury works with the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR)The strategic choices facing the Chancellor ahead of a BudgetHow fiscal rules and “headroom” influence tax and spending decisionsWhy some measures appear late in the processWhen and how businesses can influence Treasury thinkingDrawing on first-hand experience inside government, this episode reveals the months-long negotiation process that sits behind every UK Budget — and what it means for sectors likely to be affected by tax or spending changes. If you want to understand how to negotiate with the Treasury, anticipate fiscal shifts, or engage government effectively during a Budget cycle, this episode provides an insider’s guide to how decisions are really made.

    34 min

  4. 10/10/2025

    What Is a Strike? UK vs US Industrial Action, Rolling Strikes and Lockouts Explained

    What Is a Strike? UK vs US Industrial Action, Rolling Strikes and Lockouts Explained What exactly is a strike — and how do strike laws differ between the UK and the United States? In this episode of Negotiating Government, Miranda Worthington (former Director of Industrial Relations at the UK Department of Health and Social Care) and Josh Flax (former US federal mediator) explain how strikes and industrial action really work. They explore: What legally defines a strikeThe difference between rolling strikes and indefinite strikesStrike vs lockout: how employers respond in the USWhy public sector strikes are more common in the UKHow collective bargaining agreements shape industrial actionThe wider economic and reputational impact of strikesDrawing on experience from NHS strikes and US federal mediation, this episode compares UK and US labour systems and explains why work stoppages unfold so differently on each side of the Atlantic. If you want a clear explanation of how industrial action works — and what it means for employers, unions and government — this episode provides practical insight grounded in real-world negotiation experience.

    31 min

  5. 09/01/2025

    Negotiating with Government from the Inside: How Whitehall Decision-Making Really Works

    Negotiating with Government from the Inside: Why Public Sector Negotiations Are Different  How is negotiating with government different from negotiating in the private sector?  In this episode of Negotiating Government, former Cabinet Minister David Gauke and former Director of Industrial Relations at the Department of Health and Social Care, Miranda Worthington, explain why public-private negotiations operate under entirely different rules.  Drawing on senior experience inside Whitehall, they explore:  Why government is a uniquely complex counterparty How internal silos and competing departmental priorities affect negotiations The impact of public scrutiny, media pressure and political accountability Why precedent and fiscal constraints shape government decision-making The cultural differences between ministers and civil servants How to anticipate political shifts that can suddenly accelerate or stall a deal Government negotiations are rarely just commercial discussions. They are shaped by political risk, public accountability and institutional process in ways that private-sector negotiators often underestimate.  If you want to understand how to negotiate with government more effectively — and why deals move slowly, change direction or become high-profile — this episode provides an insider perspective on how Whitehall really works.

    28 min

  6. 07/09/2025

    US-UK Trade Deal Explained: How Government Trade Negotiations Really Work

    US-UK Trade Deal Explained: How Government Trade Negotiations Really Work  What really happens inside a high-stakes government trade negotiation?  In this episode of Negotiating Government, Chris Brown and Josh Flax analyse the recent US-UK trade deal and explore what it reveals about power, leverage and strategy in government-to-government negotiations.  Using the Trump–Starmer dynamic as a case study, they unpack:  How negotiators shift baselines and frame concessions as victories The role of anchoring, timing and narrative control Why understanding your counterpart’s no-deal scenario is critical How political incentives shape public trade negotiations What business leaders can learn from high-profile diplomatic deals This episode goes beyond headlines to examine how trade agreements are structured, positioned and sold — and what that means for organisations negotiating with government.    Whether you are directly involved in public sector negotiations or interested in how political leaders manage high-pressure deals, this episode offers practical insight into real-world negotiation strategy.

    15 min

  7. 06/17/2025

    Spending Review 2025 Explained: Capital Investment, Growth Strategy and Fiscal Credibility

    Spending Review 2025 Explained: Capital Investment, Growth Strategy and Fiscal Credibility  How is the UK government balancing capital investment, economic growth and fiscal discipline in the 2025 Spending Review?  In this episode of Negotiating Government, former Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke and former Senior Treasury spending official John Hall break down the strategic decisions behind the Spending Review 2025 — and what they signal for businesses, sectors and organisations negotiating with government.  They explore:  Why capital spending is rising in defence and green energy How fiscal rules shape public spending decisions Whether the government is truly benefiting from its revised fiscal framework How changes to the Treasury “Green Book” could alter investment priorities What record post-war tax levels mean for future policy choices For anyone engaging with HM Treasury or operating in a sector reliant on public funding, understanding how capital allocation decisions are made is critical. This episode explains the political, economic and institutional forces shaping the Spending Review — and what they mean for the UK’s growth strategy.  If you want to understand how government investment decisions are negotiated and prioritised, this episode provides the inside perspective.

    27 min

  8. 04/06/2025

    How the UK Spending Review Works: What the Spring Statement Reveals About HM Treasury Strategy

    How the UK Spending Review Works: What the Spring Statement Reveals About HM Treasury Strategy What does the Spring Statement tell us about how HM Treasury will approach the UK Spending Review? In this episode of Negotiating Government, David Gauke (former HM Treasury and Cabinet Minister) and John Hall (former HM Treasury Health Spending Team Leader and Department of Health Strategy Director) explain how the UK Spending Review process really works — and what it means for organisations negotiating with government. Drawing on their experience inside Whitehall, they explore: How HM Treasury sets spending envelopesThe role of fiscal rules in shaping public sector negotiationsThe tension between capital investment and day-to-day spendingWhy innovation and efficiency matter in public servicesHow international economic pressures, including US policy shifts, influence UK fiscal strategyThis episode provides practical insight into how government spending decisions are made — and what businesses, sectors and public bodies should understand when engaging with HM Treasury during a Spending Review. If you want to understand how to negotiate with government during periods of fiscal constraint, this is the place to start.

    38 min
  • 8 Episodes

About

Negotiating Government is the podcast about how to negotiate with government, influence public sector decisions, and understand how power, policy and fiscal strategy shape outcomes. Hosted by former Cabinet Ministers, Treasury officials and senior public sector negotiators, the show provides an insider perspective on how the UK government really makes decisions — and what that means for business leaders, advisers and organisations engaging with Whitehall. Each episode explores: How the UK Budget process works inside HM Treasury What the Spending Review reveals about government priorities How fiscal rules and the Office for Budget Responsibility shape policy Public sector negotiation strategy and government contracts Industrial action, strikes and collective bargaining Trade deals, regulatory reform and sector-specific tax risk Whether you are negotiating with the Treasury, responding to a government consultation, managing industrial relations, or operating in a regulated sector, Negotiating Government explains the institutional dynamics and political pressures that determine real-world outcomes. If you want to understand how to negotiate with government more effectively — and anticipate the forces shaping UK public policy — this podcast provides practical insight grounded in first-hand experience at the highest levels of government.

Information