In this episode of Negotiating Government, Negotient Associate Miranda Worthington (former Director of Industrial Relations at the UK Department of Health & Social Care) and Founding Partner, Josh Flax (former Deputy Director of the Federal Mediation Service) unpack one of the most talked‑about labour disputes in recent years, the 2023 SAG‑AFTRA strike.

In this conversation, they use the Hollywood-based strike to explore why rational negotiators can end up embracing mutually damaging strikes, unpacking how cognitive biases like the sunk cost fallacy and stop‑loss bias distort decision‑making under pressure. They also unpack the role of "moves away from the table”, and how SAG‑AFTRA successfully leveraged celebrity visibility to shape public opinion.

In this episode, John Hall (Negotient Associate and former Treasury official) and David Gauke (Negotient Chair and former Chief Secretary to the Treasury) unpack the November 2025 UK Budget, offering a candid, insider’s perspective on what it really means for private sector leaders negotiating with government.

The conversation explores why, despite a flurry of announcements impacting the private sector, the Budget felt underwhelming for business and lacked a clear growth agenda. David and John discuss the regulatory reforms announced by the Fingleton Review, and their potential significance for other sectors. They also examine sector-specific pressures, from NHS pharmaceuticals to the new Local Growth Fund, and whether “temporary” taxes, such as the Energy Profits Levy can ever really be temporary.

In this episode of the Negotiating Government podcast, David Gauke (Negotient Chair and former Chief Secretary to the Treasury) and John Hall (Negotient Associate and former senior Treasury official) dissect the central strategic choice facing Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of the upcoming Budget. They take an insider’s view of the budget-making process, from the months-long behind-the-scenes negotiations between the Treasury and the Office for Budget Responsibility, to the last-minute decisions that shape fiscal policy. Drawing on their experiences, Gauke and Hall offer actionable advice on how to engage with government, influence outcomes, and navigate the complex, often opaque, negotiation landscape.