Policy in Practice’s Post

Recently, I wrote about some observations from my time at the Conservative Party Conference. I saw close up and behind the scenes of the Leadership contest (that's for another post!) but also made some observations on what influence the Tories have now in opposition. In summary - despite being a weakened parliamentary force, the Conservatives remain influential. As the Official Opposition, they will have the first response to the Labour government’s position in parliament. They are also able to provide plenty of quotes to the press—which has been producing hostile headlines about the Labour government of late. Where the Tories can effectively apply pressure, policies could be influenced or even reversed. Starmer’s relative pragmatism, further emphasised by the ruthlessly practical Morgan McSweeney as his new Chief of Staff, might even tempt some of his advisors to steal ideas from other parties if the opportunity arises. Nevertheless it will be hard going, Labour will continue to dominate proceedings, and the Conservatives, with a fresh leader, must find ways to stay relevant. The Conservative challenge will be to avoid the temptation to oppose everything Labour does solely for the sake of it or to lurch into political dead ends but instead to thread a wider narrative, both in tone and in policy, to create a broader appeal. With nearly a five-year gap until the next general election, there is plenty of time for the Conservatives to adopt and champion new ideas, and they will be on the hunt for those that provide the most electoral potency. Do have a full read in the link for the Cast from Clay blog below - as well as from my colleague Jamie Horton who wrote about his experience in Labour! https://lnkd.in/dMuQ-CdC

We reveal how an infamous asset manager and an intelligence-linked consultancy have been cosying up to Labour. Welcome, dear reader, to the inaugural edition of the new Dark Arts newsletter, in which I will try to keep you up to date with what’s afoot in the murky world of lobbying, influence and money in politics. And what better time to get started? This general election is set to see the main parties raise and spend more than ever before, thanks to the new electoral spending rules quietly ushered through Parliament late last year, which increased the national spending limit from £19m to £34m. It’s also a fairly unique election in that everyone knows who is going to win. Much of the press pack will dance around it, if only to retain some sense of jeopardy and excitement in their coverage, but everyone knows – and many have done for quite some time – that Labour will form the next government. This is particularly true of the corporate lobbying industry, which has spent the past 12 to 18 months embarking on an unprecedented rush to forge ties with Starmer’s Labour in anticipation of a change of government. That the result of this election is essentially a foregone conclusion will inform the focus of this newsletter – which should be with you every week between now and polling day. After 14 years of Conservative-led government, the UK and its beleaguered inhabitants are in desperate need of positive change, and there are aspects of Labour’s platform that, if the party follows through on them, do give some cause for optimism. https://lnkd.in/eyaghJ8M

Our team members Jamie Horton and Johnny Luk went to the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences respectively recently to speak to our contacts and understand what it means for policy making in this new parliament. Some highlighted observations include: 🔴 For Labour, early signs from the Starmer government show a generally high level of caution, openness to government intervention, favouring the empowerment of local government (aside from planning), a dominating Treasury led policy making process and a preference to reform institutions rather than more spending, all couched in a high degree of pragmatism. 🔵 For the Conservatives, the conference was overshadowed by the leadership contest. With nearly a five-year gap until the next general election, there is time for the Conservatives to adopt and champion new ideas. What they calculate as having the most electoral potency will depend on both who the new leader is and the terrain Labour will allow their opponents to challenge them on. For those in our network who also went to the party conferences, how was your experience? To read our full observations and insights, do take a look at our blog below: https://lnkd.in/evhFbkAH

Here, we have a look at the topics likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come.

ICYMI: ✍ What did we learn from the The Labour Party, The Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats party conferences? Our Public Affairs Lead Joss MacDonald gives his key takeaways in our latest blog: ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ehy6J6qX #RecipeForChange #NourishingtheNation

🚨NEW RESEARCH 🚨 The challenges facing the country and the new Labour government are daunting. From broken public services to a sluggish economy, with an electorate worn down by the cost-of-living crisis and a chronic breakdown of trust, the period ahead will be marked by difficult decisions in a fiscally-constrained environment. Taking the public on this journey will not be easy. Our Citizens’ White Paper, produced in collaboration with Involve, sets out why, when and how the government could embed citizen involvement in national policy making to tackle the complex and potentially divisive challenges facing our country and deliver on the Prime Minister’s promise to restore trust in politics. Find out more ⬇ https://lnkd.in/eJzSs5hX

Exciting times as the Labour Party has swept to a stunning victory, ending 14 years of Tory rule. This isn't just about political change; it's about addressing the real issues that matter to the people—rising living costs, failing public services, and the need for a fresh direction. Keir Starmer and his team have a big task ahead, but there's hope for a brighter future. Check out the full article detailing the election, the public's concerns, and Labour's plans for the future. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dWgBTzCG

Loving this new report from Demos and, my old organisation, Involve on why and how the new UK government should introduce and embed participatory policy making in government. I particularly like the practical, step-by-step approach it proposes from the immediate steps to longer term plans: ⏩ Immediate steps 1. Announcement of five flagship Citizens’ Panels to feed into new Mission Boards 2. Set up a cross-government standing citizens’ pool for Mission Boards and departments to draw on 3. Creation of a central hub of participatory policy making expertise in government 🔜 Short term actions 4. Announcement of a programme of flagship Citizens’ Assemblies 5. Levers to encourage participatory policy making across government 6. Citizen involvement in select committee enquiries 📅 Longer term plans 7. Create and implement Duty to Consider Participation 8. Citizen involvement in post-legislative scrutiny 9. Independent standards setting Hope to see the UK joining other countries leading on reforms to mainstream public participation in government soon! https://lnkd.in/eNzHVye9

THE REBIRTH OF TORY LOCAL GOVERNMENT … One of the unintended political consequences of the election of a Labour government with a large majority will be that it leads to the rebirth of Tory local government. As of May 2025, the Tories will start to make gains every year as the government inevitably becomes less popular. It is just a statement of the obvious. Politics works in cycles. What does this mean for house builders, developers and public affairs consultancies? Some thoughts … Public affairs consultancies active in local government need to keep their Tory contacts. In the short term, the focus will inevitably be on the Labour Party but that will change. It happened post 1997 and it will happen post 2024. Housebuilders and developers need to think local. The new government will make policy changes at a national level but it is still planning committees that ultimately decide an application’s fate. Local engagement remains vital. It will be interesting to observe the relationship between Labour ministers and local government. At the moment, Labour is in the ascendancy at the local level. That will start to change in May 2025. By May 2027, it is likely that the relationship will have become adversarial. Public affairs consultancies working in the local government sphere need to be politically neutral. As the political sands shift at the local level, clients will want advisers who can help them manage political change. So watch this space … Team Terrapin is here to help. If you would like to talk to us, please contact : peter.bingle@terrapingroup.co.uk Team Terrapin. Best in class. Best fun … 🐢🐢🐢

The case for participatory policy making ... things have got to be done differently. What we have now doesn't meet the long-term challenges that we face.