5 tips for charities looking ahead to next general election
In May 2010, I was a civil servant when the UK general election led to negotiations to form the Coalition Government. Colourful signs at the Department for Children, Schools and Families where I worked came down and the incoming Secretary of State Michael Gove addressed staff in the atrium of the new look Department for Education and spoke about the need to get back to the basics of teaching and learning.
The Brexit vote, Covid pandemic and Liz Truss mini-budget remind us that policy can shift abruptly at any time. But, it has been a long 13 years since a government came to power with a wholly new set of policy priorities.
The next UK General Election is widely expected to be held in Autumn 2024, though it could come sooner or as late as January 2025. Polls are never a perfect indicator but, at the time of writing, they suggest if the election was to be held today, Labour would win a majority. So, charities – particularly those working at a national level - need to be anticipating this as a possible outcome (other outcomes are, of course, still very much available). What does this look like in practice?
1. If you receive national government contract or grant income
The current Spending Round period lasts until March 2025. Your active engagement with civil servants/commissioners around contract/grants should carry on as normal until then; but is unrealistic to make concrete assumptions beyond that. Experience suggests that a change of government would result in most funding decisions being reviewed, although some might be temporarily extended to enable a longer period for review.
Now is the time to make sure your relationships with civil servants and commissioners are in good stead, and held at a senior level, so that you can keep open communications with them even in a period of change.
Do appraise them any risks in sudden withdrawal of funding. Don’t expect them to crystal-ball gaze about future scenarios or make commitments beyond the election; they serve the government of the day.
2. Understand different party positions
Policy positions of the main political parties are the obvious place to start researching and get a better handle on future possible scenarios. It’s too early for manifestos, but politicians are steadily making speeches and publishing reports. A quick review of their outputs over the past few years will be your guide. What points of alignment are there with their priorities if they were to form the next government? Where are there areas at funding risk, or potential opportunity? Both of these will help you from a planning perspective.
It’s also useful to see who else’s research and ideas politicians are drawing on – check the footnotes! This can highlight other influential organisations and thinkers whose work you might want to explore or potentially partner with to gain greater traction – speaking at their events, for example.
3. Get to know the politicians
For charities that want to shape, rather than just track, the policy agenda, now is time to engage.
Each party has a slightly different approach to developing its manifesto for the next election. The Labour Party currently has a formal national consultation process underway – deadline 23 March – on topics including preventative public services and community empowerment.
Of course, formal consultation is not the only route to influence. If your charity plays a national role, it’s likely you already have contacts in government. But if you’re not already in touch with them and with relevant shadow ministers, you need to prioritise reaching out to them and offering to brief them on your work and priorities. A visit to see your work first-hand, especially if you have a presence in their own constituency, is always attractive.
Do engage with all the main parties and be ready to talk about the issues, the evidence and specific policy opportunities you’d like them to seize.
4. Watch out for guidance from regulators and sector bodies
There is no problem with engaging in all the ways I’ve already mentioned. The key is to remain non-partisan and informative to politicians from all the main parties about your work and issues. Follow the Charity Commission’s CC9 guidance and get going.
As the general election date comes into focus, additional rules will apply to campaigns that seek to influence the public. The Charity Commission has a quick guide on its website to staying within the rules during an election period.
Look out for any additional guidance that may be published and advice from sector bodies NCVO and ACEVO.
5.Seize this opportunity
Over the past 13 years, I have met and worked with a large range of charities focussed on different causes. Though the words and emphasis differ, they all essentially hold a vision of a future in which people and communities thrive, in the context of a healthy environment.
And for the most part, they also hold a deep, sophisticated understanding of why this is not the lived experience for many people – what affects people’s lives and choices, what enables or holds them back, where communities’ assets and strengths could be mobilised.
In my experience within and without government, these insights can make the difference between good policy and bad policy. It is very easy to criticise politicians and civil servants for not seeking out the best information and acting on it, but this is out of our control. Sharing what we know with them, as directly and informatively as possible, is within our control. I understand why charities sometimes feel reluctant or too cash-strapped to engage in the day-to-day of policy work, but if ever there was a time to invest in the future you want to see, this is it.
Written by Charlotte Ravenscroft, Consultant (March 2023)