The next general election is – at most – one year away. If Labour wins, there will, as is almost always the case in the UK, be an overnight transition of power. A party that has spent 14 years in opposition would be instantly thrown into government.

But having focused already limited resources on election campaigning, and often lacking the knowledge and experience of being in government, how can opposition parties prepare for an overnight transition? Which issues do they need to consider ahead of a possible election win? And what challenges might arise on that first day in power?

As the Institute’s research shows, proper preparation can make the difference between success and stagnation once in office. This event, the latest in the Institute for Government’s General Election programme, discussed a new IfG report – Preparing for government: How oppositions should ready themselves for power – which sets out how to prepare for a possible transition into government.

Joining us to the discuss the report and its findings was an expert panel, including:

Wes Ball, former Director of the Parliamentary Labour Party
Baroness Fall, former Deputy Chief of Staff to David Cameron
Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government
Lord Macpherson, former Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury (2005–16)

The event was chaired by Joe Owen, Director of Impact at the Institute for Government.

Follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @ifgevents and join the conversation using #IfGGeneralElection.

General election: How should an opposition prepare for government?

On this special episode of UKICE (I Tell), we have a live recording of our latest Unlocked event with Lisa Nandy MP, Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, which took place on 15 May. 

One of the few northern MPs to retain her seat as Labour’s Red Wall crumbled in 2019, she argued that the party needed to “change or die” when she stood to be leader. She has since outlined how Britain could rethink its domestic and global agenda for the modern age in her book All In. With geopolitics increasingly affecting domestic politics, her work as Shadow Minister for International Development is helping to shape Labour’s new message. 

Lisa Nandy joined Professor Anand Menon to reflect on her political career, how Britain can heal the post-Brexit divisions and how a potential Labour Government would differ from the Conservatives in its approach to international development.

You can watch the event on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7-IRBq7ChI

Lisa Nandy on a potential Labour government's approach to international development

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In each episode of The UK in a Changing Europe Podcast, formerly known as UKICE (I Tell), we sit down with a new guest and explore their area of expertise. We investigate the key issues and discuss how and why it helps us better understand our society. The podcast was cited by the Guardian in 2022 as one of the best podcasts to understand British politics.

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