In praise of post-election transition periods 

The UK is about to embark on its first July common election since 1945. After an preliminary burst of exercise, this timing will give each authorities and parliament some respiratory area earlier than ‘politics as regular’ resumes within the autumn. Varied specialists have beforehand indicated the advantages of a extra formal post-election transition interval. Meg Russell summarises these, suggesting that the bizarre circumstances in 2024 would possibly encourage reflection on longer-term modifications to the system. 

Rishi Sunak’s election timing stunned many. Tomorrow’s vote represents the primary UK common election held in July since 1945. Previous to the final election, held in December 2019, the entire earlier 10 contests had taken place in April, Might or June.  

An earlier submit on this weblog in reward of fixed-term parliaments mentioned the downsides of the uncertainty over this 12 months’s timing. This follow-up submit as a substitute considers a few of the potential upsides of the timetable, by way of probably occasions within the weeks and months forward. After polling day, parliament is because of reconvene on 9 July, with a King’s speech setting out the federal government’s meant legislative programme following on 17 July. The beginning date for parliament’s summer season recess appears more likely to be delayed barely from the beforehand deliberate 23 July. However there can be little urge for food – amongst MPs, their workers, civil servants or journalists – for parliamentary exercise in August. This makes an enforced break of a number of weeks very probably, permitting election members to get better, but additionally to plan forward. 

In different nations a transition interval usually happens routinely after an election, explicitly to permit for such work. The very best recognized case might be the US, the place a full two months elapse between every federal election (in November) and new session of Congress (in January). Varied individuals have beforehand proposed that at the very least some break of an analogous form ought to apply within the UK. This submit means that there could be clear benefits of such an association: within the case of an ordinary handover between single-party governments; much more so when a coalition authorities is created; and at all times, in any circumstances, for the institution of the brand new parliament itself. The submit due to this fact concludes that the enforced 2024 post-election interval would possibly show to be a helpful pure experiment, triggering reflection and doable assessment of the usage of extra routine post-election transition durations within the UK. 

Benefits for single-party authorities 

The most typical consequence of UK common elections is the formation of a single-party authorities. Even with out post-election haggling between events, clear potential benefits exist of a niche between the election and the resumption of ‘politics as regular’. Therefore Jill Rutter, writing for the UK in a Altering Europe, not too long ago recommended that Sunak’s timing was ‘excellent news for higher authorities’. 

On this state of affairs, the benefits most clearly apply when – as could also be about to happen – there’s a handover of energy from one governing get together to a different. Opposition events have very restricted coverage making capability in comparison with governments, and a tiny workers compared to the civil service. They’ll have put collectively their manifesto and different coverage proposals with some enter from exterior teams and specialists, however with restricted capability to develop these insurance policies intimately, to seek the advice of, and definitely to draft laws. Although entry talks between the opposition and the civil service do happen, civil servants are forbidden from giving recommendation and so are restricted in what they’ll say. They too may have had restricted time to organize for the brand new authorities’s arrival, and (as occurred this 12 months) entry talks could even have been lower brief by the timing of the election. 

A transition interval can present a chance for ministers to get to know their departments, their officers and their briefs. It permits at the very least a while for session on their coverage plans, and for white papers and laws to be drafted. It additionally permits scope for induction and coaching of recent ministers – significantly essential for individuals who have by no means held ministerial workplace earlier than. 

When the identical get together stays in authorities after an election, the wants are essentially much less pressing. However post-election reshuffles usually happen, with new ministers having to get to know their departments in an analogous means. 

In a 2009 report on transitions for the Institute for Authorities Peter Riddell and Catherine Haddon recommended that the Cupboard needs to be appointed the week after the election (reasonably than instantly, as occurs now), and that the King’s speech needs to be held 3-4 weeks afterwards. Though this differs from what’s going to occur in 2024, different advantages that they recognized, by way of ministers attending to know their departments and growing coverage element, will apply. 

Benefits for coalition authorities 

The advantages – certainly necessity – of a transition interval when a brand new coalition authorities is shaped are considerably larger. Whereas UK elections pretty hardly ever produce coalition or minority governments, this can be altering: simply two of the final 4 common elections have resulted in single-party majority authorities. 

In 2010 a full coalition settlement was negotiated, and in 2017 a ‘confidence and provide’ association. Each negotiations had been comparatively swift – the 2010 deal between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats famously took simply ‘5 days in Might’. As explored by the Home of Lords Structure Committee, many thought-about this timetable to be rushed. It was definitely comparatively brief in comparison with different nations the place coalitions are extra frequent; and analysis means that longer negotiation durations could facilitate coalition authorities that proves extra steady. A built-in transition interval might have clear benefits in permitting respiratory area for such negotiations to happen when wanted. 

In step with this, former Liberal Democrat ministers Nick Harvey and Paul Tyler not too long ago really useful (together with of their e-book) a set interval of 4-6 weeks after an election for parliament to fulfill and ensure the federal government – suggesting that this might minimise uncertainties and probably assist settle monetary markets within the occasion that no get together has an total majority. Like Riddell and Haddon, they proposed holding a King’s speech on the finish of such a interval, including that parliament ought to meet to vote the brand new authorities formally into workplace beforehand. 

Benefits for parliament 

Regardless of the type of authorities after an election, there’ll at all times be new MPs to settle in. The parliament of 2024 could properly have lots of of recent members. On the 2019 common election 140 new MPs had been elected for the primary time, and in 2015 the determine was 177. Even in 2001, when there was barely any get together turnover between parliaments, there have been 92 new MPs.  

Vital latest consideration has focussed on the significance of induction for brand spanking new MPs. Shortly earlier than Sunak known as the election, former Prime Minister Theresa Might recommended in a speech to the Hansard Society that higher MP induction was important to the well being of UK democracy. She cited a 2007 report (PDF) from the Home of Commons Modernisation Committee which recommended an extended hole between the election and preliminary assembly of the Commons to permit such induction to happen. Higher induction was likewise emphasised very not too long ago by the Home of Commons Requirements Committee. The choices and challenges had been mentioned final month at a Structure Unit webinar, by a panel together with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Requirements. 

The supply of MP induction has tremendously improved since 2010. However a persistent downside has been new members’ lack of time to interact with such exercise. Upon election MPs should kind out private preparations similar to housing in London, in addition to establishing their workplaces and hiring workers. They’re additionally normally thrown straight into parliamentary actions, in addition to constituency work. Notably, the transition interval within the US, is used partially to offer intensive coaching for brand spanking new members of Congress. 

Even when authorities formation is itself simple as a result of there was little change, a post-election transition interval would due to this fact be massively invaluable for brand spanking new MPs to get arrange and briefed on their essential roles. The place there was a excessive turnover of MPs on the election – as appears probably in 2024 – this want is even larger. 

Conclusion: a query worthy of assessment? 

The weird common election timing in 2024 creates a type of pure experiment permitting a few of the advantages of a post-election transition interval to be examined. It falls wanting the fashions beforehand proposed, since a authorities will virtually definitely be shaped immediately, and a legislative programme offered earlier than parliament breaks up for the summer season. However will probably be autumn earlier than politics totally begins in earnest once more – by way of most payments being launched, and parliamentary questioning of ministers actually getting going (in addition to earlier than different parliamentary milestones, similar to election of choose committees, and balloting for personal members’ payments, are reached). This may present at the very least some further respiratory area for brand spanking new MPs to determine themselves, and for brand spanking new ministers to settle in, if contrasted with the extra frequent mannequin of a Might or June election. 

Whereas a not quite perfect take a look at, this would possibly usefully generate some reflection, and probably even formal assessment by a physique such because the Home of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee. If ministers and MPs profit from the enforced break, and such advantages are recognised by others, this would possibly ask whether or not they might be constructed extra routinely into the UK’s post-election politics. In any such assessment, there could be many questions to contemplate. How lengthy ought to transition durations ideally be? How might they finest match with key processes, similar to appointment of ministers, swearing in of recent MPs and staging of a King’s speech? How might the completely different eventualities for modifications of presidency finest be accommodated? When would possibly such a transition most comfortably happen (a July election and August transition has each benefits and downsides)? And the way does that relate to the separate query of fixed-term parliaments? 

In a couple of months’ time, as soon as the mud has settled, each policymakers and constitutional specialists would possibly usefully return to such questions. 

That is the newest in a sequence of posts that debate the 2024 common election and the previous 14 years of Conservative authorities. Enroll by way of the field within the left-hand sidebar to obtain electronic mail notifications when a brand new submit goes dwell. 

Concerning the writer

Meg Russell FBA is Professor of British and Comparative Politics at UCL and Director of the Structure Unit.

Featured picture: “King’s Speech” (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by UK Parliament.