One of the most remarkable features of our democracy is that we change governments overnight. In the United States, the transition between presidencies takes a couple of months, in the UK it takes a few hours. It is the moment when civil service impartiality comes into play – officials whose job it was to follow the instructions of one government, demonstrate their impartiality by transferring their allegiance to the new administration without missing a beat. The new Prime Minister takes charge of the security of our nation and gets on with things, foreign and domestic.

The UK’s Unique Government Changeover

Last Thursday Rishi Sunak woke up as Prime Minister and within 24 hours Sir Keir Starmer was in the job. Not unexpectedly his first days in the role have been without much fanfare.

In the early hours of Friday morning, speaking to campaign workers, Starmer allowed himself a smile which hinted at his triumph. Then he was on to the serious work of leading the country.

The Early Days of Starmer’s Premiership

Starmer quickly named his Cabinet (the most diverse in history) and signalled seriousness of intent by holding a Cabinet meeting on Saturday – I can’t recall the last time this happened in peacetime – immediately followed by a press conference – again very unusual.  Over the next couple of days, the entire Ministerial team was put in place and Starmer himself undertook a 24-hour tour of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and then met with the elected metro mayors on his return to Downing Street.

As Starmer was emphasising that he was the Prime Minister for the entire country whilst also respecting devolution, his Cabinet got to work. The Home Secretary scrapped the Rwanda scheme; the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced significant changes to the planning system designed to drive growth; the Health Secretary met with representatives of junior doctors in an effort to resolve their long-running industrial dispute; and the Foreign Secretary made clear that the new Government wished to strengthen the UK’s relationship with the EU. All by Tuesday.

Global Engagement: Opportunities for Leadership

On Wednesday Starmer went to the NATO heads of government summit in Washington DC. With France’s President Macron weakened following the legislative elections, Germany’s Chancellor Scholz under pressure, and so much uncertainty about the US presidency, there is space here for Starmer to establish himself as a global leader and strengthen Britain’s position in the world.

It has been quite a week. It is very early days, but all the indications are that Starmer’s government is determined to deliver the change agenda it promised in the election campaign.

In office, Labour has continued to emphasise its desire to collaborate with business to deliver its priorities. It is very much open for business and Grayling can help you engage effectively with the key decision makers and policy influencers. Contact our Government and Public Affairs team today to discover how we can help you navigate this dynamic political landscape and achieve your objectives.