Top Tips

The House of Lords – a modern anachronism?

The UK is unique in having a largely appointed second chamber. How can it help you to influence the policy agenda?

We’re often told that the UK is the trailblazer of parliamentary democracy – a model which has been emulated the world over, and which provides for stable government. Whether or not that is the case, there is one quirk of the UK model which hasn’t proved to be quite such a popular export, and that is the role of an appointed House of Lords within our bi-cameral system.

While our model of a largely appointed second chamber might be highly unusual (and almost unique when you factor in the remaining hereditary element of the House of Lords), it is an important part of our parliamentary system, and one that anyone seeking to influence the policy process would be foolish to overlook.

In this post, I look at the role that the House of Lords plays in the policy process and offer some tips on how to make best use of the second chamber as part of your influencing strategy.

The shape of the House of Lords

The House of Lords is one of the largest upper houses of parliament anywhere in the world and is famously second only in size to the Chinese National People’s Congress.

In 2015, there were more than 800 active members of the House of Lords (yet only enough seats for 400!). While historically most Peers were hereditary, today the vast majority are life peers, appointed to the House by successive Prime Ministers and other party leaders. Other peers are a mix of bishops and hereditary peers (whose number has been dramatically reduced in recent rounds of reform).

On the Government benches, there are House of Lords ministers representing Departments of State, and many members take a party whip. However, unlike its democratic counterpart, the House of Lords has many crossbench peers – members of the House of Lords who are not politically aligned. Cross bench peers tend to be subject-matter experts, appointed to the House of Lords because of their special interests or contribution to national life.

Controversies

In any discussion about the House of Lords, it is impossible to ignore the highly controversial nature of the existence of a largely appointed second chamber in a modern democracy. Quite apart from the big question-mark over the lack of direct (or even indirect) election to the second chamber, the UK system is also unique in having representatives of the established church playing a role in the legislative process. Add to that the continued presence of an (albeit much reduced) hereditary element, and the role that the Prime Minister (and other party leaders) play in appointing members of the House of Lords (leading to accusations of cronyism), and it’s easy to see why many people might consider the House of Lords to have had its day.

Reform of the House of Lords

The House of Lords has been under almost constant reform. Aside from the big constitutional changes brought about by the Parliament Acts, there have been a constant stream of smaller, but equally significant, reforms over the years.

Its shape has been significantly amended in the last 100 years. The Life Peerages Act of 1958 precipitated the transition from a largely hereditary chamber to an appointed one, and the 1999 House of Lords Act removed all but 92 of the remaining hereditary peers.

Most recently, under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government of 2010, proposals were drawn up which would have capped the size of the House of Lords and introduce direct elections for 80 per cent of the members of the Lords. Those proposals were swiftly dropped by the Coalition Government in the face of opposition from the Conservative Party. But the question of Lords reform remains high on the constitutional reform to-do list.

However, the purpose of this post is not to rehearse the arguments for and against reform of the House of Lords, but to focus on the role that it plays in the policy process, and therefore its importance for anyone seeking to influence the development of government policy.

The role that the House of Lords plays

Until the passing of the 1911 Parliament Act, the House of Lords held enormous power, and was able to veto any legislation that had been passed by the democratically elected House of Commons. The 1911 Act was one of the most important changes to the (notoriously unwritten) British Constitution and marked the transition of the House of Lords from equal partner in the parliamentary system to a chamber of review and reflection. Today, the House of Lords can only, at best, delay legislation sent to it from the House of Commons, and even then in relatively limited circumstances and only for up to a year. Its powers have been significantly curtailed over the last century.

Today, it is a chamber that seeks to hold government to account, and which seeks to influence government policy. It can no longer simply block legislation but can give the government of the day pause for thought if there is significant opposition from Peers. Perhaps the best example of that was the Labour administration withdrawing its plans to introduce mandatory identification cards in the face of opposition from the House of Lords in 2006.

The Salisbury Convention means that traditionally the House of Lords does not seek to block or delay legislation that was included in the manifesto of the government of the day, given that such legislation has a direct mandate from the electorate. By convention, the Lords are also not able to block or delay any bill relating to finance or taxation.

The soft power of the House of Lords

So rather than relying on the hard power of parliamentary process, the House of Lords often seeks to use soft power. Through close inspection, review, and challenge, it seeks to help shape and influence the development of policy, and the decisions that the government takes.

In many ways, members of the House of Lords play quite a similar role to those of us outside of the parliamentary system who are looking for ways to influence the policy process.

Working with members of the House of Lords

Working with members of the House of Lords is quite different to working with members of the House of Commons. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make best use of the House of Lords as a route to influencing government policy.

Tip #1: They don’t have to worry about troublesome elections!

Compared to elected parliamentarians, members of the Lords don’t have to think about how electorally popular they might be. This means that they can be more likely to speak up and be vocal on matters of principle which are important to them compared to their elected counterparts. It’s a curious advantage of not being democratically elected.

Tip #2: There is more time for debate

Debates in the Lords tend to be longer and deeper than those in the Commons. This means that it is easier to communicate nuance and subtlety than it is in the Commons, which can be particularly helpful when the issue that you are trying to influence or communicate is complicated. There are some parallels with Commons debates in Westminster Hall in that regard.

Tip #3: It’s easier for the Lords to challenge the government

Partly because the House of Lords effectively has ‘no overall control’ as the government benches do not command a majority, it is quite common for the House of Lords to table (and support) amendments to Government legislation that would be unthinkable in the Commons. Although such amendments often go on to be overturned by the Commons, it can be a really powerful way of raising the profile of a particular issue. Sometimes, the government will listen to the voices of Peers, and accept such amendments too.

Tip #4: They don’t have staff

One important difference between members of the House of Commons compared to members of the House of Lords is that Peer frequently won’t have the staffing capacity that their elected counterparts have (both in their constituencies and in their Common’s offices). This is important to bear in mind when you’re working with Peers. It means that you’re much more likely to be dealing directly with the Peer themselves, rather than any staff. It also means that building a positive and constructive working relationship is even more important, and you will need to think carefully about what they might need in terms of support or briefings.

Tip #5: They are often subject matter experts

Appointees to the House of Lords are frequently experts in their particular field, so finding the Peers with relevant interests and knowledge should be a key part of your influencing strategy. Encouraging such experts to get involved in relevant All-Party Parliamentary Groups, for example, can be really effective.

What is your experience of working with members of the House of Lords? Have they been a valuable route to influence government policy? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

If you or your organisation are looking to do more policy influencing work, and would like some help or advice, I’d be happy to have a chat. Just drop me a line via the ‘Contact’ link above, or email me at hello@thepolicycoach.co.uk

So, you’ve got a meeting with the minister. How do you get the best out of it?

An opportunity to meet with a Minister is a rare thing indeed, so you need to make the very best of it.

Photo by Michael Fousert on Unsplash

So, your approach to the new ministerial team has worked, and you’ve been invited to meet with the Minister. This is a rare opportunity, and it’s important that you make the very best of it. But how do you go about preparing? And how will you make sure that the meeting helps you to achieve your policy influencing objectives? In this post, I take a look at what ministerial meetings are, how you can prepare for them, some things to think about, and ways to make sure that the meeting is a success.

For the purposes of this post, I’ll be concentrating on one-on-one meetings, rather than broader roundtables or policy forums which you might on occasion be invited to. I’ll return to those in a future post.

Over the years, I’ve lost count of the number of ministerial meetings that I have been invited to for governments of all political colours and complexions. Some have been good, and some have been, well, let’s just say ‘not so good’! What that has given me is a perspective on some of the key things to look out for. While every meeting is going to be different, there are some common themes and principles that apply universally, and that’s what I’ll take a look at in this post.

You can, of course, be invited to a meeting for a variety of different reasons. It might be in direct response to a proactive approach that you have made to the Minister, such as a letter. It might also be because one of your parliamentary champions has gone out of their way to open the door for you by persuading the Minister that you really are someone worth meeting and talking to. You might also be invited to a meeting if the ministerial team think that you might be able to help the government with a particular problem or challenge that they are grappling with. Whatever the reason, it’s really important that you make the very best of the opportunity, and I hope that these tips and tricks will be useful to you.

Tip 1: Preparation is key

Preparing properly for the meeting is absolutely vital. On a practical level, you’ll need to work out who you are going to field for the meeting, and what their roles will be at the meeting. If you’re able to send more than one person, it’s a good idea to have one person who will be your lead, and to be accompanied by someone who might have, for example, the technical and more detailed knowledge that might be needed in the conversation. Do your research about the minister and their background and interests, and think about what their current political priorities might be. And, of course, think carefully about the key messages that you want to land with the minister and their team. A reasonably detailed briefing note for those attending the meeting is usually a good idea.

Tip 2: Try to push for an in-person meeting

In this post-COVID world that we’re all living in, you might find that you are offered a virtual meeting with the minister. If you can, it’s well worth pushing for a face-to-face meeting if it is at all possible. It allows for a more free-flowing and natural conversation, as well as allowing you and the minister to get to know one another better than you can ever do online. If a virtual meeting is the only option available, it’s not the end of the world, but you’ll need to work that bit harder to build a working relationship with the minister and their team.

Tip 3: Plan the meeting with the officials

If you can, it’s a really good idea to reach out to the relevant officials to talk about the content of the meeting. Afterall, they will be preparing a briefing for the minister ahead of the meeting, so if you can agree on the overall shape of the meeting, you’re all going to get a lot more out of it. It’s a good way to outline what you are looking for from the meeting, and to understand what the minister might be looking for too. If you’re not sure which officials will be involved, you can ask the minister’s diary office for advice, as they’ll know who else is going to be attending.

Tip 4: Events might scupper things

When you’re dealing with ministerial diaries, there is a reasonable chance that external events might pull the rug from under your best laid plans. It might be an urgent political issue that government needs to resolve, a question in Parliament that the minister needs to respond to, or other diary pressures that mean that your meeting gets postponed, or worse, cancelled altogether. Don’t be disheartened if that does happen – it happens to everyone at one time or another. The minister’s diary office will probably try to be quite accommodating in finding a new slot. To avoid the risk of making a long trip to Westminster only for the meeting to be cancelled at the last minute, it’s a good idea to check in with the minister’s office the day before the meeting in case they can see any potential problems on the horizon (and to check on the location of the meeting in case it might have changed).

Tip 5: Don’t be late

Ministerial diaries are tightly managed things, so if you are even a few minutes late, it can get you off to a really bad start. Arrive in plenty of time. If you can, it’s a good idea to agree to meet with those you are bringing to the meeting somewhere close by for a final briefing before you all go in to the meeting together.

Tip 6: Come with solutions, not just problems

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, politicians generally get quite irritated by people who just bring problems without any potential solutions. If the meeting is on a particular topic, it’s worth spending time thinking about the politics of that issue, and what you might want the minister, or the wider government, to do. And don’t forget that not all of the solutions are likely to be within the ministers direct control, so think about what the minister could do to encourage action by other bodies and organisations that are not necessarily under direct government control.

Tip 7: Get to the point

In most instances, you’re likely to only have 30 to 45 minutes for the meeting, so you’ll need to make sure that you can get to the meat of the conversation as quickly as possible. Niceties are, of course, important, but if you spend 15 minutes explaining who you are and what you’re trying to achieve, you could well have used half of the time available before you even get to the issue at hand. This is particularly challenging if you’re meeting with the minister as part of a small coalition or collaboration of organisations – everyone might want their 5 minutes in the sun, but time is precious, so you’ll need to be prepared to be quite strict.

Tip 8: Don’t overpromise

It’s really tempting to offer more than you can actually deliver, but this can be really damaging to your relationship with the minister, and to your reputation. Make sure that whatever you offer you can actually deliver. It might be more information, some good data, some other evidence, or your help and support to make something happen.

Tip 9: Follow up with the officials

The minister will almost certainly be accompanied in the meeting by the relevant officials – usually someone from the minister’s private office plus the relevant ministerial policy lead. Ministerial meetings are a great way to open a channel with the officials, if you’ve not already got one, and to strengthen that channel if you do. It’s a perfect reason to follow up with the officials after the meeting to emphasise any points that you want to underline, to provide any further information, and to pick up any other actions that might have arisen from the conversation.

Tip 10: Update your stakeholders

If it goes well, the meeting will have moved your relationship with the minister and the officials forward, so it’s important to update your key stakeholders on the outcomes of the meeting so that they’re aware of what was discussed, what the minister’s priorities are, and what you might have agreed. That’s even more important if your key stakeholders might have their own interaction with ministers and officials.

What would your top tips be for preparing to meet a minister? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you or your organisation are looking to do more policy influencing work, and would like some advice, I’d be happy to have a chat. Just drop me a line via the ‘Contact’ link above, or email me at hello@thepolicycoach.co.uk

Hello, Minister! Making contact with incoming politicians

Your initial contact with an incoming ministerial team will set the tone for your relationship for months or years to come.

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

With the latest round of ministerial musical chairs in full swing, many people involved in policy and public affairs will be thinking about how to make initial contact with ministers as they take up their new portfolios.

First impressions count, and this is equally true when it comes to making contact with an incoming ministerial team. Your initial contact is likely to set the tone for the relationship that you will build with them (and their officials) in the following weeks and months. Get it right and you’ll have a powerful tool in your policy influencing armoury. Get it wrong, and you could find yourself out in the cold.

In this post, I provide some tips on how best to make that initial contact with newly appointed ministers.

Tip #1: You might not yet know who to write to, but start with the Secretary of State

When there is a big change of government, such as after an election or following the appointment of a new prime minister, it takes a bit of time for the ministerial dust to settle. Cabinet positions are the first to be filled, meaning that you should have a pretty good idea pretty quickly of the Secretary of State that will be most closely aligned to your area of interest or your cause. When it comes to more junior ministerial roles, it often takes a bit of time to fill those, and even when they are filled, it may take even longer for portfolios to be allocated within the new team. It’s normally a good idea to write initially to the incoming Secretary of State, and to follow up with initial contact with more junior ministers as and when things become clearer.

Tip #2: Keep it positive

When a new minister is appointed, they can expect a deluge of introductory letters from a variety of stakeholders and interest groups. Lots of those contacts will be quite forthright, highlighting a particular problem that the author wants the new minister to prioritise. In my opinion, it’s really important to keep the tone of that first introductory letter positive. While you will certainly want to highlight the importance of your issues or interests, you also want to leave them with the impression that you are helpful and constructive, and a credible stakeholder for them to engage with.

Tip #3: Make it relevant

In your introductory letter, it’s always a good idea to make sure that you frame the issue within the context of what it is that the government has said that it wants to achieve. For example, if the government has published a strategy relevant to your issue or cause, talk about how you can help them to deliver on that, or how solving the issue that you are highlighting with them will help unblock progress against the strategy.

Tip #4: Less is more

While it is hugely tempting to provide lots of detail and background, an introductory letter should be relatively short and to the point. I normally aim for no more than a side and a half of A4 as a general rule.

Tip #5: You are introducing yourself as well as the issue

An incoming minister is unlikely to know very much about either the issue that you are most interested in, or who you are as an organisation. Don’t forget to give them some insight into who your organisation is, its role and its purpose. And importantly why your organisation is an important stakeholder that the new minister can work with.

Tip #6: A letter or an email?

As a general rule of thumb, introductory contact with an incoming minister is better in the form of a letter. The formality and respect that a letter brings will go a long way to setting the right tone. For efficiency, you may choose, of course, to send the letter electronically rather than as a hard copy, if you have an email address to use.

Tip #7: Have a clear ask

Be clear in the letter what it is that you want the new minister to do. For example, are you asking for a meeting? Or asking them to consider a specific policy change? As it is an introductory letter, it’s quite likely that it will be reasonably top-level rather than focused on a specific policy ask at this stage.

Tip #8: You might get a reply from someone else

While ministerial portfolios are allocated and agreed, your initial letter to an incoming Secretary of State is quite likely to be passed on to the relevant junior minister for a reply (once they are known). So when you are putting your letter together, it’s worth bearing in mind that it might effectively double-up as your introductory letter to the relevant junior minister too.

Tip #9: Getting on the radar is key

If you’re fortunate enough to already have an existing positive relationship with the relevant officials, that is going to help you enormously. It is the officials who help an incoming minister to prioritise who to reply to, and the tone of that reply. Writing an introductory letter to an incoming minister is as much about getting on the radar with the relevant officials and it is about getting on the radar of the minister themselves.

Tip #10: Decide whether your letter is public or private

Some organisations will choose to make their introductory letter to an incoming minister public – publishing it or issuing it to the media. There is a view that such ‘open’ letters can themselves be an effective influencing tool, by raising wider public (and political) awareness of the issue involved. Personally, I’m not a fan of making such letters public (unless there is a specific campaign need). Open letters have a place, but in my opinion using that tactic in an introductory approach is unlikely to be well received.

What is your experience of reaching out to an incoming ministerial team? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you or your organisation are looking to do more policy influencing work, and would like some pro bono advice, I’d be happy to have a chat. Just drop me a line via the ‘Contact’ link above, or email me at hello@thepolicycoach.co.uk

Countdown to a General Election?

With a general election a growing possibility, in this post I take a look at some of the ways that those of us trying to influence the policy agenda can use an election to get our messages across

There seems to be a reasonable chance that the UK could well find itself heading in to another general election in the not too distant future.

Anyone involved in influencing policy needs to make sure that they are prepared. As well as being an important point in the lifecycle of a government, it is also be a test of the success and effectiveness of your relationship building, and an opportunity to try to get some of your issues and themes reflected in the policy agendas that the political parties will be developing.

For those involved in influencing policy, it is important to be aware that there are two distinct phases to an election. The first phase involves the development of the party manifestos, which presents an important opportunity to try to get your messages and priorities across. The second phase is the election campaign itself which is an opportunity to raise awareness and build relationships with candidates (and therefore incoming MPs).

With a general election seemingly an increasing possibility, in this post I offer some tips and tricks for both of these election phases. With some good planning, strong relationships and a bit of luck, you can find your issue on the agenda for one or more of the parties hoping to win the election.

Tip #1: Manifestos aren’t written in a day

There is a widespread misconception that party manifestos are written weeks or even months in advance of a general election. This isn’t true. In most cases, manifestos are put together in the first couple of weeks after the election starting gun has been fired. The political parties will look back at previous policy commitments that might have been made in the preceding months, and will look to combine them with some new headline-grabbing policy promises. If you have been fortunate enough to get your messages and priorities in front of politicians in the weeks and months prior to an election being called, you’ll be at a huge advantage. Even if you haven’t, there is still value in trying to get your points across. The first challenge will be to identify who the individuals are that have been tasked with drafting the party manifestos.

Tip #2: Offer simple solutions

Once you have identified who the people are that are drafting the manifestos (and found out how to get to them), you will need to come up with simple and solution focused recommendations. Now is not the moment for long, complex policy briefings – short, punchy and evidence-based recommendations are much more likely to get their attention. I recall one election campaign in which I got in touch speculatively with a politician tasked with drafting the party manifesto to offer up a simple policy suggestion. It was a two-line suggestion, which, to my surprise, found its way in to the final manifesto.

Tip #3: Set out your own priorities

One thing that a lot of organisations do is publish their own priorities for the next government. Some organisations refer to these documents as their own ‘manifesto’, but this isn’t something that sits well with me, as these are not proposals being put to the electorate to vote on. However, a document which sets out what you see as the key challenges or opportunities for the next government can be a useful tool as you try to influence the manifesto development process.

Tip #4: Politics matters a lot

In a previous post, I pointed out how important it is to be sensitive to different party ideologies and values when trying to influence policy. This is particularly true when you are trying to pitch ideas for potential inclusion in the manifesto. If you try to pitch the same solution in the same way to different parties, you’re also certainly doomed to fail. Think carefully about how your suggestions align with party priorities and ideology. And if you’re a charity, don’t forget that there are special rules for charities during an election campaign which must be followed – these are in addition to normal guidance on the need to remain politically neutral.

Tip #5: Officials can’t help

As someone working to influence and shape the policy agenda, you’re very likely to have some of your strongest relationships with civil servants working in relevant parts of government. However, once an election has been called, those officials can’t help you. So, if you’re trying to persuade the incumbent party to adopt your ideas as part of its manifesto offering, you’re going to need to work within the party machinery, and not the civil service. This is one of the many reasons why building relationships with politicians is so important.

Tip #6: Don’t forget devolution

Devolution complicates campaigning during an election campaign. If the issue that you are particularly interested in is something that is the responsibility of the devolved administrations, campaigning for Westminster political parties or candidates to take action is going to be more complicated. You’ll need to think carefully about who you need to reach, and what the UK government, or a UK Member of Parliament, could actually do.

Tip #7: 650 elections on the same day

Our parliamentary system means that a general election is simply all 650 constituencies electing an MP on the same day. This is important to bear in mind, as it reminds us all of the importance of thinking (and acting) locally during the election campaign. It’s a great opportunity to mobilise supporters to reach out to candidates standing in their local constituencies (much harder for candidates to ignore contact from would-be constituents than it is for them to ignore messages from a national organisation). Template letters can be a really great way of making it easy for supporters and activists to help amplify your messages and priorities.

Tip #8: Hustings can be really effective

Organising hustings can be a really effective way of getting your issues discussed and debated. You might think about organising a national hustings with party spokespeople with responsibility for the policy area that you are engaged with. You might also want to encourage your local supporters and activists to organise local hustings with local candidates. It’s important to remember that if you are organising hustings, you should take steps to make sure that all parties and candidates have an opportunity to take part. Even if you are not organising or hosting hustings yourself, going along to events organised by others and raising a well-placed question can be a surprisingly effective way of getting candidates talking about the issues that matter to you.

Tip #9: Play the long game

An election is obviously a vitally important political event, but it’s also important to play the long game. An election campaign will not only elect a new government to deliver on its manifesto commitments, but also will elect the MPs that you will be working with for up to the next five years.

Tip #10: Stay on the right side of the rules

If you are planning campaigning activities during the election, make sure that you check whether or not you might need to register as a ‘non-party campaigner’. A non-party campaigner is an organisation that campaigns during an election but does not stand candidates. If your campaign plans intend to encourage (or discourage) voters from supporting a particular party or candidate, you may fall within the definition of a non-party campaigner, and be required to register with the Electoral Commission. The Electoral Commission, which overseas elections, carefully monitors what political parties and other organisations spend on election campaigns to make sure that elections remain free and fair.

Election campaigns are really important events for anyone seeking to influence the policy agenda. In the initial phase of the election, they provide one final opportunity to try to get your issues and priorities into the manifestos of parties seeking to get the keys to Number 10. As the campaign shifts to a local level, they are also an important way to raise the profile of the issues that matter to you with local candidates.

What is your experience of trying to influence policy during an election campaign? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Picking your tactics: Balancing being visible with being effective

Influencing policy is often about balancing a tension between being visible and being effective. In this post, I take a look at some of the things to think about when you’re choosing your tactics

For a lot of organisations, there is a perpetual tension in their policy influencing work between the desire to be visible and the need to be effective. This is particularly true for charities, who have to be able to show easily and clearly how they are using their fundraised income to improve the lives of their beneficiaries through their policy influencing work. It is also true for membership bodies (such as trade bodies and unions) who need to show their members that they are on their side, and out there championing their interests. What better way to demonstrate that than to have a few good photos of activists holding up placards on Parliament Square?

What this often comes down to is the balance between being visible and effective. And this is a constant challenge for those involved in policy influencing work.

Of course, it’s not as simple as saying that tactics which are ‘loud and noisy’ are inherently less effective than those that are not. There is a time and a place for different tactics for different purposes.

I’ve lost track of how many times during my career I’ve had to explain to people that organising a mass rally or protest march probably isn’t going to be the most effective way to influence a complex policy issue. But I’ve also lost track of how many times I’ve had to persuade people to take bolder steps than they might otherwise have chosen.

In a week when direct action campaigns have been in the headlines, in this post, I take a look at the balance between visibility and effectiveness in policy influencing, and offer some tips and tricks to help you pick the best tactics for what you are trying to achieve.

#1: What are you trying to achieve?

The first and most important question that you have to ask yourself is ‘what are you trying to achieve’? For example, are you trying to raise awareness of a particular issue, or influence a somewhat technical piece of policy or legislation?

Generally speaking, the louder and noisier your tactics are, the closer to the awareness raising end of the spectrum you are likely to be. That is not to suggest that is somehow less important – awareness raising is certainly a part of the policy influencing cycle (after all you first have to make sure that people know that there is a problem that needs to be solved).

Organising a protest in Parliament Square might get you some helpful media headlines, but is unlikely, on its own, to be a particularly efficient route to policy influence in the short to medium term. Parliamentary tactics, such as organising a mass lobby of parliament (where supporters and activists contact their MPs as constituents and organise to meet them in Parliament all on the same day) can be effective in both raising awareness and useful as a policy influencing tool in its own right.

#2: The relationship between policy influencing and campaigning

In my opinion, the relationship between policy influencing and campaigning can best be characterised as a Venn diagram. There are elements of both which are distinct and unique, but there is also an element of overlap between the two. For example, getting supporters or stakeholders to write to their MP about a bill before parliament is both a policy influencing activity (i.e. trying to change something about the bill), and also a campaigning activity (i.e. mobilising a supporter or activist base). The two are not mutually exclusive, but are also not the same thing.

This is one of the reasons that in some organisations, policy influencing and campaigning functions might be combined in the same team.

#3: Don’t underestimate the power of behind-the-scenes work

As I mentioned in a previous post, influencing policy is largely about building and nurturing relationships, and using powers of persuasion to build support for your case. It’s a world where logic, evidence and well-structed arguments normally win the day. The most powerful tool that I have ever had in my influencing toolbox is actually the relationship that I have with the officials and civil servants who do the real work on policy development and implementation. Those relationships are critical to getting things done – and often involve the informal phone calls, helpful emails and quiet conversations.

#4: Influencing policy is a bit like international diplomacy

Influencing policy can be a little bit like international diplomacy. What you say in private and behind closed doors is often quite different to what you might say (or how you might frame it) in public. Politicians and officials also understand this. In many ways, this means that it can be possible to balance public and private messaging quite effectively.

This becomes particularly important if you plan to use the media as a policy influencing tool where distilling potentially complex messages down to something really simple to understand and to communicate is vital.

#5: ‘Loud and noisy’ has its place

The ‘loud and noisy’ influencing and campaign tactics definitely have their place. In my opinion, they can be particularly effective if your primary objective is to raise awareness of a particular problem, and also if every usual channel for policy influence has been tried and exhausted. I’ve been on more than my fair share of marches and protests over the years (with varying degrees of success). These tactics are rarely my ‘go to’ options when thinking about how to influence the policy agenda. But there are many examples in British political history of how effective ‘loud and noisy’ tactics can sometimes be.

What is your experience of balancing visibility and effectiveness in influencing policy? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

What skills and abilities does a good policy officer need?

A policy officer requires a range of skills and abilities. Whether you’re starting out on a career in policy, or looking to recruit your first policy officer, this post will give you some helpful pointers.

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

In this post, I’m going to explore what I see as some of the critical skills and abilities that a good policy officer needs.

There are, of course, a variety of positions that might have a role in influencing policy. For the purposes of this post, I have decided to focus in on the policy officer role, which is often the entry point for people starting out on a career in influencing policy, and also where most organisations looking to grow their capacity to influence policy will start.

Many of the skills needed for a good policy officer can also be acquired and developed in post. Throughout my career, it has been extremely satisfying to see people grow in to such roles and develop their careers. It’s always sad to say goodbye to them when it’s time for them to move on to bigger and better things.

When you’re recruiting a policy officer, it’s also important to remember that you don’t necessarily need to recruit someone with subject matter expertise. The essence of what makes a good policy officer (or the foundation for someone with the potential to become a good policy officer) are their policy skills, rather than their subject matter knowledge. For someone with the right skills or potential, getting to grips with a new policy area is, in many ways, the easy bit. Just like the way that civil servants move from department to department, the same is true for someone entering a new field or sector.

Job descriptions often include slightly cryptic references to skills and competencies that are needed for policy roles. In this post, I’ll try to illustrate what some of those are actually about. So whether you’re looking to recruit your first policy officer, or you’re someone thinking about a career in policy, here are my top ten skills and abilities that a good policy officer needs.

#1: Analytical skills

Policy work is, by its very definition, based on analysis. A good policy officer needs to have the ability to absorb and interpret complex information from a wide variety of sources, and be able to identify both potential problems and solutions. Whether that is analysing evidence and data, legislation, or stakeholder feedback, analytical skills are the most important skill requirement for every role that plays a part in influencing policy.

#2: Communication skills

‘Good communication skills’ is one of the most widely used (and ill-defined) phrases in most job descriptions. A good policy officer will need to have top-rate writing skills. They will be writing consultation responses, parliamentary briefings and think pieces, and will need to be able to communicate complex messages not just clearly and succinctly, but persuasively too. They will also need to be able to produce analysis that is easy to understand and accessible for non-technical audiences. But it’s not just about written communication. They’ll need to be able to explain complex issues verbally too – whether that’s briefing a parliamentarian, or helping stakeholders understand policy change. And social media is becoming more and more important as a communication channel for policy influencing too.

#3: Interpersonal skills

A good policy officer needs to be comfortable interacting with a variety of people. Whether that’s the ability to brief officials and politicians, to network and build alliances with other stakeholders, or the confidence to ‘pester’ people or to speak out in meetings. It can be quite daunting to be sitting in a policy working group (frequently with people who are far more expert on the matter at hand) and feel able to raise an issue or challenge something. Confidence, of course, in part comes with experience, but the foundation of great interpersonal skills is an essential building block for a good policy officer.

#4: Research skills

Although closely related to having good analytical skills, a good policy officer also needs a good foundation in research skills. Both in the interpretation and use of research, but also in undertaking research to support their policy development work. For example, that might involve capturing people’s stories and experiences to evidence their arguments, or undertaking (or commissioning) a piece of research to fill a gap in knowledge.

#5: Public affairs skills

There are broadly two schools of thought when it comes to the policy and public affairs interface. There are those organisations that choose to separate them out with separate policy and public affairs roles. And then there are those that combine them in a more integrated way. My personal view is that the integrated approach is the way to go. It makes sense to me that someone analysing policy and generating ideas for change should also understand some of the ways in which that change can be achieved using parliamentary and public affairs routes, such as parliamentary debates, or All-Party Parliamentary Groups, for example.

#6: Political astuteness

A good policy officer not only needs to be able to analyse and interpret policy, they also need to have a degree of political astuteness to know which policy influencing objectives and aims are politically achievable. They’ll need to understand party political differences, and the impact that events and context can have on politics and policy making. They’ll also need to be able to take a long view, horizon scanning, spotting issues and opportunities proactively.

#7: A tactical approach

It’s very easy to make a lot of noise about an issue, but noise doesn’t necessarily equate to influence. A good policy officer should be able to advise on the best tactics to deploy for the maximum impact. Whether that is public campaigning engaging stakeholders and supporters, or behind-the-scenes influencing, being able to pick the right tactics on a case-by-case basis is an essential skill. I’ll return to the question of visibility versus effectiveness in a future post.

#8: Problem solving

Influencing policy is all about solving problems, so good problem-solving skills are an essential attribute of a good policy officer. This means being able to look at problems from different angles, thinking creatively about potential solutions and testing those to come up with the best possible solution.

#9: Project management

A policy officer is likely to be juggling a number of different policy influencing projects. They might be getting stakeholder input on one topic, while simultaneously responding to a consultation on another, and briefing parliamentarians on a bill. Good time management, and good project management skills, are going to be really important.

#10: A focus on outcomes

One of the competencies that I think is really important for a good policy officer is being able to remain focused on outcomes. What I mean by that is being able to take the longer term view and consider the impact that a particular policy change path could deliver. Influencing the content of a piece of government guidance, or even the content of a parliamentary bill is one thing, but how will we know that such changes will deliver the outcomes that you’re seeking? In other words, achieving policy change itself is not the end of the process, and a good policy officer will understand the cycle of policy development and implementation.

What do you think are the essential skills and abilities that a policy officer needs? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Is it any good? Tips for how to analyse policy proposals

Being able to analyse policy proposals is an essential skill for anyone seeking to influence policy.

One of the most important skills that anyone involved in influencing policy needs to have is the ability to analyse and interpret changes in national policy. Whether it is examining bills and legislation, white papers, national guidance or consultation documents, being able to spot potential issues and, importantly, solutions, is an essential competence for anyone seeking to influence the policy agenda.

I was prompted to write this post having spent a few days recently trying to understand the implications of the Government’s energy price scheme.

Being able to understand what policy or decision makers want to achieve, and what they are thinking about, is a really important skill.

There are lots of academic papers and public policy theories that try to describe the policy analysis process – you simply need to run a quick Google search to find lots of those. While those are useful and helpful, in this post, I thought it would be helpful to think about it a little more practically. So here are my top five tips for policy analysis.

Tip 1: Think about the context

As a starting point, it’s important to consider the context, and what is being presented, as this will affect the approach that you might need to take. Are you being asked a question, or given an answer? For instance, is it a consultation where your views are being sought, or a policy statement or decision that has already been taken?

Tip 2: What is the policy trying to achieve, and will it work?

The next step is to work out what it is that the policy is intended to achieve. What problem are policy makers trying to fix? And will it deliver what it is that the policy maker intends? Are there any unforeseen consequences that might not have been properly considered? Your expert knowledge here is going to be particularly helpful, as you will probably know more about your stakeholders and their needs than the policy makers do.

Most ‘bad policy’ decisions are the result of not properly considering the unintended consequences – the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is probably the best example of that in practice. By adopting an approach based on breed and looks, rather than behaviour, it is widely criticised for failing to address the problem it was designed to fix which was to reduce the incidence of dog attacks.

Tip 3: Will it have a positive, negative or neutral impact? And will those impacts be fair?

You also need to consider whether the policy is likely to have a positive, negative or neutral impact. In other words, from your perspective, is this a good, bad or indifferent policy? And don’t forget that you’ll need to evidence your assessment, so also think about the mix of evidence that you will need to draw on to back up your judgment.

It’s also really important to think about equality as part of your analysis. In most cases, policy change goes through a process of ‘equality impact assessment’ to determine whether it might have a disproportionate unintended effect on equality, and to ensure compliance with the public sector equality duty. In reality, those assessments are not often particularly robust. It’s often an important gap to fill.

Tip 4: The financial impact

As big part of your analysis will probably centre on the cost effectiveness or financial implications of the policy change being proposed. Is it an efficient way of achieving the policy intentions? Are there alternative solutions available that might be more cost effective? And, of course, are there financial implications for the stakeholders that you are speaking for? A cost-benefit analysis is a very useful tool.

Tip 5: Can you change it?

How the policy, or policy proposal, is being presented will determine the answer to the question of whether it’s possible to change it if needed. A clause in a parliamentary bill (which will be subject to debate, amendment and parliamentary process) will be much easier to influence and change than, for example, a piece of statutory guidance from an arms-length body. This will also help determine the tactics that you might need to deploy to get any change that might be needed.

Alongside your analysis, it’s also worth thinking about what your stakeholders, beneficiaries, or local community might need to know about the change. This is important for two reasons. First and foremost, because people will need to know what the change is and how it will affect them. And secondly, because if change is needed, you can also think about how to mobilise your networks to push for that change. For example, mobilising people to write to their MP about a bill before Parliament. In this sense, policy analysis is, itself, a core component of the policy influencing process.

Policy analysis is an essential tool for anyone wanting to influencing government policy. It’s vital to be able to critically appraise policy proposals, to identify any unintended consequences, and ultimately to help ensure that the policy has a positive, rather than negative or disruptive, effect.

What is your experience of policy analysis? What would you add to these tips? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

How to write a great parliamentary briefing

Writing persuasive briefings for MPs and Peers is a really effective way of getting your message across. How do you write a briefing that’s going to get noticed?

In my previous post, I discussed the value of Westminster Hall debates as a place where more considered and thoughtful debate can take place compared to the floor of the House of Commons. But whether it’s a debate in Westminster Hall, in the main Commons chamber or in the House of Lords, you’re going to need to be able to brief parliamentarians effectively.

A good written briefing is vital if you want your voice and your messages to come across in any debate. In this post, I offer some top tips on how to prepare a parliamentary briefing.

There are two main reasons why you might choose to brief parliamentarians ahead of a debate. Firstly, you may want them to understand a particularly complex issue which they may not have come across before. Secondly, you may want to try to encourage them to take your messages in to the debate. In reality, these are, of course, not mutually exclusive, and in most instances, there will be an element of both education and promotion to any briefing that you produce.

While this post is written with a Westminster audience in mind, the same principles apply to briefing MS’s in Wales, MSP’s in Scotland or MLA’s in Northern Ireland.

Tip 1: Decide who you want to brief

One of the first decisions that you will need to make is who you want to brief. Are you planning to brief all MPs (or Peers for a debate in the House of Lords), or just a sub-set? You might, for example, only want to brief those MPs or Peers who are particularly close to your cause, such as through their engagement with an All-Party Parliamentary Group. The advantage of this approach is that they are likely to need less education than a wider group of parliamentarians, as they are likely to be closer to the issues than most. If you choose to brief a wider pool of parliamentarians, you’re likely to need to include a bit more by way of background and detail. Deciding who you want to brief will therefore shape the document that you put together.

Tip 2: Use good evidence

As described in a previous post, evidence is king. Whether that is hard data or people’s stories, adding good evidence to your briefing will go a long way. It will help to make your briefing useful to parliamentarians – giving them insight, evidence, and data that they might otherwise struggle to find.

Tip 3: Make it useful

The purpose of putting a briefing together for a debate is to be helpful to parliamentarians. You want them to find the content of your briefing useful. All of us are more likely to feel more positive towards something that is helpful than to something that is lecturing in tone, for example.

Tip 4: Less is more

While there might be a huge temptation to provide a lot of unnecessary detail, it’s really important to keep your briefing as concise as possible. It’s not an easy balance to strike, but a briefing that is too long simply won’t get read or absorbed. As a general rule of thumb, I normally aim for no more than 4 sides of A4, and ideally less if you possibly can.

Tip 5: Think about speaking points

It’s important to remember that a parliamentarian is going to use the information that you share to inform what they will say on the floor of the House. As you put your briefing together, think about the specific speaking points that an MP or Peer might be looking for, and present the information in such a way that it makes it easy for them to extract that. I have always found that putting a clear statement down on paper followed by a two or three sentence explanation works quite well. You might even want to put the statements in bold to make it clear that these are your critical points.

Tip 6: Be specific

It’s important to be as specific and precise as possible, especially if your briefing is to inform debate on legislation (which won’t always be the case). Where possible, refer to specific clauses of the Bill being debated. This is particularly important when a Bill enters its committee stage (even more so if it is being handled by a committee of the whole house), as debate is often scheduled around specific clauses.

Tip 7: Make it personal and local

If you have the resource and capacity, it’s even better if you can personalise briefings for specific MPs. Do you have constituency data or evidence? If so, use it! It’ll make it much more likely that they will use your briefing as it will help them to raise a constituency perspective.

Tip 8: Don’t forget the politics

As I mentioned in a previous post, it’s important to remember that politics is inherently a partisan business. While most organisations will want to maintain a neutral position, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be sensitive to different political viewpoints. If your resource and capacity allows, it can be really effective to think about tailoring your briefings for MPs from different political parties. That doesn’t mean that you should change the essence of what you might want to say, but it does mean that you might want to think about contextualising your messages in a slightly different way. In reality, you won’t always have the luxury of time or resource to be able to do this. If that’s the case, try to avoid falling into the trap of presenting your arguments in such a way that might completely turn off MPs from one or more party.

Tip 9: Present solutions

As I have mentioned in previous posts, it’s really important that your briefing is positive and solution focused. While you need to set out your case for change, you also need to offer up some solutions and recommendations. Any MP or Peer speaking in a debate is going to want to make positive suggestions for change. Your briefing can be a vehicle for making those suggestions.

Tip 10: Don’t forget a point of contact

It seems such an obvious thing to say, but don’t forget to include a point of contact in your briefing. One of the long-term benefits of producing briefings for MPs and Peers is building relationships with them and their parliamentary staff. As you build that relationship, they will be more likely to come to you proactively for advice and guidance on key issues. Without a named contact, building that relationship is so much harder.

What would you add to this list of tips? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Dipping your toe in the water – making a start in the policy influencing space

As an organisation wanting to develop its policy influencing work, where do you start?

Photo by Christopher Sardegna on Unsplash

One of the most common questions for any organisation wanting to influence the policy agenda is how on earth do you make a start?

For smaller organisations in particular, it can be quite daunting. Resources are often tight, and there may not be specialist staff capacity to dedicate to the emergent influencing work.

This post is primarily directed at those organisations wanting to do more to influence the policy agenda, but not knowing quite where to start.

Influencing policy, and more importantly knowing the tactics that will be successful, rather than just visible (a topic for a future post), is a highly skilled function in any organisation. Afterall, commercial organisations pay many hundreds of thousands of pounds to ‘expert advisors’ to guide them.

But not every organisation needs to be spending huge sums of money recruiting policy influencing specialists – far from it. Your organisation may not be at the size or scale to realistically expect to need an in-house resource. But that doesn’t mean that your organisation, however small or local, doesn’t have a great deal to offer in the policy development process.

Here are my top tips for organisations keen to enter the policy influencing space, but not quite knowing where to start.

Tip 1: Set realistic ambitions

It’s so important to set realistic ambitions, and to walk before you run. If you’re starting from scratch, you’re unlikely to be out there shaping legislation, publishing policy research, or working with parliamentarians if the only capacity you have is 10% of somebody’s time on top of their (probably very busy) day job. Which leads me on to tip two.

Tip 2: Start small

There are lots of things that you can start to do that will be manageable and achievable, and that will help to build your confidence and experience in influencing policy. Writing letters to ministers and officials on topical issues that are important to your organisation, for example, can be a surprisingly effective way to start in the policy influencing space without huge investment of time or capacity.

Tip 3: Work with others

In a previous post, I talked about how important it is to work with others to influence the policy agenda. This holds true for all organisations seeking to shape the policy agenda, but perhaps even more so for those organisations who are just starting out on their influencing journey. You will know the other organisations who operate in a similar space to you, and probably already have good relationships with them. It’s a great idea to work with them to explore some opportunities for joint influencing work. You might, for example, work together to produce a joint briefing or report, or to host a briefing event for MPs. Working together can help share the workload and help you achieve much more than you could on your own.

Tip 4: You don’t necessarily need to recruit an in-house specialist

There can sometimes be a sense that the first thing that an organisation needs to do to move into the policy influencing space is to recruit an in-house specialist, such as a policy or public affairs officer. If you have the capacity and resources to do so, that is obviously a great thing to be able to do, although the point above still applies that you need to be clear about what your ambitions are. (In a future post, I’ll be taking a look at the skills and competencies that you should be looking out for when recruiting a policy specialist).

But there are lots of different ways that you can build and grow your capacity in policy influencing that don’t start with recruiting to a brand new role. For example, if your ambition is to do more parliamentary work, then a conversation with one of the many public affairs agencies could be a good option – whether you’re looking for one-off support for a specific piece of work (such as an engagement event with parliamentarians), or something a little longer term (such as helping to support an All-Party Parliamentary Group), they will have a range of options available to organisations of different shapes and sizes (and budgets).

Alternatively, you could look to partner with other organisations who are active in your space to pool some resources. That might allow you to do some specific activities or work, or even allow you to have a shared policy influencing role (this works particularly well at a local or regional level).

Tip 5: Aim for some early wins

When your organisation is starting out on its policy influencing journey, it’s going to be important to be able to demonstrate some early wins. This will not only boost your confidence but will also make it easier to make a future business case for investment to be able to go even further. This is where starting small, and having some clear objectives, is vital.

If your organisation is looking to do more policy influencing work, and would like some pro bono advice, I’d be happy to have a chat. Get in touch via the comments box below.

When a new Prime Minister arrives

With an new incoming Prime Minister, the most important question facing policy and public affairs professionals is how on earth to get cut through on the issues that matter most to you

As the Conservative leadership contest draws to a close, like almost every policy or public affairs person across the UK, I’ve spent the last few weeks and months thinking about the best strategies for approaching a new incoming Prime Minister.

I’ll resist the temptation to talk about my views on the strengths and weaknesses of the process that we’ve all witnessed for the election of a new Conservative Party leader, and therefore Prime Minister, over the last two months (tempting as that might be!), and focus instead on how on earth you prepare for a new administration.

In normal times (which have been in short supply in the last few years), government leadership changes as a result of a general election. More recently, and definitely since Tony Blair left Number 10, the ‘new normal’ has been for new Prime Ministers to be selected not by popular vote, but by individual party procedures. Policy and public affairs professionals have had a lot of experience of that recently.

So, the most important question to ask is how on earth can you try to get cut through on your priorities when every lobby group is trying to do exactly the same thing?

I’ve been giving a lot of thought recently to this question – not least given the very challenging context that we are all working within at present.

At the time of writing this post, I have no idea which of the two candidates for the top office of state will be successful (although if the polls are to be believed, this was a contest in name only!). However, the fundamental questions remain the same. What will the priorities be of the new PM? How will the machinery of Number 10 change under the new leadership? And how do you get a voice in what is already a very crowded space?

From a policy and public affairs perspective, one of the upsides of a change of PM without a general election is that most of the faces will remain the same. While we may not know the configuration of the Cabinet that the new Prime Minister might choose, they are all familiar faces and personalities. Compared to a different party coming in to power in a general election, this is a more straightforward starting point to work from.

I’ve spent the last couple of days crafting an approach to the new Prime Minister to highlight some of the pressing issues that are important to me and the organisation that I’m involved with. Therefore, I thought that I should share the top five things that stand out to me as the most important lessons from that.

Tip 1: Be relevant

With a change of government leadership, there is a huge temptation to throw everything and the kitchen sink at your first approach. This won’t work. It’s really important that you are responsive to the wider context in which that person will be arriving into the biggest job in the country. What are the key issues that will be their in-tray? And how is your issue relevant or related to that?

Tip 2: Offer solutions

An incoming Prime Minister will be presented with 1001 different problems that require their attention. This incoming Prime Minister is facing the biggest cost of living crisis for a generation, a war in Europe, and the continuing shadow of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. In your initial approach, it’s important not to just add to the list of problems, but to offer solutions too. If you can make your solutions appear simple, obvious and achievable, you’re much more likely to get the outcome that you are seeking.

Tip 3: Think politically

An incoming Prime Minister wants to come with solutions. They want to be able to answer what have been the most difficult questions that their predecessor failed to address. When you’re thinking about that initial approach, you also need to think politically. You might have in your mind the very best policy solution, but if it won’t work politically, it’s not going to fly. Listen to what they are saying, understand their priorities and their world view, and you’ll be able to frame your pitch in the most positive and influential way. With a previous change of Prime Minister, I recall pitching a solution as an easy political win that would generate some easy kudos. It worked, and led to a short-term cash injection on an issue that mattered a great deal to my key stakeholders.

Tip 4: Time it well

When a new Prime Minister arrives as a result of a change of government though a General Election, we’ve become very familiar with the transition of power that takes place, and the way in which that happens. With a change of Prime Minister outside of an election cycle, the technicalities of timings matter more than ever. In the current transition, while the new Prime Minister will be announced on Monday lunchtime, they won’t officially become new the Prime Minister until they are invited by the Queen to form a government on Tuesday.

Tip 5: Address any objections up front

If you’ve already got reasonably good relationships with civil servants and officials, you’ll have a pretty good idea what their advice is likely to be to the new Prime Minister in response to your suggestions. If you can head those off at the pass, you’ll be in a much better and stronger position. Think about the counter arguments that you can use to address such objections, and include them up front in your initial approach to the new Prime Minister

None of us quite know how the incoming occupant of Number 10 will change the way that policy influencing needs to happen. But the one thing that we can be certain of is that it will be different. Whether that is down to different priorities, a different Cabinet composition, or even a different culture at the heart of Government, we will all need to learn and adapt to a new reality.

What are your thoughts on how easy it is for policy and public affairs professionals to adapt to a new style of political leadership? Share your thoughts in the comments below.