With attention focused on politicians, and politicians focused on winning votes, a general election campaign is an unusual time for civil servants. Their top priority remains serving the government of the day, but they must also prepare for a potential …
Now a leadership coach and mentor to senior leaders in government and the UK public sector, Una was permanent secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care from 2010–16. With 25 years in Whitehall and the NHS, Una has deep working experience of …
Do pre-election restrictions prevent the government from sending flights? During each election campaign there are restrictions in place on what the civil service can and cannot do to support ministers in initiating policy and using official resources. …
The wait is over! The election has been called! The countdown to 4 July starts now. After months of speculation, and a frenzied day of drama in Westminster, the IfG podcast team are joined by Sam Freedman to make sense of Rishi Sunak’s decision and explore …
Rishi Sunak has braved the weather and called a general election. So what happens now? The IfG has been bombarded with questions about what this all means for government, for parliament, for the civil service, for legislation, for candidates, for …
Hillsborough. Bloody Sunday. Grenfell. Scott. Leveson. Chilcott. And just this week, infected blood, the Post Office and Covid. Public inquiries can make headlines. They can alter the course of political careers. They can bring closure. They can shape all …
Rishi Sunak is right to have called time on this unusual Parliament. The last four and a half years have seen three prime ministers – one deposed for law-breaking and another for precipitating a financial crisis – five chancellors, a pandemic during which …
What changes in the run up to an election? These restrictions change in the run up to an election, both during access talks and during the pre-election period of sensitivity. Access talks Access talks are meetings held between the civil service and the …
What are select committees? Select committees are cross-party groups of MPs or Lords (or both) charged by parliament with a specific role or with investigating a specific issue. Select committees are one of parliament’s main tools for holding government to …
© 2024 Institute for Government | Design and development by Soapbox The Institute is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 6480524 Registered Charity No. 1123926
© 2024 Institute for Government | Design and development by Soapbox The Institute is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 6480524 Registered Charity No. 1123926
When is parliament dissolved? Following the repeal of the 2011 Fixed-term Parliaments Act (FTPA) in 2022 (by the Dissolution and Calling of Parliaments Act 2022), the latest that any parliament can be dissolved is “the beginning of the day that is the …
On 22 May 2024, Rishi Sunak called a general election to be held on 4 July. To do this the prime minister will request permission from the King to dissolve parliament. This will be done on 30 May with the vote taking place 25 working days later. This …
How is an election called? The ability to request a dissolution of parliament and call a general election lies with the prime minister. This means that a prime minister can effectively announce an election at a time of their choosing. If the prime minister …
It usually takes between a week and 10 days following a general election for MPs to complete the formalities necessary before the Commons can begin its business. But if, immediately following an election, it is clear that a government can be formed, and if …
What is prime minister’s questions? Questions to the prime minister (often referred to as PMQs) are held at midday on every Wednesday that the House of Commons sits. 34 The exception being the first Wednesday of most parliamentary sessions, when it will …
Why do restrictions exist? During general or local election campaigns there are restrictions in place on what the government can do – both in initiating policy and in using official resources. This is to avoid “inappropriate use of official resources” and …
Whoever wins the general election will be unable to deliver high-performing public services – and keep taxes and debt at sustainable levels – unless it commits to a prevention strategy that limits the rising tide in demand for acute services like hospitals …
2. Will anyone hold government to account for implementing the recommendations? So many long-running inquiries have failed to produce the change people need – partly because once an inquiry reports, there is almost nothing in place to hold government to …
A general election can be called by the prime minister at a time of his or her choosing, up until 17 December 2024. The prime minister must request permission from the monarch to hold a general election. With permission granted, a date will be set for the …
