Labour’s first 100 days – Parliament’s back..!

Welcome back

Welcome back to our First 100 Days update. We took a short break over the summer, but are back raring to go given the huge amount going on with parliament back today and the political and policy action coming thick and fast.

Our team is gearing up for the conference season – with the parties in very different places this year. We’re working with clients on Budget and Spending Review submissions, as well as monitoring and feeding into the many reviews the new government kicked off at the start of the summer. A number of Bills are already advancing as part of the process and the new and reformed Select Committees will also be up and running in the autumn.

Now is the time to be taking your engagement up a gear, and as ever, the Luther team is here to help and support you.

Simon Maule, CEO

Party conference season will soon be upon us

Labour Conference in Liverpool will be the new Government’s opportunity to launch its policy platform on a positive note, having been hit by crises in prisons and in the public finances since taking office. For those of us in public affairs, attention has been on Labour Conference for some time, given the longstanding expectation that they would form the next Government. Expect a series of grand speeches setting out the long-term vision the Party has for the country in its “decade of national renewal”.

On the other hand, Conservative leadership candidates will be facing off in Birmingham to determine what the Tories’ alternative long-term vision should be. Beforehand, Conservative MPs will whittle the field down to four candidates from six, who will then make their case directly to Conservative members. It will be a more inward facing conference, dominated by internal discussions about the ‘soul’ of the Conservative Party.

The Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton will take on a more positive note as the Party decides what to do with its newfound influence. It will be an early indication of where the Lib Dems seek to exert influence over the new Government, with their formal policy proposals giving a clue.

Covering the Bills

As the legislative machine cranks back into gear, a number of the Government’s flagship Bills will begin their journey through Parliament. The Employment Rights Bill will implement the ‘New Deal for Workers’, strengthening protections and rights, while the Draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill will extend equal pay protections and reporting requirements for larger employers. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which will loosen planning regulations in a bid to allow for the development of more houses and national infrastructure, is set to be particularly controversial.

The long list of Bills announced in the King’s Speech, as well as the number of legislative stages, provide plenty of opportunity to engage parliamentarians, influence legislation and raise critical issues. Given the size of the Government’s Commons majority, many will do well to remember the House of Lords. The Government has no majority there (for the moment, at least), and peers can have a significant impact on Bills at the Committee and Report stages. Even if an amendment does not survive, putting one forward can be an effective way to ensure ministerial engagement on important issues.

Labour’s upcoming Budget

In her speech to the Commons before Summer Recess, the Chancellor outlined that difficult decisions would need to be made in the upcoming Budget on 30th October. Following the Prime Minister’s speech this Tuesday, where he warned that this Budget would be “painful”, there has been speculation as to which taxes will rise and who will be hit the hardest in the Budget. With Labour pledging not to put up income tax and National Insurance rates, the media has reported that increasing Capital Gains Tax is the Government’s most likely course of action.

This is coupled with suggestions that Reeves may change the rules on pension tax relief and introduce a flat rate of 30%, as well as raising the rate of inheritance tax. With the Treasury already beginning the Spending Review process, the decisions being made on spending over the next few months will have long-lasting consequences. For organisations seeking to influence these decisions, now is the time to think hard about what to ask.

How can we help you?

Luther Pendragon is one of the UK’s most highly-regarded independent communications consultancies. We help clients reach, inform, and engage with policymakers and stakeholders in Government, Parliament, the devolved administrations, regulators, and beyond.

If your organisation is looking to shape the political and policymaking landscape, we can support you.

Contact us at publicaffairs@luther.co.uk to find out more about how we can help.