Policy making in opposition is first and foremost about getting elected, but oppositions also need to think about what they actually want to achieve in office. The Institute for Government, building on previous research, has been thinking about some of the issues that they might want to consider in how they go about it.
1. Be clear about aims and priorities
Whether it’s signals to the electorate or maximising achievements in office, having clear priorities and focusing on them makes a difference to policy making, particularly when resources are scarce. New governments want to make an impact, but trying to do too much on too many fronts is risky. In 1997 Labour prioritised what it would do early in office, including devolution, the minimum wage and Bank of England independence. In 2010, the Conservatives had also ear-marked policies for speedy action, but with coalition and spending reductions, decisions taken in a whirlwind of early enthusiasm soon came unstuck.
2. Engage outsiders and refresh ideas
Opening up policy making is important whether inside or out of government and opposition can be a chance to bring in fresh ideas, hear critical voices and build up relationships. However, the task of managing these relationships also involves knowing what their interests are and avoiding ‘capture’. People also behave differently with oppositions than they might with government. If a party is on the rise they might encounter lots of supportive voices, but that doesn’t mean the critical ones don’t exist.
3. Use scarce resources wisely
Time and expertise are limited resources for frontbenchers. Oppositions often look for external help such as think tanks and consultancies, particularly on implementation issues. But focusing on organising themselves and their teams can really make a difference for shadows. As anyone who spends a lot of time in crisis-management will know, taking the time out to get some of these basics right is difficult, but can pay dividends in the longer-term.
4. Ensure policies are coherent
When first arriving in government inconsistencies between policies can become very obvious and troublesome. Policies are also often owned by particular shadows, so if they don’t take up the same post in government knowledge is lost. Parties can learn the lessons of the Implementation Unit in the Conservatives, which did help the policy process be more collective and less dependent on individual shadows, but not as far as was hoped.
5. Understand implementation
History provides many examples of commitments made in opposition that parties later come to regret. Parties want to demonstrate credibility and show direction, but this should be tempered by the room for manoeuvre that might be needed in government. And there are limits to how much implementation work can be done in opposition. The facts on the ground, particularly the fiscal environment, or issues that just don’t figure in an election but for which there have to be policies, can mean government turns out very different from what was imagined. This can mean civil servants and politicians grappling with the difference between policies that are radical and just need to be pushed through, and policies that are fundamentally flawed and in need of remedy. Being mindful of this and making good use of pre-election contacts to develop positive relationships will help ensure policies are delivered in government in the way that was hoped for in opposition.
Dr Catherine Haddon is a research fellow at the Institute for Government
Catherine will be speaking at the Progress and the Institute for Government fringe event, ‘From opposition to opportunity: How can Labour develop good policy for government?‘ at Labour party conference at 6pm on Monday 1 October. Find out more and reserve your place here.
Photo: Victoria Peckham