Navigating Labour

Instinctif Partners was delighted to host a jam-packed “Navigating Labour” event at our offices on 19th April with the following expert panel:

• Chris Curtis, Labour General Election candidate for Milton Keynes North and Head of Political Polling at Opinium
• John Howarth, Labour politician who served as an MEP for South East England from 2017 to 2020. He served in local and regional government and on Labour’s National Policy Forum working on business, economic development, transport and advising MPs and candidates on their communications, and Senior Consultant for Instinctif
• Kelly Edwards, former Labour General Election Candidate, aide to MPs and Ministers under the Blair Govt and Head of Instinctif Public Policy UK
• David Gauke, political commentator, former Cabinet Minister who was the MP for South West Hertfordshire​, David has served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, and Senior Advisor for Instinctif
• Moray Macdonald (Chair) and Group Head of Public Policy, Instinctif Partners

Main takeaway messages from our expert panel for business leaders and in-house communications professionals

The main takeaway is that you need to act now and over the coming months to understand what Labour will mean for your business and sector and proactively engage before policy details are set ahead of the General Election.

The Labour Party is receptive to business engagement, but organisations need to be proactive as the coming months are critical. Business leaders need to overcome internal hesitancy and short-term priorities that are acting as a barrier to engagement with the party. Otherwise, they risk missing out. 

Whilst Starmer’s Labour is not New Labour 2.0, the party has certainly come a long way from the Corbyn era with regards to how it views the role of business in society.

By the time of the next election, it will be nearly 14 years since Labour was last in Government. The feedback we received from business leaders this morning was clear. They need:

• More detailed policy information from the Labour Party beyond the headlines.
• A better understanding of the key contacts and structures within the Labour Party for effective engagement.
• Greater clarity on the party’s broader vision and plans for the country and economy beyond their five missions.

If you want help with navigating the complex world of the Labour Party and advice on what practical next steps you can take, get in touch with Kelly Edwards and our Labour Navigation Hub, Instinctif Partner’s offering for business leaders and senior in-house communications professionals looking for strategic advisory, intelligence and engagement services in relation to the Labour Party.