#KreabInsights: Senior Advisor Simon James on the General election announcement

Yesterday’s drop in the headline rate of inflation presented the optimal opportunity for the Conversatives to announce a General election. Until very recently, a number of senior Conservatives were themselves convinced the election date was set for 14th November, and the assumption was that Sunak’s stated election date in the second half of the year meant the Autumn. Sunak and his closest Downing Street advisers managed to play their cards close to their chests and to catch even their own parliamentary colleagues by surprise.

Conservatives are likely to promise tax cuts in their pitch to voters as well as several scare stories about what the opposition parties may do, including reversing Brexit. The choice of US Independence Day may play into this narrative. They will also attempt to portray a change of government at a time of global instability as a dangerous gamble.

Labour’s stance will be that only they can deliver change, offer stability and protect services such as the NHS and Education. Their pitch is likely to be short on big proposals as they want to be seen as financially responsible, although they might be bolder in Government. Labour’s focus is on the Conservative record and the cost of living crisis, encapsulated by their likely slogans “Change” and “Stop the Chaos”.

The election will mostly break down to a series of two party battles, and while many of them will be Conservative/Labour, there will be a significant number of Labour/SNP battles in Scotland and Lib Dem/Conservative battles in England, especially in the south."

Simon James is an experienced communications professional specialising in public affairs. Originally a scientist, he has worked in public affairs and policy development in the political sphere for over 20 years. He has worked across a wide range of policy issues including transport, energy, healthcare, planning, infrastructure development, defence and engineering. He has also been a Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, a councillor and a member of the Congress of the Council of Europe. As cabinet member for Planning and Transport on Kingston Council, Simon successfully steered the development of an energy from waste plant for South West London through the planning system.