Foreign Perspectives

The mechanics of UK government are a little peculiar in the period between governments.

This morning Gordon Brown finally asked the Queen to dissolve parliament so that the election period could begin. In practice, of course, the process of government continues but with the small problem that no major decisions can be taken because there’s technically nobody in charge for the next four weeks. Thus the civil service continues to run the country as it always has done but can’t head off at a tangent and needs to be mindful that a different party could (probably will) be in charge next month and thereby acquires in effect a veto power that ordinarily it wouldn’t have.

In that no-mans land period the various parties should be finding themselves kept somewhat more informed as to what’s actually happening within the government machinery. After all, if/when the new lot take charge it’s an overnight change of power unlike the more laid back timetable of the American changes of administration. In effect, the changeover of the administration or rather the preparations for a potential change of administration begins today. Let’s hope that no really big decisions need to be taken in the next four weeks!

The first fruits of that have already been noticed with the arrival of the security protection for the conservative leadership team and, behind the scenes, confidential briefings. There’ll be more, of course, in the weeks to come. After all, labour no longer form the government and so in this interim period there needs to be a balance since the former labour ministers should no longer have the advantage of having the trappings of government if those aren’t similarly on offer to the former opposition party too.

So what next? Expect the annoying arrival of party political broadcasts on our screens and politicians on our doorsteps and a massive increase in junk mail from them all.