UK General Election 2024
BPI’s Head of Public Affairs, Beth Sidwell gives the lowdown on what we can expect in the coming weeks
Tomorrow (4th July), the general public will go to the polls to decide who will form the next Government. It is set to be a significant election with a large majority for the Labour Party predicted – but also with a number of new faces being elected to Parliament from across the political spectrum. This is also the first General Election to be held under the new constituency boundaries that were agreed in 2023, meaning you could be voting for a new face even if your incumbent MP is standing again. You can find details of full details of the candidates standing in your area here.
During the election campaign, BPI’s Public Affairs team has been busy monitoring activity and preparing for these impending changes by reviewing Parliamentary Candidates and any connections to our policy issues, as well as cross-referencing those candidates standing in areas where BPI members are located. We’ve also scrutinised the various party manifestos for relevant content and have prepared summaries of these which you can read here. BPI has operated under a policy of strict political neutrality and wrote to all major party leaders about the priorities for the music industry.
Following the election, it will be a whirlwind few weeks as Parliament is summoned, the House of Commons Speaker is elected, MPs are ‘sworn in’ and begin to make their maiden speeches, Government Ministers are confirmed, the State Opening of Parliament takes place – all before the summer recess which usually begins in late July. Throughout this period, our team will be busy monitoring activity and looking for insights to inform our future engagement.
Much remains to be seen about how Parliament will operate in the coming months, but we anticipate that activity will not stop completely in the summer break, as new MPs set up their offices and Ministers get to grips with their departments. If the Labour Party forms the next Government as the polls predict, there will likely be a fiscal event in September or October where the then Chancellor will set out the Government’s spending priorities.
We are acutely aware that it will be a difficult time to gain attention and ‘cut through the noise’ and we are thinking of interesting and different ways we can drive engagement. We are focused on a wide range of activity for the Autumn when Parliament will return - with a key opportunity to engage through the Party Conference season. We know that our members are a fantastic and valuable resource when it comes to engagement, so we will look to you in the coming months to support in our work, so that we can educate politicians about the role you play in our world-leading music industry. Please watch this space and your inboxes in coming weeks and months for more information about how you can get involved!
If you would like to discuss anything related to Public Affairs activity or the election in coming weeks, please do reach out to me on [email protected].
