Preparing for a Burnham government

Whenever there are big leadership changes like this, charities naturally ask themselves the same questions. What does this mean for us? How do we engage now? What will change in the future? Where are the opportunities and what are the risks?

The honest answer is that some of this we'll all discover together as the events of the next few weeks unfold. While this is a change in leadership, it’s still a continuation of a Labour government. What will become clear very quickly is how they build on the successes where they exist, and how far from the original Labour manifesto Burnham may stray to create change.

We’ll be watching with a keen eye for announcements on things like growth, public service reform, devolution and spending – amongst others. But in the meantime, the first few hours will also give a strong indication on direction. Ministerial and departmental changes, Cabinet appointments and early speeches will give us a clearer idea of where Burnham intends to focus his new administration.

At NCVO, we'll be working from day one to ensure that the positive relationship between government and civil society grows even stronger. And there are genuine reasons to be optimistic. Over the past two years we've seen a noticeable shift in how government engages with charities, and there is every opportunity to build on that progress.

Our sector can become an important part of the solution to many of the new PM’s biggest challenges. The sector is still relatively under-utilised in terms of policy expertise, delivery capability and community cohesion.

So, as we prepare for the change, what can we all do now?

Andy Burnham has worked closely with charities throughout his time as Mayor of Greater Manchester. He has seen first-hand the role civil society can play in strengthening communities, improving public services and tackling complex social challenges.

Now we need to support him to translate this understanding from mayoral leadership to national government, so that every community can benefit. And let’s do it with confidence and collective voice, because our offer is compelling. We create change at pace and scale, nationally and locally. Our independence is a strength. We combine evidence with lived experience and deep community insight. We help drive local growth, strengthen communities and solve problems that no single organisation can tackle alone. We can create connections and open doors – locally, thematically, and through our existing partnerships within civil society, and across sectors.

And perhaps most importantly, we are experts in prevention. If government wants to intervene earlier, reduce demand on public services and deliver better long-term outcomes for communities, civil society should be involved from the beginning, not brought in once decisions have already been made.

While each of us will have a different policy we want to prioritise, now is also the time for us to back each other and talk about the collective power of civil society.

A new government is an opportunity for all of civil society, and that means approaching this relationship with confidence rather than caution. Collaboration with each other, not competition for attention. Solutions to shared problems not just demands for singular change.

It’s true, we’ve been burnt before. So it’s understandable that sometimes our instinct has been to prepare for disagreement before we've looked for common ground. Instead, it is going to important that we start by understanding what the new Burham government is trying to achieve and demonstrating how civil society can help deliver those ambitions.

That doesn't mean abandoning our independence or becoming less willing to challenge where challenge is needed. Our role will always include speaking truth to power.

But influence is strongest when it combines challenge with partnership. That’s not just about working with government, but with each other – within the sector.

If we want government to see charities as strategic partners rather than stakeholders to consult, we need to show up as strategic partners. Ready to listen, open to partnership, pragmatic about what’s possible (where we can be).

The last two years have seen meaningful progress made in improving the relationship between government and civil society. It’s not perfect, sure, but there has been brilliant progress. We need to celebrate that, and keep adding fuel to a rocket that has already launched.

The Civil Society Covenant has created a stronger foundation for partnership, with greater recognition of the value charities bring and a more constructive approach to engagement. We want to see that continue, and accelerate at speed – not just nationally, but deep into local government and with more Mayors.

Andy Burnham and his team have the opportunity to radically reorganise government and how it works, and it’s vital as this happens that civil society plays a vital role to ensure the voice and experience of communities is at the centre.

That means clear and tangible commitments from the new Cabinet to work alongside civil society as a partner in designing and delivering change – across every department. It means local authority and Council’s working with their community networks.

It means ensuring when devolution happens with civil society, not simply around or to it. As power moves closer to communities, charities and voluntary organisations must have an equal seat at the table alongside local and regional leaders to ensure strong representation of people and communities.

It means removing barriers in commissioning and procurement practices to ensure charities can partner with the public sector to deliver services that are preventative, collaborative, and person-centred without jeopardising the financial sustainability of their organisation.

And it means continuing to build a culture across government where charities are involved early in policy design and engaged openly and consistently, even when there is disagreement. Not only when consultation or implementation begins.

Behind the scenes, NCVO will continue working hard to ensure the voice of the sector is heard by the new government from the outset. We'll continue making the case for charities of every size, ensuring ministers understand both the challenges organisations face and the enormous contribution they make to communities across the country.

Political leadership may be changing, but our sector’s vital role does not.

We'll keep working to secure the right operating environment for civil society to thrive, and we'll continue helping ensure that charities are recognised not simply for the services they deliver, but as essential partners in building a stronger, fairer and more connected country.

We look forward to collaborating closely with many of you, our sector colleagues, to make the most of the opportunities offered at this key moment of transition.