Election 24: writing a new story for Britain

Political ideas and governing principles are moulded in the heat of election campaigns. They are tested and formed into the foundation of governing. Elections may provide voters the opportunity to set the direction, but campaigns also give political leaders a chance to tell a new story.

For all the political drama of the last five years, there has been a sense of half-finished verse, the discarded doodles of a picture never fully finished. Whether it’s Boris Johnson and levelling up or Lizz Truss’s attempt at free-market Britain, all have felt like visions of a future that never was.

Today, as Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer tour the country, there is a chance for a new story to emerge, for either of them to set out a new way to govern.

At the UCL Policy Lab, we’ve always strived to blend extraordinary ideas with everyday experiences. This boils down to a belief that no matter how significant the issue, it will take more than one individual or institution to meet the moment. That alongside political leadership and cutting-edge ideas, it will require ordinary people to deliver on the promise of change.

In the coming weeks, ordinary people will determine Britain's future, not just at the ballot box but also beyond the election as the country seeks to tackle the challenges it faces.

It's why we’ll focus on bringing you our mix of experts, ideas, extraordinary people, and incredible places working to meet the challenges of modern Britain. We won’t just discuss who's up and who’s down, but also the story they’re seeking to tell.

In the week before the election was called, the UCL Policy Lab, The Future Governance Forum, Power to Change, and Citizens UK brought together political leaders, thinkers, business people, and civic society for Britain Renewed, an international conference that mapped out a new way of governing, one that places respect for ordinary people at its heart. We heard from those working to design a government to serve working people.

These ideas and stories are waiting to be told. Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll bring them together to forge new connections that can help craft a new chapter in our politics. 

From sluggish growth to NHS waiting lists, instability abroad, and insecurity at home, these issues will all require a collective effort.  Although they may seem large, it’s easy to forget how often communities across the country have met moments of challenge with a sense of love and service to one another.

From COVID to support for Ukraine and those fleeing war, Britain has shown they can pull together in a spirit of shared services. Whatever story emerges in the coming weeks, that spirit of service will be needed more than ever.