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You’re also a break from the norm in another way – the first modern PM to have had experience at the top of government without having been an MP or a minister. You and your Chief of Staff, Sue Gray, know your way around Whitehall, but as any PM will tell you the complexities of No 10 will still present demands that will be exciting but challenging.
First things first, you’ll make the journey from Labour HQ to the Palace and be asked by the King to form a Government. It’s a short ride across London, but the journey will stick with you for a lifetime. After that comes a shorter journey that may feel even longer, up the Mall and down Whitehall to No 10. Then it’s your first speech to the nation as PM. The crowds may not be there like they were in 1997, but as with Tony Blair then, and David Cameron in 2010, what you say will set the tone for your term in Government.
Once the famous black door swings open, it’s down to business. This is when the magnitude of it will probably hit you. The first briefing from the Cabinet Secretary; the meeting with your new close protection officers; the letters to the commanders of the nuclear submarines – it’s a lot for even the most experienced politician to take in.
You’ll have a few days to iron out who in your team does what, but the top jobs around the Cabinet table can’t wait. While you’ll have planned it out beforehand, there will be gaps to fill and other important roles – including your Parliamentary Private Secretary – will need to be confirmed quickly. Your Chief of Staff, Chief Whip and campaign chief will all be your side – make the most of them.
As you work your way down the list, your new Cabinet ministers will be absorbing the scale of their own briefs. They’ll be whisked straight into ministerial cars and into their new departments. This won’t just be a meet and greet with their new Permanent Secretary and Private Office. They’ll get a formal briefing pack with decisions required right now, in a month and in a year. There’ll be a view from officials on how to make manifesto commitments a reality, but also an outline of pressing challenges facing the department. For some folk coming into departments where spending has been tight, this will be a sobering experience.
By Saturday morning, you may finally have caught a bit of kip. But that won’t be down at your new grace-and-favour home at Chequers – your predecessor will be there tying up a few loose ends. As he contemplates his future, you’ll need to crack on with other ministerial appointments. As you’ll find a lot from now on, you’re the one that needs to make the final decision. You’ll also find yourself fielding congratulatory phone calls from foreign leaders; the Downing Street switchboard will soon be top of your incoming call list.
Come Tuesday, Parliament will be back. You’ll want to meet all new Labour MPs soon to cement their loyalty – we had our first meeting in 1997 the Tuesday or Wednesday after the election. You’ve got a big summit in DC on 8th July which will take you off the pitch for a bit, but there will be a lot to get done back at base. There’s a King’s Speech due on 17th July, and the First Reading of new Bills follows that quickly. It’ll be hell for leather to get the drafts done in time for your first big speech to Parliament, the opening of the debate on the Speech. Spare a thought for your hard-working parliamentary unit in No 10 – this won’t be the last time you’ll have reason to thank them.
After that, things will start to feel more normal – or as normal as they will ever be from now on. But don’t forget to keep nurturing the relationships that got you to this point, including in the business community. They’ll need to be clear on what they put in front of you and your ministers – their priorities, what they’ve got to offer, and where they can collaborate by sector or region. But make an effort to keep the conversation going, whether it’s through the new investment summit you’re planning or moments already on CEO calendars, like party conference and the CBI’s annual gathering in November. Their success will be your success – and crucial if you’re to walk back into No 10 come 2029.