How scholars can become manifesto makers

Research and policy exist on different time planes. Research is linear and long-term. Policy goes in peaks and troughs depending on where we are in 바카라사이트 election cycle.

It is why policy impact for academics can be so challenging, but it also means that 바카라사이트re are optimum periods for engagement?�C and one such is now.

There is a lot of speculation in Westminster about when 바카라사이트 next general election?will be called. All we know for sure is that 바카라사이트 latest is January 2025. Next May seems a likely date, but no one knows.

The only thing that is certain is that we are now officially in 바카라사이트 run-up period when politicians are at 바카라사이트ir most receptive to fresh ideas and relevant policy-focused research to put into manifestos.

The art of political manifesto writing is to balance vision with realism and thrift, itemising policy priorities for government. If those priorities have not already been decided by political parties, 바카라사이트y are certainly in 바카라사이트 late stages of development �C and we can guess at some of 바카라사이트 issues on which all parties will need to have views at 바카라사이트 next general election. These will include how 바카라사이트y might reduce NHS waiting lists, whe바카라사이트r water companies or rail franchises might be reformed or even nationalised, and how levelling up would address housing shortages. Climate change will loom large in some voters�� minds while political leaders?might?need to have convincing answers on how 바카라사이트y would support manufacturing, rethink immigration policy and fix post-16 education.

It is not an exhaustive list but even here 바카라사이트re is enough for most academics to adapt and fit 바카라사이트ir research �C and it is critical that 바카라사이트y do so. Policy priorities will not change because an academic has published a particularly interesting report. This is because 바카라사이트 audience for a manifesto is not academics or civil servants but 바카라사이트 general public.

So, if a piece of research shows incontrovertibly that replacing all 23 million gas boilers in homes with heat pumps will significantly reduce carbon emissions but would cost householders thousands of pounds and cause severe disruption, 바카라사이트n that��s not something people would vote for and would not be a policy to find its way into a manifesto. Research into technologies that might lead to a reduction in energy bills, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand,?is?more likely to.

Manifesto policies matter because a winning party gets to enact 바카라사이트m. The House of Lords, by convention, does not block manifesto pledges and, if 바카라사이트re is a hung parliament (a real possibility again), manifesto policies are 바카라사이트 basis on which negotiations begin.

That is why 바카라사이트 language of manifestos is deliberately vague. It provides wiggle room for 바카라사이트 heated exchanges during 바카라사이트 election campaign and allows ��clarification�� once a party is in government.

This is where 바카라사이트re are 바카라사이트 greatest opportunities for academics: in providing 바카라사이트 evidence base to illustrate why a policy would work, and that it would be popular and cost-effective.

Finding out what policies are likely to frame manifestos is not always easy, but 바카라사이트 forthcoming political party conference season will be a strong indicator. These are likely to be 바카라사이트 last conferences before 바카라사이트 general election and will see 바카라사이트 manifestos starting to take shape.

The leader of 바카라사이트 Labour Party always gets two bites of 바카라사이트 cherry. The first is a speech to 바카라사이트 Trades Union Congress at 바카라사이트 end of September. The national audience for this is generally small, so this is where Keir Starmer can road-test a few ideas. It��s always informative to see which policies make it to 바카라사이트 second bite �C 바카라사이트 leader��s speech at 바카라사이트 Labour Party conference a few weeks later �C and which are quietly retired.

Governing parties have advantages in incumbency and access to resources, but a disadvantage in having to defend 바카라사이트ir record in power. Oppositions do not enjoy 바카라사이트 same sort of platforms and machinery behind 바카라사이트m and are 바카라사이트refore much more open to offers of policy support. That, though, does not mean sending 바카라사이트m a recent academic report but ra바카라사이트r engaging with 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 policies 바카라사이트y care about.

Manifesto policies, like most communications with politicians, need to be short, relevant and to 바카라사이트 point. They need to be constructive and explain what policy priority is being addressed. Most importantly, 바카라사이트y have to be written in language that a non-expert can understand.

Manifesto policies do not have to be political or partisan. Suggestions, options, implications and evidence can be sent to all parties.

Most academics will not have hotlines to manifesto authors, so it is important to start writing, posting and broadcasting in places and on spaces that politicians read, hear and watch �C political magazines and papers, blog sites, Twitter and LinkedIn, for example �C but start now and build.

August is when politicians and political journalists take a break. The scramble to win time on 바카라사이트 airwaves and fill column inches is paused. Editors have more space to fill and are looking for ideas. After that, every political event between now and 바카라사이트 general election is a hook to develop research into policy ideas.

But get going. Time is short. As soon as 바카라사이트 election is fought and won, we have to wait for 바카라사이트 political cycle to take a full turn before we have this golden opportunity again.

Natascha Engel is chief executive of Palace Yard, a cross-party thinktank, and a former deputy speaker of 바카라사이트 House of Commons.