The New Cabinet and Westbourne's View of What This Means for Business

The post-GE 2015 Cameron Cabinet

Plus Labours Shadow Cabinet, and Westbournes view of what

this Government with a small majority means for business

1

The Conservatives are governing alone with a tiny

majority.

Regional politics is now a strong feature of UK

politics, not just between Scotland and England, but

between English regions too.

This means governments can no longer act from the

Cabinet table and Number 10. They need coalitions of

support to get things done, and we will likely see the

legislative agenda dominated by issues on which

there is some consensus.

2

Camerons Cabinet

3

David Cameron MP: Prime Minister

George Osborne MP:

Chancellor and First Secretary of State

Theresa May MP: Home Secretary

Philip Hammond MP:

Foreign SecretaryMichael Fallon MP:

Defence Secretary

Iain Duncan Smith MP: Work and Pensions Secretary

Mark Harper MP: Chief Whip

Chris Grayling MP:

Leader of the House of Commons

Michael Gove MP:

Justice SecretaryNicky Morgan MP:

Education SecretaryBaroness Stowell:

Leader of the House of Lords

Amber Rudd MP:

Energy and Climate Change Secretary

Sajid Javid MP: Business Secretary

John Whittingdale MP:

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Robert Halfon MP:

Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party

Priti Patel MP: Minister of State for Employment

Boris Johnson MP:

Minister without Portfolio

Patrick McLoughlin MP:

Transport Secretary

Liz Truss MP: Environment Secretary

Anna Soubry MP: Minister of State for Small

Business

Jeremy Hunt MP: Health Secretary

Greg Clark MP: Secretary of State for Communities

and Local Government

Theresa Villiers MP:

Northern Ireland Secretary

Justine Greening MP:

International Development Secretary

Matt Hancock MP:

Minister of State for Cabinet Office

Oliver Letwin MP:

Minister for the Cabinet Office

Stephen Crabb MP: Welsh Secretary

David Mundell MP:

Scotland Secretary

Greg Hands MP: Chief Secretary to the

Treasury

Blue = new to

role

Black = no

change

The temporary Shadow Cabinet

5

Harriet Harman MP:

acting Labour leaderChris Leslie MP: shadow

Chancellor

Shabana Mahmood MP:

shadow Chief Secretary

Hilary Benn MP: shadow Foreign Secretary

Yvette Cooper MP:

shadow Home Secretary

Rosie Winterton MP:

shadow Chief WhipVernon Coaker MP:

shadow Defence Secretary

Rachel Reeves MP:

shadow Work and Pensions Secretary

Angela Eagle MP:

shadow Leader of the House of Commons

Lord Falconer: shadow Justice Secretary

Tristram Hunt MP:

shadow Education Secretary

Baroness Royall of

Blaisdon: shadow Leader of the House of Lords

Chuka Umunna MP:

shadow Business Secretary

Caroline Flint MP: shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary

Chris Bryant MP:

shadow Culture Secretary

Andy Burnham MP:

shadow Health Secretary

Emma Reynolds MP:

shadow Communities Secretary

Michael Dugher MP:

shadow Transport Secretary

Ivan Lewis MP: shadow Northern Ireland

Secretary

Mary Creagh MP: shadow International Development

Secretary

Ian Murray MP: shadow Scotland Secretary

Owen Smith MP: shadow Welsh Secretary

Maria Eagle MP: shadow Environment Secretary

Lucy Powell MP: shadow Cabinet Office Minister

Jon Trickett MP: shadow Minister without Portfolio

and Deputy Party Chair

Gloria de Piero MP:

shadow Women and Equalities Minister

Lord Bassam of Brighton:

shadow Leader of the House of Lords

Liz Kendall MP: shadow Care and Older People

Minister

Lord Bach: shadow Attorney General

Blue = new to

role

Black = no

change

The new politics puts new demands

on businesses seeking to have their

voices heard

Page 8

What can this Government, with its small majority, achieve

and what does this mean for you?

What can a weak Government achieve?

What does this mean for business?

Tax and spend

The Government can tax and spend once it has passed a Budget

You will need more than good arguments to engage with the Budget you will need to demonstrate leadership and build wide coalitions of support inside and outside Parliament

Legislation and reform

A weak Government will find it difficult to pass new laws on anything controversial

You will need to understand what can be done within existing legislation, and what reforms can be passed without Parliamentary approval. Relationships with senior civil servants, regulators, the EU and devolved powers are crucial

Exertingpressure

Without legislation, the success or failure of policies could hinge on the ability of ministers to exert informal pressure

You will need strong relationships and coalitions of support to help Government pull levers of control

Backbench activity

Backbench activism will become more important as small numbers of Conservative MPs have the ability to block legislation and set the agenda

Working with groups of backbenchers on their own debates and bills will grow in importance, as will your ability to relate your priorities to MPsconstituents priorities

The Conservative Governments small majority will make it harder for the

Cabinet to pass controversial legislation, empowering backbenchers

Page 9

Reduce the deficit

Devolution to city regions

HS2

House building

Extra cash for the NHS

More spending on childcare

The Scottish settlement

English votes for English laws

First Past the Post

House of Lords

The EU referendum

There will be a greater emphasis on policies where consensus across Parliament

can be achieved

There are also a number of major unresolved issues

facing the country that the Government will struggle to

lead on

Whatever your priorities, you will be competing with any array of strong and

organised voices trying to set the agenda, as will the Government

Page 10

Green taxes, corporate

taxes and higher public

spending

Lower taxes and weaker EU

involvement

More powers for Scotland,

Wales and Northern Ireland

and fewer cuts across the UK

Communities against

infrastructure with the

support of local MPs

Overall, we will also see more high-profile decisions

made away from the Cabinet table

Page 11

New combined authorities could become

the testing ground for innovation

Business needs a louder voice in

Brussels and with politicians losing

control, Whitehall civil servants and

regulators will also grow in power

Any business and public affairs professional needs

to respond to the new environment of weaker

Government and stronger backbenchers.

This is the new normal.

Conclusion

Page 13

Westbourne believes

you must build your

own broad coalitions

Government can no

longer act without

partners and

supporters delivered

by you

Westbourne believes

you must

demonstrate

leadership and take

a view

With a wide array of

voices competing to

be heard, you must

be part of the big

debates shaping our

politics

Engage with new

centres of political

power

A successful

communications

strategy must

include engagement

with the new centres

of political power

international,

regional and local