🎯 One story, one statistic, one ask

We’re running a Policy Unstuck Live on Thursday 29th May at 12:30pm UK with the United Kingdom’s former Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Gillian Keegan.

I’ll be joined by Sarah Murray, Head of Politics and Public Affairs at Save the Children, and Reza Schwitzer, Director of External Affairs at AQA, in asking Gillian what it’s really like being a senior minister—and what the lessons are for those trying to influence them. We have the added benefit that Reza was formerly a civil servant in the UK Department for Education, so—hopefully—we’ll get views from both sides of the coin.

You can register for the event {HERE}. I hope to see you there.
—Tom

Boris Johnson is exactly the same in private

Boris Johnson's public persona matched his private working style–charming and humorous. His larger-than-life personality wasn’t an act. He had an extraordinary instinct for public sentiment but he had little interest in the details. Substantive preparation ahead of media or keynote appearances rarely interested him. 

He was, however, very conscious of how he came across stylistically. He had a great trick of re-hashing the same joke at multiple events but delivered in a way that made the audience think he had just come up with it on the spot. He approached leadership like a CEO: setting the tone from the top, projecting optimism, and leaving the machinery of policy and delivery to others.

Policy thinkers are meant to challenge, but really they follow

The Westminster bubble creates policy echo chambers which can mean opportunities, including really disruptive ideas, are ignored in favour of safer, more familiar recommendations. The same people see each other all the time. Meetings with government by day, think tank/agency drinks by night… It reinforces groupthink.

We continuously debate the big challenges facing the UK and too often choose to avoid standing out from the crowd with a bold idea. In my experience, this often leads to numerous policy groups coming up with similar and heavily caveated recommendations, motivated by a fear that they will be isolated if they do things differently. 

Stakeholders want a partner, not a lecturer

It is crucial to build a clear picture of your stakeholder’s aims and needs as part of your stakeholder mapping process. Then build the evidence and messages that align with their specific goals. 

Approach them with transparency and position yourself as a partner, not a lecturer. Communicate how the delivery of your aim helps them achieve theirs. You’ve got to communicate your approach as a mutually-beneficial initiative that can lead to something tangible.

One story, one stat, one ask

We go in with one story, one stat, and one ask, and we tailor all three to the minister’s current brief. If you secure time with a minister, the most you’ll likely get is an hour, and that’s usually as part of a broader roundtable. A one-to-one meeting is rare, and even then, you’re looking at 30 minutes at best. 

Ministers are often interested in photo ops or site visits–things that help show how active they are. So it’s crucial to stand out and have something to offer them. We’re always clear about our organisation’s niche and the unique perspective we bring, representing micro-sized firms and startups, voices that often aren’t heard at the table.

Your brand positioning matters.

[Read a former minister’s reflections on what they want from external organisations]

Don’t flood ministers with details

Ministers’ heads are full of 100-plus things a day, so less is more. Don’t flood them with policy details, it’ll go in one ear and out the other. Align your pitch with their manifesto commitments, and convert your evidence into a concise, compelling story that shows how you can help them deliver.

And we avoid policy jargon; plain language always lands better.

Getting ministerial cut-through

We often look for overlap with departmental impact metrics or current select committee inquiries to show immediate relevance. But sometimes you simply aren’t seen as a priority stakeholder on a policy matter.

Ministers tend to focus on those who are aligned with their departmental goals, for example, favouring voices like trade unions and/or charities over business groups. In those cases, the best route is through departmental business engagement or external affairs teams. Build relationships with them first. They’re the gateway to ministerial access, and senior-level departmental policy leads.

It’s not enough to have the right policy idea

We treat it like any relationship: regular check-ins, useful briefings, and credit where it’s due. It’s not enough to have the right policy points or narrative, you need to build an ongoing rapport with your target stakeholder and show you understand what matters to them. Most of the time, you're asking people to do something outside their job description, so you have to make it easy, relevant, and related to their priorities.

Regardless of who your stakeholder is, focus on crafting a clear, compelling narrative that captures your ask succinctly. Spend time on shaping the story - then be ready with follow-up detail to show you’ve done the work. Narratives open the door and well-prepared answers help you walk through it.

Effective campaigns take time and persistence

Effective policy influence starts with a clear, tightly defined objective; something you can explain in a single, unambiguous line. But clarity isn’t enough on its own. Campaigning takes time and persistence. You often have to repeat your argument until you’re tired of hearing it yourself before it starts to land. Real impact takes focus and staying power.

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