How is it Britain Can Transition Government in One Day?

Victoria Jones PA, 10 Downing Street London

It always amazes me how fast a British prime minister is moved in and out of the official resident 10 Downing Street. In the recent general election in Britain July 4, 2024, it took one day for Rishi Sunak of the Conservatives to move out and for Sir Keir Starmer of Labour to move in.

Britain is a small country in size compared to Canada and one assumes we don't have that fast transition because in the old days, an MP would be back in their home riding and even if they were the leader with the most seats and their to form a government, they might take days of travel to get to Ottawa. Now, it seems doubtful it would take more than 24 hours for an party leader and future cabinet to not not make it back to Ottawa to be sworn and take up their duties.

Only four times in the last 45 years has there been a change from one party to another in Britain and a one day conversion of 10 Downing Street. In Canada it took 16 days for Trudeau to transition to PM after the Harper government was defeated. Of course, compared to Americans we are unbelievably fast. Even provincial transitions of the same party remains in power take a minimal of a few weeks!

A long transition can lead to problems as the new Wab Kinew government has found. The last PC government tried to slip some major initiatives through that did not have the authority of the new government. This is unacceptable. Still, as we have seen in the U.S., a government in transition must respond to emergencies and threats to security and have the freedom to do it. The legal authority exists in place but as we saw from end of the Trump presidency, many cabinet members decamped and there did not seem to be anyone to ensure a smooth transition.

British prime ministers have been sworn in since 1721. In Canada, it has only been formalized in the last 40 years. The transition time has been said to be good for prime ministers to assess who among their newly elected caucus should be in cabinet. In Britain, the law only allows for 21 paid cabinet members. The finance Lord Chancellor and Attorney-General are paid separately. Canada has 35 ministers who are all paid. Since Trudeau, it has been evenly split between men and women.

In Canada, there has been a tradition of regional top cabinet ministers from each province. The party in power has a chief lieutenant represent the province that doles out the money. Nowadays, this can be a man or a woman in the party. A change of political party for a new government continues the process. The point is that the prime minister appoints people to cabinet who not only can run their portfolio but who also keep the juniors MPs in check and contribute to the power politics of getting things done.

Is it possible to get a PM and cabinet sworn in less than 24 hours in Canada? The answer is yes but a lot of planning has to take place. In Britain, moving vans are hired for whatever outcome. The permanent staff work with the political staff to determine who will be moving into 10 Downing Street in the event of a win and where furnishings of the departing PM will go. The past PM had kids and the incoming PM has kids. Even the kid's bedrooms have to be packed up, cleaned and painted all in short order. The PMs with kids usually choose 12 Downing Street next door which has four bedrooms for their home. Packing up requires an army of staff and a great deal of sensitivity. 

There also needs to a measure of realism. The present and past prime ministers have to rely on staff but have to prepare themselves and family for the whirlwind transition is like following election night. Even while votes are still being counted, both leaders have to prepare for the outcomes. A change of government means that there is no time to sit and think about things. Or help pack and unpack. A visit to the king is in order and then a news conference outside 10 Downing and then throughout the day the new cabinet is sworn in and a cabinet meeting.

The old cabinet is out of their offices just as fast. The reliance on the permanent staff is complete at this time. The party political staff will have been working with the permanent staff for some time about every eventuality.  If Canada was to replicate this, it would require a level of planning requiring of the civil service and political parties not seen before. It is worth keeping in mind that 10 Downing Street is not only a residence but a working office as well. In that, it has more in common with the Whitehouse than the former 24 Sussex Road or Rideau College. The only time news conferences that were held outside Rideau was during Covid. However, at 10 Downing Street, it common practice for the PM to address the people from a podium outside the doors to the house.

In Canada, the Office of the Prime Minister is across the street from the House of Commons in what was known as the Langevin Block. Because of the association of Langevin to residential schools, the name has been dropped. However, the building today is home to the PMO and the Privy Council. The prime minster has two offices inside as well as all his staff.

What most people don't know is that behind 10 Downing Street is 70 Whitehall which is there the Cabinet Office is and that there is a back door to that office where officials can go back and forth. The Cabinet Office has more than 10,000 staff members and are mostly civil servants.

In terms of moving a prime minister into an official residence in Canada, it seems entirely possible to do quickly. But much more advance work would have to be done to know before winning office who the cabinet members would be. Presently, it isn't always obvious that the shadow cabinet or critic portfolios will actually take a ministers job after an election. For the Trudeau cabinet, some ministers have changed jobs at least four or five times. Some were dropped from cabinet with no explanation. Some were elevated to cabinet shortly after election.

Given the problems of a long transition that we have seen even in Manitoba, it would be worthwhile for a committee in federal and provincial legislatures look at a more speedy process of a handover. The old arguments about travel logistics, selecting a staff and a cabinet no longer have nearly the same weight. Even an MP in the far reaches of the country, should be able to get to Ottawa in 24 hours if made a minister. In the meantime, we can only watch Britain in wonder.