Election - what on earth? Explain to me please!

[HollyMollyDolly]

Ok this is quite embarrassing!

I've recently joined the Civil Service at the grand age of 35 and there's been a lot of talk about the election. So far, I've managed to excuse myself from the conversations because I have 0 idea what is happening.

I struggle a bit with anxiety so tend to avoid the news and I've never understood politics but now it seems I need to.

Can someone please explain to me, in stupid person terms, what's actually going on and why Rishi Sunaks latest announcement is a big deal?

Rishi said when talking about the election something about all they’ve ‘achieved’ (in a proud way). He didn’t specify but I’d love to know what those things are

A Civil Servant thinks there is a General Election every year?
Oh Dear

Funnelling public money into their and their mate's private investments springs to mind

Fair enough about postal votes but what are you on about re cheap flights? You do realise people book holidays in advance?

Yes he seems particularly pleased with himself about that.

Sorry, I didn't mean you had. I meant other comments from other people.

Thank you, will have a look!

Thank you, this is really helpful. I'll have a look now.

Indeed!! Labour do need Scottish Votes to potentially oust the Tories in the whole UK

The first week of the Scottish Holidays, when holidays are cheaper before the rest of the UK schools come on holiday is definitely a Tory manipulation tactic

More of them are likely to be Labour supporters and with so many people now having to sign up for a postal ballot, and the accompanying paperwork and staff to deal with it, never mind the post office being inundated with completed ballot forms with all the risks that will occur for lost votes - or ballot papers not received back in time, it will be a nightmare

I do have a postal vote - had it for years, but it WILL be an issue for many

Just catching up on my lunch break.

Thank you again to the helpful comments, I'll be working through links and suggestions this evening.

For the people asking how I managed a CS role - not once was I asked during any area of my recruitment process a single politics related question. Most likely because my views and understanding (or lack of) on politics have absolutely no baring on my ability to do my job. Although, I am told it isn't a section of any CS application, regardless of grade.

I posted here because I was aware my knowledge was lacking and thought this would be a good place to start, as my googling so far has just been confusing. I do hope that if the people posting snarky responses ever want to increase their knowledge on a particular area, whether they should have known it in the womb or not, are not met with people like themselves who just want to be unhelpful and make someone feel like shit for wanting to better themselves.

@HollyMollyDolly this place is a nightmare for people, often themselves ill-informed, getting snarkey.

There is usually a general election every 4 years or so. You decide which political party you think is best to run the UK and vote for the MP from that party in your area. You need to be registered to vote in your area.

I’m an ex-civil servant who worked directly for a cabinet minister under a Labour govt, OP.

Civil servants are expected to be apolitical at work - ie not on any one party’s side. However, they are part of the machinery of how stuff gets done so should have awareness of how government works.

civil servants can be affected by changes in government, depending on their roles.

my old boss does the same job now as he did when I worked with him but he personally disagrees with everything the current govt stands for.

(People not knowing how it works/not voting is part of the reason we are in such a mess.)

Which is really a perversion of the system.

You should choose the person who you think will best represent your constituencies needs in parliament, regardless of their party.

The fact we don't is another reason we are in this mess. How many people have seen their MP deliberately vote against the interests of their own constituents ?

Admittedly there is "the bigger picture". However it seems the bigger picture seems to revolve around paying more tax for less service.

@HollyMollyDolly Others have explained it in clear general terms, so not going to repeat what has been said. Except to clarify someone else's response about timings in Elections. An election can be called at any time at all, and no minimum time has to elapse after a previous election - but it has to be called absolutely NO later than 5 years after the last one. As the last election was held in December 2019, one had to be called sometime this year.

But how it will affect you, in your day to day job will depend on exactly what your role actually is. It's not a silly question if you don't know the answer, especially if you suffer from anxiety.

Work may be dropped until after the election, additional work may be needed, legislation will be paused and above everything else, people have to be VERY careful not to say anything of a 'sensitive' nature or anything which might impact on the result of the Election until after the results are in

But, as I've already said, it might not impact you very much, depending what you do.

Civil servants are defined as politically impartial, appointed officials of the UK Home Civil Service, which supports the work of the UK's central government departments. This includes agencies that employ civil servants such as executive agencies, non-ministerial departments and some non-departmental public bodies.14

Those working in the Parliament are not classed as Civil Servants and their work could be greatly impacted with a change of Minister they work for etc.

I worked in different departments of the Civil Service, over many years. It didn't impact at all when working in various areas dealing with members of the public (think something like paying out benefits, Or other things like working in an IT department). On the other hand, working in a policy job was more impacted, depending on the stage of the policy, whether legislation is in the middle of being drafted etc. etc.

If you're still not sure, I suggest you ask your line manager whether it is likely to impact the work you are doing? I wouldn't suggest to them that you know nothing about Elections. Just a simple - is this going to affect what I do for the next 6 weeks? But you may be able to work that out for yourself, without showing how much you don't know!

Good Luck

I think some people think civil servants all work at Westminster and are therefore shocked that you don't need to be knowledgeable about politics.
I left the civil service 25 + years ago, but we all used to laugh about the public picturing us all in pin stripe suits and bowler hats.

This hasn't really been the case in over 50 years.

Scotland voted Labour (in terms of single largest vote block) throughout the 70's and 80's and ended up with Tory governments. Blair's three election wins would still have returned Labour majorities without a single Scottish vote.

It's more the case that Scotland gets a Labour Government when England just so happens to vote for a Labour Government as well, which is what happened with Attlee and Wilson's terms.

It’s not a requirement. I didn’t get asked, I couldn’t give a damn about politics and still don’t.

Hope you get some helpful answers OP.

To answer your direct question, no, it doesn't happen the same time each year. The current government's term ends in January so an election had to be called before the end of January (probably a specific date that I can't recall, so we'll call it January).

I think the expectation was that he would call it for later in the year however they don't like calling elections when people are on holiday, and when the evenings get dark as it can affect the numberof people bothering to vote for various reasons.

So, the extra clucking now is because it is soon, not because it is unexpected. There is further clucking due to the state of the economy, the fact that the polls show a particular swing, the country is in a mess (arguably caused by the Conservative party), and that Rishi has timed it at the split second the economy starts to show signs of improving despite the fact that they ballsed it up in the first place.

And of course, since we have 24 hour news these days, they have to show something. Personally, I think the Post Office inquiry is far more news worthy. Then again, with the state of politics at the moment, watching paint dry would also be more engaging.

@HollyMollyDolly This is my advice, for what it's worth. Say to anyone who starts asking you what you think:

"Oh, I don't talk about politics at work".

How does the cunning Scotland/holiday plan affect Labour voting but not the other parties in Scotland?

Absolutely this. Surely this can't be genuine.

This might be too high brow!

Well you have every right to be similarly annoyed as the Scots.

But why would John Sweeney et al complain on behalf of NI when they have no responsibility for NI folk? Seems a bit unfair to me, tbh

Seeing as this thread is educational for me, plase allow any non civil servants to be educated also.

You DO NOT get asked about your political views OR understanding at interview.

I've actually asked a colleague in recruitment to clarify the process at grades above mine. The application and interview questions are based entirely on your personal experiences/strengths/behaviours that the panel feel link into the job description/role. You are not allowed to be asked anything that could allow the panel to be biased towards you, whether this be your political views, whether you are married or anything else that is not in the slightest way going to affect your day to day role.

Some roles do require assessments at application, but these are generally numerical, verbal or for some grades, they're psychometric tests. They don't ask you who was running the country in 2002 and/or test your knowledge on the voting system.

The repeated questions of how I could possibly be a Civil Servant without knowing what Rishi Sunak ate for his breakfast are tiresome.