Starmer requests access to start preparations for possible change in government
ITV News' Deputy Political Editor Anushka Asthana has been following Sir Keir Starmer closely over the last three months
Sir Keir Starmer has written to the head of the civil service to request the start of access talks designed to prepare officials for a possible change in government, ITV News can reveal.
We understand that the Cabinet Secretary - Simon Case - received a letter from the Labour leader within the past few hours and that talks are likely to start by the end of the month.
It comes after Sir Keir told me that he had asked his shadow cabinet to start making decisions now, rather than in the first 100 days of government.
When I asked him if that meant they were acting as if they would be in government by the end of the year, Sir Keir replied: "Yes."
"Obviously, what I don't want to do is be complacent - every vote has to be earned, but at the same time, we will not be forgiven if we're not ready."
The comments came as I followed the Labour leader around the country - with exclusive behind the scenes access - for ITV's Tonight programme.
I saw him backstage at Labour party conference in October, as he waited for the biggest speech of his political career, on his way to the Emirates to watch his beloved Arsenal, after the King's speech, in Dubai at Cop28, and as he criss-crossed the country campaigning for votes.
During my time with Sir Keir, he told me:
That he did not have a burning ambition to make David Beckham, or his equivalent today, earn less. Saying "no", he did not want to take more money from the super rich and redistribute it to the poor. "That is not how I want to grow the economy," he said, arguing redistribution is not the "one word answer for millions of people across the country".
That he does not mind that some voters think he is boring (as a focus group of 2019 Tory voters we commissioned suggests) arguing that people did not come up to him in the street and ask to be entertained.
That he lies awake worrying about how to protect his children if he does become prime minister. "They're teenagers... It's in the job description of a 16-year-old to do stupid things," he told me. I asked about politicians' kids being the focus of news stories in the past. "Yeah. But it's going to happen. I mean, they wouldn't be normal teenagers if they didn't do something stupid at some point."
A Labour source told me that Sir Keir wanted to start civil service access talks so his party could be "focused on hitting the ground running if we are lucky enough to get elected".
Last week, Rishi Sunak said he was happy for talks to start, so the letter from Sir Keir is now expected to start the process by the end of the month.
Meetings would typically take place between Simon Case and Sir Keir directly but also between permanent secretaries - the most senior civil servants in departments - and the relevant shadow ministers.
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Alex Thomas - programme director at the Institute for Government - told me these talks are taken very seriously by the civil service.
"It is good these are happening, it is the right time to happen," said Mr Thomas, adding it is important they are private discussions.
"As well as important for the opposition to prepare for government, it is important for the civil service to show it can serve parties of different colours."
He said the focus for officials would still remain on the government of the day, but added: "This is their moment to build a relationship person who might be their boss."
Tonight: Keir Starmer - Up Close will air on ITV1 on Thursday, January 18 at 8:30pm.
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