![The door at No. 10 Downing Street.](/sites/default/files/styles/16_9_desktop/public/2023-12/downing-street-door-left-angle-2880px.jpg?h=807398fe&itok=U9jnes1R)
Preparing for Power podcast series
This six-part series takes you behind the scenes to find out how our politicians, their advisers and officials get ready for being in government.
Episodes
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Preparing for Power – Episode 1: Access talks
Harriet Harman and Gus O'Donnell reveal how they prepared for that all-important election result and its aftermath.
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Preparing for Power – Episode 2: The civil service
Five former permanent secretaries reveal how they readied themselves and their departments for a potential change in their political bosses.
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Preparing for Power - Episode 3: The opposition
Jonathan Powell, Harriet Harman, Gus O’Donnell and Oliver Letwin reveal how they got ready for the possibility of a change of government.
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Preparing for Power – Episode 4: The governing party
Oliver Letwin, Harriet Harman, Gus O'Donnell and Nick Macpherson reveal how they approached the work of government during an election campaign.
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Preparing for Power – Episode 5: Making manifestos
Former civil servants who were asked to turn manifesto pledges into workable policy reveal the inside story of this key part of an election campaign.
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Preparing for Power – Episode 6: First days in government
Ed Balls, Jonathan Powell, Gus O'Donnell and Harriet Harman tell us what happens in the first days, weeks and months of a new government.
What we talk about in this series
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Seven things we learned from the Preparing for Power podcast
The general election campaign will dominate the coming months – but time and energy must be spent on preparing for what comes after.
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Preparing a shadow ministerial team for office
What the last two changes of government tell us about effective transitions.