![Dr Catherine Haddon](/sites/default/files/styles/wysiwyg_full_width_desktop/public/2022-12/cath-haddon-326x326.jpg?itok=z4FFAIMy)
Catherine Haddon
Programme Director
Cath's recent work
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Winning a general election: what does a new prime minister’s first 72 hours look like?
The first 72 hours as a new prime minister provides an early lesson in how huge the job is and how extensive the demands on their time will be.
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What happens if a prime minister loses their seat in a general election?
At every general election there is a possibility that a party's leader would not be returned to parliament.
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How Angela Rayner operates as deputy prime minister is a core question for Labour
Keir Starmer needs to decide what kind of deputy prime minister he might need in government.
All work
Conservative manifesto plans for the constitution are too reactive and Labour’s too uncertain
Dr Catherine Haddon warns against vague or short-termist constitutional reform.
The row over the Intelligence and Security Committee may require Parliament to review the committee’s role
The delayed publication of the ISC’s report underlines the need for a fundamental rethink of how Parliament scrutinises intelligence.
Costings of opposition policies are legitimate – but not during an election campaign
The decision by the Cabinet Secretary to refuse the publication of Treasury costings of opposition policies was inevitably controversial.
How the civil service prepares for a general election
This explainer considers the preparation the civil service undertakes during an election period.
How political parties prepare for government
Alongside campaigning for office, political parties also undertake other preparation for what they will do if they win an election and get into power.
Breaking the Brexit impasse through a general election is easier said than done
What options are available to the prime minister to secure a pre-Christmas general election?
Access talks with the civil service
Access talks are meetings between the civil service and opposition parties, held in the run-up to a general election.
It is right for the Queen to consider her possible role in the Brexit showdown
It is entirely appropriate for Buckingham Palace to be seeking advice on how and when a monarch could dismiss a prime minister.
Forming a caretaker government is far more complicated than just choosing a prime minister
Installing an interim alternative to Boris Johnson would only be the first challenge for opposition parties.
Damian Hinds
Damian Hinds talks about his experience of different ministerial ranks and getting his dream job in government.