Labour leader Chris Hipkins is travelling to the United Kingdom this week, including to meet with members of the newly installed British Labour Government.

It provides an opportunity for Hipkins to discuss the party’s “direction with other policymakers” as Labour considers its platform for the next election.

That’s not too unlike National leader, and now Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon heading overseas in his first year as Leader of the Opposition to hear about policy ideas.

Hipkins, whose trip will be funded through the taxpayer-funded leader’s fund, will attend the UK Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool. While there, he will take part in panel discussions and speaking events, Labour said.

“The UK Labour conference presents a great opportunity to meet with my British counterparts while also attending some of the hundreds of events and discussions that take place on the sidelines of the conference,” Hipkins said.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

He will also meet with members of think-tanks, economists and writers in Liverpool and London. Hipkins will return to New Zealand on October 1.

“As the New Zealand Labour Party undertakes its policy-making process, this the perfect time to take stock of what is happening internationally and discuss our direction with other policymakers,” the Labour leader said.

The British Labour Government, which took power in July, is has a turbulent start to its reign, having to respond to anti-immigration riots and also facing backlash for its decision to cut winter energy payments.

Under Parliament’s Speaker’s Directions, the Leader of the Opposition can have the costs of their international travel and accommodation services funded up to a maximum of $150,000 per term.

In 2022, Luxon visited London to discuss policy initiatives. A number of his meetings with ministers were scrapped, however, due to a mass resignation in protest of then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.