Shortly after taking office, David Cameron embarked on a much-publicised 'bonfire of the quangos' - a mission to abolish more than 100 independent government bodies he deemed redundant.
Keir Starmer, on the other hand, clearly sees a place for them: Labour has announced plans to set up more than a dozen.
The number of non-departmental public bodies has been declining for decades and currently stands at around 300, down from around 700 in 2010 when Cameron took power. In the 1970s there were just 2,000.
"At the peak of executive agencies in the late 1990s, there's a paper that suggests three-quarters of civil servants were in agencies of this type," said Matthew Gill, program director at the Institute for Government. "That was the point at which you had the bonfire of quangos led by Cameron and Francis Maude. But the cost reductions that came from that were small compared to the reduction in numbers."
The Public Administration Commission warned in 2011 that the 'bonfire' had been poorly managed and had failed to achieve its key objectives of cost savings and improved accountability.
Gill said Starmer's plans for a raft of new public bodies reflected his style of governing. "He likes to recruit experts or people with experience in particular areas of work, for example the new prisons minister, James Timpson."
Related: Labour MPs to receive book on the 'enormous suffering' caused by Conservative Party welfare reform
Some of the new bodies will be formed by merging existing entities. Others will carry out specific functions within priority policy areas, such as investing in green energy and enforcing workers' rights.
The Guardian takes a look at the announced versions.
GB Energy
The most high-profile of Starmer's new public bodies, GB Energy, is a centrepiece of his policy agenda. It is a public company that will invest in green energy projects and help build clean energy supply chains in the UK. The government has committed £8.3bn in funding and has begun the legislative process to set it up.
Border Security Command
Within two days of Labour winning the general election, Border Security Command was established, a new immigration enforcement agency that brings together police, security services and the National Crime Agency to tackle cross-Channel smuggling gangs.
Skills England
The Starmer government's key skills policy is to create a new agency charged with tackling skills shortages in England. Led by former Co-op chief Richard Pennycook, the agency will work with employers, the Migration Advisory Committee, trade unions and the Industrial Strategy Council. It will also lead reform of the apprenticeship levy.
Industrial Strategy Council
Labour's manifesto promises to establish an Industrial Strategy Council with representation from all countries and regions, as well as businesses and trade unions. The stated aim is to stimulate growth and end short-term economic policies. This is part of the government's plans for an industrial strategy.
National Authority for Infrastructure and Service Transformation
Two existing public bodies - the National Infrastructure Commission and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority - are being merged to create a powerful new authority. The aim of this new National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority is to support major infrastructure projects and is part of the government's plans to boost construction in the UK.
Passenger Standards Authority
Labour will create a "tough" rail passenger watchdog to improve standards on Britain's rail network. The Passenger Standards Authority will independently monitor standards and seek to improve performance, the manifesto says.
Related: Not in the minister's backyard: is Starmer's cabinet in favour of housing plans?
Office for Regulatory Innovation
Described as a regulator for regulators, the new office is intended to bring together existing government functions and foster innovation in regulation across all sectors. The Regulatory Innovation Office will "accelerate approval times and coordinate issues that cross existing boundaries," the manifesto says.
National Jobs and Careers Service
The Department for Work and Pensions, led by Liz Kendall, has begun the process of combining the Jobcentre Plus network with the National Careers Service, merging two existing public bodies into one. The focus of the revamped Jobs and Careers Service will be on tackling economic inactivity by focusing on careers advice rather than a crackdown on benefits.
Fair Labor Agency
As part of the government's plans to strengthen workers' rights, a single enforcement agency will be established: the Fair Work Agency. It will enforce rights to holiday pay, sick pay and parental leave. Angela Rayner has said it will have the power to issue fines, inspect workplaces, bring civil proceedings and prosecute.
Ethics and Integrity Committee
Particularly spurred on by the series of scandals involving Conservative politicians under recent prime ministers, Labour has decided to establish an Ethics and Integrity Commission, with an independent chair, to safeguard the integrity of the government.
Committee on the Modernisation of the House of Commons
Another new body mentioned in Labour's election manifesto, the Modernisation Commission, will attempt to mirror some of the Commons' "arcane procedures and outdated ways of working" to help MPs better serve their constituents. It will be tasked with reforming procedures and raising standards.
Negotiating body for school support staff
Labour has pledged to reinstate one of the bodies abolished by Cameron's quangos bonfire: the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB). The reconstituted SSSNB would become the negotiating body for teaching assistants, cleaners, caretakers, technicians, catering staff and other school support staff.
Independent football regulator
In plans adopted by the last Conservative government, Labour has pledged to pass a Football Governance Bill that would establish an independent football regulator, overseeing men's football clubs in England's top five and seeking to ensure their financial sustainability.