What Impact Will A New Government Have On Our Industry?

With a resounding win for the Labour party at the general election earlier this month, the UK now has a new government in place and one that is promising change. So what might that change look like within our industry? 

In their pre-election campaigning, the Labour party focussed largely on what they referred to as a ‘mission-led’ approach to government, stating that their emphasis was firmly on long-term solutions rather than short-term fixes. Key priorities in their manifesto included a new strategy for transport, measures to turn the UK into a ‘clean energy superpower’, as well as widespread planning reform.

The King’s Speech on 17th July will doubtless reveal the extent to which these promises are going to be dealt with, as many will require new or revised legislation in order to effect change. In the short term, new legislation is expected to be announced for both energy initiatives and rail reform in order that they are able to kick start their ambitious plans.

Within Keir Starmer’s new cabinet are a number of ministers who have previously pledged their support to improving our nation’s infrastructure. Rachel Reeves, the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, is a former Bank of England economist who played a key role in the shadow cabinet helping form Labour’s economic policy and industrial strategy. 

At the Labour party conference in October 2023, she committed a Labour government to speeding up the planning for all critically important infrastructure projects by updating all national policy statements within six months of taking office. With the clock now ticking, many will be hoping that this pledge will come to fruition in order to accelerate the progress of many projects that have stalled in recent months (and years).

In a positive sign that she does intend to move forward with pace, in her first speech as Chancellor, Rachel Reeves announced that Labour would end the “absurd” restrictions on new wind farms, saying that decisions should be made nationally rather than locally. In future, the government will consult on whether large wind farms are to be designated nationally significant infrastructure projects, in which case the newly appointed energy secretary, Ed Miliband, would be responsible for their sign off rather than local councils having their say.

Her announcement was received very positively by both environmentalists and energy experts who have been vocal in the need for immediate action to tackle the climate crisis and find ways of delivering clean energy as well as increasing Britain’s energy independence. As well as the obvious environmental benefits, delivering on climate goals will result in lower energy bills and support high-skilled jobs in this sector, meaning a positive outcome for all.