With a majority of 85 seats and counting, Labour will lead the next government, with Sir Keir Starmer becoming prime minister
Just as the polls have predicted for months, Labour have ousted the incumbent Conservative government of 14 years, with a whopping 85 seat win majority- and five still to be called.
The Labour manifesto promised clean energy by 2030, to invest £6.6bn in energy effiency improvements across existing homes- and to deliver 1.5m new homes by the next parliament.
The Conservative Party has lost over two thirds of its MPs, with names such as Jacob Rees-Mogg, Mark Harper and Liz Truss now out of Parliament.
Incoming prime minister Keir Starmer was jubilant at the results, stating that “Change begins now.”
Labour win “a monumental moment for the UK”
RIBA President Muyiwa Oki said: “This is a monumental moment for the UK – and an opportunity for Labour to prove it will deliver on the changes it has committed to.
“Its manifesto doesn’t have all the answers, but it shows ambition – not least to tackle the housing crisis by boosting the delivery of high-quality homes and fixing our broken planning system.
“The time for bold, decisive action to deliver a safer, greener and more equitable built environment is now.
“We look forward to working together over the coming years – bringing architects’ expertise to the table to solve the complex challenges our country faces.”
Gillian Charlesworth, CEO of the Building Research Establishment (BRE), commented on the result of the election earlier today:
“I want to congratulate the Prime Minister and his Government on their appointment and look forward to the implementation of ambitious manifesto pledges to decarbonise the UK economy and drive the energy transition forward.
“This Parliament begins as the UK finds itself at a major crossroads on its net zero journey. The international scientific community is clear that significant progress must be made by 2030 to reduce emissions and limit global temperature increases to 1.5°C.
“With the built environment being the UK’s second largest source of carbon emissions, it is imperative the Government’s upcoming industrial strategy is delivered in close partnership with the sector to unlock and accelerate action towards the clean heat transition, improving existing housing stock and leading the way on building standards.
The industry will be watching Starmer’s housebuilding promises closely
Dave Dargan, co-founder and CEO, Starship: “Now that we have a much more stable government in place, I welcome Labour and Sir Keir Starmer’s victory. I believe this newfound assuredness in the government will increase market confidence, boost investment and, as the new Prime Minister promised in his manifesto, ‘get Britain building again’.
“That said, I will hold him to account on Labour’s plan to build over 1.5m homes over the next parliament as I think this could define his premiership. All businesses thrive on financial stability and a growing economy, so I hope that the new government can put its pro-business plans into practice, with the construction industry having a key part to play in its success.”
Sean Keyes, CEO, Sutcliffe: “When the Labour Party published its manifesto I was pleased to see it was very pro-business, so to see a Labour government come to power is promising. By delivering a stable economy, we can now focus on what we do best: building more homes to meet demand, something the new Prime Minister promised throughout his campaign. Sir Keir Starmer’s first 100 days in power will be crucial for holding him to account on his promise of surpassing the current house-building levels, something I am eager to support. This period also provides an essential opportunity to assess his plans for constructing more hospitals and refurbishing existing ones, ensuring they are fit for purpose and serve our future generations.
“Nevertheless, I am eager to see how the industry will embrace the new opportunities presented by the new Labour government, especially when it comes to overhauling planning regulation or its strategic approach to building on the green belt.”
Addressing the skills shortage is also a pressing issue
Justin Young, CEO of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, said: “Policymakers must address the skills shortage – otherwise the UK will be unable to deliver on its 300,000-homes-a-year target and £805bn infrastructure pipeline. At RICS, we are calling for Government Departments to work together to create a Built Environment Taskforce. The body should be responsible for mapping future labour needs to meet house building, retrofit and net zero needs. This will include a review of early-years education engagement including the introduction of a Built Environment GCSE in England, and an analysis of public sector skills retention and recruitment – including shared service planning models.”
‘Hear our voice’ – UK Construction Week have invited the new PM to Birmingham show
Organisers of UK Construction Week (UKCW), the UK’s biggest event for the built environment, have sent their congratulations to Sir Keir Starmer on last night’s General Election victory – along with an open invitation to this autumn’s show.
UKCW Birmingham (NEC, 1-3 October) has invited the new Prime Minister to not only speak at the three-day event, but hear first-hand from industry leaders on the issues they are currently facing, and how the new Labour government can best support a sector that employs over 1.5m people and contributes more than £130bn to the UK economy.
Sam Patel, divisional director – Construction, commented: “We would like to congratulate Sir Keir and his party on last night’s victory, and would like to extend an invitation for him and his new Cabinet to come to the NEC in October and hear how they can help our sector over the next five years and beyond.
“The theme for UKCW Birmingham 2024 is ‘Growth’, and we hope the new Labour government will quickly set to work on delivering on its manifesto promises on homebuilding, fast track approvals of urban brownfield sites and updating the National Policy Planning Framework.”
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