The Labour Party, offering the latest hot slice of catchy soundbites, has taken ownership of the “Build Back Better” campaign and called on the government to “build it in the UK” with a Biden-esque recovery driven by the green economy.
The appeal from the UK’s biggest opposition party comes ahead of the comprehensive spending review next month, challenging the government to boost UK manufacturing employment and spend large amounts on low-carbon infrastructure as part of its push for a cleaner economy.
This latest pressure followed nearly 2,000 consultation responses from businesses, trade unions and other stakeholders, informing parties what a reliable green recovery should look like.
As part of “building a UK campaign,” the party called for the government to advance its £30 billion capital investment, and was used to retrain workers affected by the Covid crisis and equip them with the skills needed to recruit them in the green economy.
Additionally, Labour has also challenged the government to follow the leadership of other countries and established a national investment bank focused on promoting green investment. Speaking about Secretary of State Shadow’s pressure for the eco-friendly recovery that is placed in the government for the “building it in the UK,” Ed Miliband said:
“This is the right thing for so many people facing unemployment. The right thing our economy does to gain lead in future industries, and to build a better quality of life for the people of our country.”
As part of the infrastructure changes, Labour wants the government to accelerate planned investments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, increase energy efficiency and remodeling programs that include social housing.
Commenting on the Green Economy Push and the need for modifications for wider application, Ringley’s Managing Director Mary Ann Bowling proposed.
“()The focus must be much broader than just social housing. The UK has some of the oldest housing stocks in Europe, which is an even bigger issue in the private rental sector.”
“Part of the answer is to encourage the supply of more energy-efficient, high-quality, new homes, but remodeling existing homes must also be part of the solution.”
“Apart from providing subsidies for homeowners and landlords to upgrade their assets, another policy lever that the government can pull is to reduce or eliminate VAT on current 20% retrofit projects.”
Andrew Shepherd, Managing Director of Tophat, adds that not only improve what exists, it also requires the need to lay a foundation suitable for future infrastructure and construction work.
“We will also be urging politicians to not lose sight of the need to ensure that the homes they build today stand the test of time, and focus on expanding the skills and supply chains needed to take advantage of the innovations in modern construction methods that already offer some of the most energy-efficient homes we have seen.”
“Modular housings that can be delivered faster and more energy efficient than traditional homes will become an important part of the solution. Investing in skilled manufacturing jobs to deliver low-carbon homes will allow them to rebuild away from the pressured southeast of the UK economy and bring economic benefits to other parts of the UK.”
