Category Archives: Public Affairs

Why building 1.5 million homes isn’t as simple as it sounds….

Building 1.5 million new homes over the course of this parliament was a flagship policy commitment in Labour’s general election manifesto. The recently appointed housing secretary Steve Reed initially echoed the government’s ambition with the slogan ‘build baby build’. Reed has gone onto say the rate of construction is ‘unacceptable’ and has promised to increase the pace of housebuilding to deliver on Labour’s ambitious pre-election pledge.

The housing industry is facing a series of skills shortages. The Office for National Statistics warned that there are over 35,000 job vacancies in construction, many of which remain unfilled due to a lack of qualified workers. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has stated that 61,000 new workers are needed each year to meet the government’s housebuilding target. Ministers have heard the calls of the CITB and in March announced that they would be investing up to £600 million to support training in the construction sector. This includes £165 million to help colleges deliver more construction courses and £40 million to support new foundation apprenticeships (launched in August). The £40 million includes an incentive of £2,000 per foundation apprentice hired and retained by employers which has been widely welcomed by the construction industry. The government has signalled that there could be continued investment, although this is likely to be restricted due to the current pressure on the public finances.

Another hurdle is the planning process. The number of new homes built in the UK has fallen during the government’s first year in office. Ministers have conceded there are ‘excessive rules’ delaying construction. The government is attempting to streamline the planning process through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill which is currently before parliament. Ministers claim that the bill will create a more decisive planning system and increase the amount of land available for developers. Whilst the bill is a step in the right direction, the impact is unlikely to be immediate.

Despite these barriers, there are some clear opportunities for the construction sector. Increases to training investment, new apprenticeships and the promise of reforms all signal the government’s continued prioritisation of the sector. The changing environment and the development of a potential second planning bill present stakeholders with a wide range of opportunities to engage with policymakers, shape regulation and improve relations between the government and sector.

Stuck in the middle with you? Ed Davey, the Lib Dem party conference and the moderate fight

GK Associate Director Thea Southwell Reeves and Adviser Mariella Turley share their reflections on the recent Lib Dem Party Conference in Bournemouth

The Lib Dem conference was a prime opportunity for the party to remind voters of who they are politically and what they offer. A combination of publicity stunts and clever campaign strategies sent 72 Lib Dem MPs to parliament at the last election – the party’s biggest electoral success for over a century. For leader Ed Davey, the challenge was to usher in a new, serious party that could offer a credible alternative to voters dissatisfied with the parties on the traditional left and right of British politics. If this was his mission, he may have missed the mark. His decision to march into conference as the head of a marching band while his party was having yet another row over trans rights, has not given much reassurance to potential voters (outside the conference hall walls) that the party represents a serious electoral alternative.

Although Davey remains in a strong position as leader with the support of a mostly happy party behind him, the public is growing weary of his endless stunts. Polling conducted by More in Common was presented to members at conference and showed that more than 60% of voters think the party’s publicity stunts make them look less serious. Many voters are also still unsure what the party stands for.

Much of the focus of the four-day conference was on positioning the Lib Dems as the only credible opposition to Reform UK. Former leader Tim Farron took to the stage adorned in the Union Jack flag in a bid to frame the party as a progressive voice that can reclaim patriotism for the centrist majority. Davey’s speech centred on criticism of Reform and included claims that Nigel Farage wants to liberalise UK gun laws. The slogan ‘don’t let Trump’s America become Farage’s Britain’ echoed throughout.

We did get a flavour of some policy. Party members voted to revise the Lib Dems’ 2045 net zero target to align with the government’s 2050 net zero goal. Duncan Brack, chair of the Lib Dems’ climate working group, accepted that the earlier deadline had become unrealistic thanks to previous government efforts. Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper used her speech to unveil plans for a windfall tax on big banks to fund an Energy Security Bank. The bank would offer loans to homeowners and small businesses to invest in insultation, solar power and heat pumps. However, Cooper was forced to admit that no formal conversations have taken place with any banks to date. The Lib Dem science and technology spokesperson Victoria Collins hinted at tighter social media regulation, proposing the introduction of warnings on addictive apps and a two-hour cap on scrolling for under 18s. Davey used his leader’s speech to outline some key policy objectives including a new customs union with the EU, cutting energy bills in half by 2050, a guarantee of starting urgent cancer treatment within two months of diagnosis for all patients, and discounted visas for US cancer researchers.

Those hoping that the party’s annual conference would provide clarity on the Lib Dems’ role in the British political ecosystem are likely to feel none the wiser. Davey’s closing speech pitches the party as a safe space for disgruntled voters on the left and the right. A place for both Labour voters who are frustrated with Starmer’s performance in his first year of government and Conservative voters who feel profoundly anxious about Badenoch’s drift to the right. Translating that into clear narratives around policy will be deeply challenging for the party and risks political incoherence. The party’s pitch to be the moderate voice of British politics requires considerable skill and acumen to sell to a voting public that is currently more attracted to polarising policies.

The fundamental question for conference was how the party can build on its 2024 electoral success. Instead of publicity stunts for media attention, Davey should put his energy into carving out a distinct message to voters. The party has neither the finances nor the political capital to campaign on all issues so they would be wiser to focus on developing appealing centrist policies such as ambitious integration with the EU, a compassionate approach to immigrants and a more socially liberal attitude to equal rights. These are the big-ticket items most likely to appeal to both the former one nation Tories and the liberal left and help the Lib Dems seize the centre ground.

Making the most of party conference season

GK Strategy is pleased to share its guide to effective engagement with policymakers during party conference season.

Insight from the GK team on making the most of party conferences can be accessed here: https://gkstrategy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Engaging-at-Party-Conference-Season-GK-Strategy-September-2025.pdf

How can agri-tech prepare for the next parliamentary term?

MPs might be on their summer break but what can you be doing to prepare for the next parliamentary term?

August in Westminster is a quieter time. Government grinds to a halt as MPs return home to continue business back in their elected constituencies. This downtime in the political calendar grants companies a rare breathing space – and the opportunity to turn attentions to resetting government relations plans and preparing for the parliamentary year ahead.

Before parliament returns on 1 September, businesses should be taking the time to think about how to best prepare for the government’s second year in office. Although parliament is in recess, there’s still plenty we can be getting on with to develop an effective strategy and work towards policy objectives. From strengthening stakeholder engagement strategies to assessing regulatory risk, the planning taken now will make the crucial difference between scrambling to adapt to policy announcements and confidently navigating the next wave of policy decisions.

So, what should businesses be thinking about during these summer months?

Engaging with the civil service

While parliament draws to a close over the summer, the civil service remains central to ensuring the smooth operation of public services. Officials continue to work on the implementation of government policies, running consultations, and preparing for the legislative activity that is set to resume in the autumn.

For businesses, the absence of parliamentary activity offers a valuable opportunity to take stock of their existing relationships with civil servants, assess the strength of those channels of communication and identify where they could be expanded. Civil servants tend to be a bit quieter over summer too, so it’s the perfect time to catch up over a coffee in preparation for the year ahead.

Monitoring Parliamentary Committees

Similarly to the civil service, parliamentary committees continue their business while MPs are away. Staff continue to work behind the scenes, launching calls for evidence and meeting businesses in their sectors of interest. In recent weeks, we’ve seen a flurry of committee activity affecting the agri-tech space.

The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee have launched an inquiry into innovation and global food security, actively seeking to hear from agri-tech businesses about how new agricultural practices can catalyse food production. Each Committee’s reports, which are written using the evidence submitted to the inquiry, land directly on ministers’ desks – offering businesses the space to communicate exactly what they need from government to succeed.

Can we also add the health one here? One of the focuses of the health one is healthy food and many of the agri-tech businesses focus on improving nutritional content e.g. precision breeding.

Preparing for Party Conferences

The annual party conferences mark a significant moment in the political calendar. Taking place over September and October, each conference allows parties to set their political agenda and rally support from members and industry. For Labour as the governing party, this means actively listening to and engaging with businesses of all sizes to better understand their priorities, concerns, and capacity to contribute to the party’s core objective of economic growth. With agri-tech flagged as a frontier industry within the government’s industrial strategy, the party conference will provide a useful avenue for businesses within the sector to raise their profile with government.

For opposition parties, conferences are a critical space for developing and refining alternative policies that can challenge the government’s agenda. Without the responsibility of running departments day-to-day, opposition parties can use this time to strategise ideas that could credibly form the backbone of their next election manifesto.

Meeting with MPs

Although MPs are back in their constituencies during recess, they are not on officially out of office. During this time MPs turn their attentions to local priorities, such as meeting constituents, visiting community projects and engaging with businesses in their area. Businesses, and especially those developing cutting edge agricultural technology, should think about inviting MPs to visit their sites to see first-hand innovation in the sector. Demonstrating tangible contributions to local employment, food security, environmental sustainability, or economic growth can help MPs see how your business aligns with their constituents’ interests and supports the government’s wider priorities.

Building and strengthening relations with MPs is at the core of effective political engagement. An MP who understands your business and believes in its potential can be a powerful advocate by championing your work in parliament or connecting you with relevant ministers and officials.

Although the political pace of the parliamentary summer recess might feel slower, this is no time for businesses to wind down. Whether through strengthening relationships with civil servants, preparing for the party conference season, or engaging directly with MPs in their constituencies, the weeks remaining weeks until 1 September grant businesses the time to reassess their political engagement. Using this time productively will enable businesses to position themselves as constructive partners to government, trusted to feed into the conversations that will shape Labour’s next year in office and beyond.

From farm to fork: An ambitious food strategy published by Defra

The government has published its food strategy, setting out a vision for a healthier, more affordable, sustainable and resilient food system. It is ambitious in scope and designed to reconcile often competing objectives from farm to fork.

The food strategy identifies three interlocking dynamics of the UK food system:

i) a junk food cycle driven by our appetite for highly processed, energy-dense foods and the strong commercial incentives this creates to produce foods high in sugar and fat,

ii) the invisible cost to nature which fails to reward sustainable and environmentally friendly food production, and

iii) a resilience gap that means the UK is highly exposed to multiple and increasing risks, such as climate change.

The next step for ministers and officials is to develop an implementation plan, as well as metrics and indicators to measure progress towards achieving the strategy’s ten priority outcomes. This will take time and require ministers to engage with industry and business to ensure the government’s transition to a ‘good food cycle’ is achievable. It will also need to align with forthcoming strategies in Defra’s to-do list to deliver real, joined-up change across the entire food system. To name a few – the Land-Use Framework, the Food and Farming Decarbonisation Plan, the Farming Roadmap and Farming Profitability Review, and the Circular Economy Strategy.

What does the food strategy mean for agri-tech?

There is a huge opportunity for businesses in the space to engage with government off the back of the publication of the food strategy. Ministers clearly see innovation as critical to resolving system challenges in everything from public health to food security. Agri-tech businesses should take note: the government is not only signalling interest but actively investing in solutions that can deliver measurable impact.

To maximise this opportunity, businesses should look to demonstrate how they can support the government in achieving the food strategy’s core objectives – boosting productivity, enhancing resilience and delivery environmental sustainability. Collaborating with early adopters to demonstrate real-world use cases can help build a compelling evidence base that convinces policymakers of a solution’s viability and impact. Engaging with policymakers means staying ahead of regulatory change and shaping policy and market reforms to establish pathways to commercialisation.

Agri-tech may well represent the silver bullet policymakers are searching for, but unless the sector speaks up and showcases its impact, those solutions risk going unnoticed.

If you need help with demonstrating how you can become a key player in the government’s food strategy, contact GK Strategy today.