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Last edited 09 Jul 2024

Construction industry reactions to the election result

1 The 2024 UK election result
2 The Electrical Contractors Association (ECA)
3 Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT)
4 Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)
5 Royal Instituite of British Architects (RIBA)
6 Building Research Establishment (BRE)
7 Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
8 Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA)
9 National Housing Federation
10 Federation Master Builders
11 Related articles on Designing Buildings

[edit] The 2024 UK election result

Just over six weeks since Rishi Sunak the then Prime Minister announced the general election, polling stations closed at 10pm on July 4, 2024. By 4am the next day it was clear that the Labour Party was on course for a landslide victory. The final results of the election published later that day were:

The Labour Party : 412 seats (an increase of 211)
The Conservative Party: 121 seats (a decrease of 250)
The Liberal Democrats: 71 seats (an increase of 63)
The Scottish National Party: 9 seats (a decrease of 38)
Sinn Fein: 7 seats (no change)
Independent candidates: 6 seats (an increase of 6)
The Democratic Unionist Party: 5 seats (a decrease of 3)
Reform UK: 5 seats (an increase of 4)
The Green Party: 4 seats (an increase of 3)
Plaid Cymru: 4 seats (an increase of 2)
The Social Democratic & Labour Party: 2 seats (no change)
The Alliance Party:1 seat (no change)
Ulster Unionist Party: 1 seat (an increase of 1)
The Traditional Unionist Voice: 1 seat (an increase of 1)

Below are some of the reactions to the election result as they are published by construction industry bodies.

[edit] The Electrical Contractors Association (ECA)

Leading electrotechnical and engineering services body ECA, congratulates Keir Starmer and his team on yesterday’s electoral success.

ECA looks forward to building on existing relationships with elected representatives and collaborating with the new government to achieve the five missions set out in the Labour Manifesto.

Electricians will play a pivotal role in delivering the key missions – from economic growth to clean energy. ECA will therefore be seeking early conversations with Minsters as the government takes shape.

Electrification is a key element of decarbonising the UK economy, and a skilled electrical workforce is essential to the safe and successful roll-out, integration and maintenance of low-carbon technologies – from heat pumps to solar panels and EV charging infrastructure.

The shortage of skilled electricians is a fundamental obstacle to achieving net zero. The current state of the electrical skills system demands early attention. It takes four years to develop the core competencies needed for electrical work and installation. We urge the new government to take this first step on the path to achieving the 2030 target set out in the manifesto.

To stimulate economic growth, we must address fundamental flaws in the procurement system. Most of the construction industry is united behind calling for protective legislation to stop the abuse of retentions and improve payment performance.
Small businesses (SMEs) make up the majority of firms in the electrotechnical sector.

They are essential to delivery of good jobs and opportunities for young people in local communities. SMEs need better support to deliver apprenticeships. This includes removing unnecessary red tape and increasing financial incentives.
ECA calls on the new government to place qualified electricians at the heart of net-zero transition. To bring in protective legislation to combat poor payment practices. To address the challenges which are preventing an increase in people qualifying as electricians, and establish a stronger skills pipeline to support learners into electrical employment.

ECA wishes the new administration every success in achieving its ambitious programme and looks forward to working constructively with the Labour Government.

This section was issued via press release as 'ECA welcomes new government' issued on July 5, 2023

[edit] Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT)

CIAT would like to congratulate Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party on their general election win.

We look forward to working with new Ministers in their posts in due course.

We welcome the opportunity to work closely with you in government as you seek to address important areas relating to the built environment sector: building safe new homes, tackling skills shortages in our workforce, and utilising retrofitting to decarbonise the UK's building stock as part of the 2050 Net Zero target.

We strongly believe that our members are ideally placed for much of the work needed to achieve these goals. Not only do Chartered Architectural Technologists have expertise in building design, they underpin this with the knowledge and experience of the best technological solutions for retrofitting existing buildings and installing new buildings.

The nature of the UK's existing building stock indicates an urgent need for a major retrofitting programme that covers both residential and commercial properties. The unique skill sets held by our members make them a superlative choice to be at the forefront of such a programme, working together with the installer sector. We also support and anticipate the implementation of grants and low-interest loans for homeowners and businesses to undertake these energy-efficient retrofitting projects, as outlined in your manifesto.

The new Labour government's dedication to building safety aligns with CIAT's values and is something our Chartered Architectural Technologists can help you achieve. Our members will work collaboratively with you to ensure all buildings meet rigorous safety standards, and we will advocate for and assist in your plans to retrofit social housing for the purpose of safety improvements.

As a highly respected Chartered professional body, CIAT is driven to ensure that its members are fully and appropriately qualified. We continue to work with a range of academic and other like-minded sector organisations to ensure that both the rapid advances in technology and the evolving best practices for the sector are assimilated into our own membership requirements.

One of CIAT's primary concerns is improving the skills shortage in the built environment sector. We fully approve of your promise to create one million green jobs, which will include many jobs and training programmes in the construction sector. Your pledge to integrate sustainability and construction skills into the education system at various levels will revolutionise our industry for an entire generation. It will help guarantee a consistently skilled workforce for the sector, while also helping secure a brighter future for the world.

We look forward to a positive relationship, working with and contributing our members' expertise to the relevant government ministries in assisting to formulate policies that will ensure we consistently meet targets and achieve goals within the time frames specified in your manifesto. We believe that a consistent and measured approach will greatly help the flow of private sector investment into the industry, which is much needed.

Congratulations again on your historic win; we are excited to get started.

This section appears on the CIAT news and blogsite as 'Welcome to the new government' dated June 5, 2023.

[edit] Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)

Following the Labour Party’s victory at the UK General Election 2024, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has stressed the importance of the construction industry and the crucial role it plays in improving social, economic, and environmental outcomes in all areas of the UK.

Eddie Tuttle, Director for Policy, External Affairs and Research at CIOB, said: “A new government offers the opportunity to build new relationships with policymakers and help them understand the challenges and opportunities for the sector.

“We look forward to working with the Labour Government to help deliver on their manifesto commitments, which included building 1.5 million homes over this Parliament (2024-2029), reforming the planning system, delivering a Warm Homes Plan to upgrade the energy efficiency of 5 million homes, and developing a national industrial strategy to drive economic growth.

“But to do this, we and the new Government must be realistic about the challenges the construction industry is facing, notably the shrinking skills base and the ageing construction workforce, with significant numbers of workers retiring and a lack of new entrants joining.

“Our pre-election manifesto made it clear the current apprenticeship system and its funding mechanisms need reviewing as a matter of priority to make sure training is affordable and relevant. It must also ensure the correct incentives are in place to drive construction businesses to recruit the number of qualified professionals needed to deliver the new government’s manifesto aims. Without a stable pipeline of competent workers, there are significant risks to the delivery and feasibility of housing and infrastructure projects and the new Government will struggle to meet its own targets along with the needs of communities up and down the country.”

Eddie concluded: “The construction sector is reliant on stability, and we urge the Labour Government to ensure consistency and longevity with policy making and its communications with industry. A first step is to ensure the next Minister for Housing holds the brief for the long term so meaningful relationships can be formed between them and experts within the sector to create policies that work for us all. Furthermore, given the strategic importance of the construction sector, we believe it should be recognised as such at Cabinet Minister level.”

This section appears on the CIOB news and blog site as 'CIOB reacts to UK General Election result' dated June 5, 2023.

[edit] Royal Instituite of British Architects (RIBA)

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.”

[edit] Building Research Establishment (BRE)

Gillian Charlesworth, CEO of the Building Research Establishment (BRE), said:

“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"

[edit] Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

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.”

[edit] Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA)

Marie-Claude Hemming, director of operations at the Civil Engineering Contractors Association said:

“A booming infrastructure sector is the backbone of any successful economy, and we are heartened that the Labour Party has recognised the UK’s civil engineering industry as a cornerstone of its vision for delivering growth for the benefit of businesses and communities across the UK,” also adding it was “imperative” the new government act swiftly to unblock delayed projects.

[edit] National Housing Federation

Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said:

“After 14 years of cuts and policy uncertainty, we will require urgent action to shore up the sector’s finances, protect vital services, ramp up delivery of new homes and deliver for residents. We want to establish a collaborative relationship with our new government and work together to secure the future of social housing as part of a long term plan for housing.” Furtrher adding that housing associations were “ready to work in partnership” with the new government.

[edit] Federation Master Builders

Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation Master Builders said:

“The success of Labour’s housing targets will very much depend on two key issues being addressed. First, the need to reform the planning system to make it easier and quicker to build. Secondly, the urgent need to tackle the skills crisis ensuring we have enough skilled workers in the construction industry to build the homes needed.” He described the election as offering "a fresh start to get Britain building” and that Labour’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes and upgrade 5 million over five years was “ambitious”.