Industry stands ready to deliver growth and the energy transition

So, the 2024 general election results are all in, the UK public has spoken, and Labour is back in government once more. Brexit dominated the previous two elections, but we have returned to traditional core issues, like the economy and growth.  

Before the election, Labour had committed to tackling the planning system head-on to unlock economic growth and get Britain building again. If Rachel Reeves’ first speech as Chancellor is anything to go by, winning a commanding majority has only galvanised that intent.  

With a majority of 170 seats, Labour will have the ability to enact many of the pledges made in its manifesto. Among those, the construction and engineering sectors have honed in on infrastructure delivery and the energy transition. 

At United Living Infrastructure Services, we’ve been reflecting on what these changes mean for our business, our people, and the energy transition. We’ve also been thinking about what we would like this new government to consider in its first important weeks in office. 

Before we touch on the government’s plan to build a cleaner, greener energy system, we would like to thank the former Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and his cabinet, including Claire Coutinho, for their role in the UK’s low-carbon journey. The previous government was the first in the G7 to commit its net zero ambitions to law. There were rollouts of solar and wind, alongside the phasing out of coal, and it developed the country’s first-ever Hydrogen Strategy, setting out the essential steps the UK needs to take to create a thriving hydrogen economy. 

How a long-term plan for UK infrastructure can help deliver economic growth in the UK 

Firstly, we recognise and support Labour’s commitment to net zero reducing carbon emissions, particularly those generated from meeting our power, transport, and heating needs and those required to sustain industry and jobs in the UK. 

Second, we recognise the value of Labour’s proposals for the UK to take a more strategic and coordinated approach to achieve net zero while maintaining energy security and resilience and providing enough energy to match demand at peak hours of the day and throughout the winter, particularly when the wind doesn’t blow, and the sun doesn’t shine.  

We strongly feel that a mix of low-carbon energy systems such as renewables, biogas and hydrogen, CCS and heat networks is needed. Working together to support increased electrification is the best option for our future UK energy system and plans already in train to decarbonise difficult areas such as heavy industry, which have been many years in gestation, are followed through with, if not accelerated to allow us to achieve the UK’s emissions reduction targets. 

Thirdly, we support Labour in its ambition to put people in all the regions of the UK front and centre in its infrastructure policy making, ensuring homes and offices are energy efficient. That energy remains affordable, consumer choice is respected, and the most vulnerable in society are taken care of throughout the energy transition; that we invest in UK skills and knowledge, providing hope to a new generation of workers, creating meaningful and valued jobs and careers whilst harnessing the world-leading capabilities we already have. 

More generally, we support infrastructure policies that allow the UK to be more self-reliant, provide opportunities to grow our national, regional, and local economies, export new products and services, and enable the UK to be a global leader in the energy transition. 

We wish the new Labour government well in its ambition to usher in a period of sustainable infrastructure development and renewed economic growth. 

Conor Bray, Managing Director, United Living Infrastructure Services