JBP’s 2024 General Election Update

Welcome to JBP’s weekly 2024 General Election update. Each week, we’ll give you a rundown of the latest updates.

Countdown until polls close:

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Labour

43.2%

Conservative

22.1%

Reform

13.6%

Liberal Democrats

9.8%

Green Party

5.9%

SNP

3.1%

With energy policy being one of the most discussed issues both inside and out of Parliament over the last five years, expect to see energy be an important battleground in this election.

 

Conservatives

While the Conservative Party does not appear to have released any core energy policies at this stage, they are using the recent fall in Ofgem’s price cap for consumers as evidence that their plan to reduce inflation and energy bills is working. Utilising this political gift, the Conservatives have committed to at least maintaining this cap for the entirely of the next Parliament, to make price comparison services easier to use, and to require Ofgem to publish league tables of how long energy firms take to respond to customer complaints.

The Conservatives these policy commitments will be met by issuing a ‘call for evidence’ should they win the election. This call for evidence will include more detailed proposals on regulating energy brokers, creating a new code of practice for the installation and use of smart metres, and a review of Ofgem standing charges.

 

Labour

 Following on from Sir Keir Starmer’s conference speech in 2021, the Labour Party has made the creation of ‘Great British Energy’ one of its flagship policies. Headquartered in Scotland, Great British Energy (GBN) will be tasked with investing in clean energy throughout the UK and to “make the UK a world leader in floating offshore wind, nuclear power, and hydrogen.”

While not an energy producer, GBN will be an investment and development agency that will support the scaling on new technologies and work with community energy groups to develop small and medium scale energy projects. More information about this policy can be found on it’s dedicated website.

Labour’s Green Prosperity Plan also outlines how a future Labour Government will use public investment in energy projects to boost economic growth and renewable energy production. The Green Prosperity Plan is a key tool for a future Prime Minister Starmer to deliver on his commitment for the UK to have the fastest growth in the G7, particularly while supporting levelling-up initiatives through targeted investment in provincial England and Wales.

 

Liberal Democrats

 As part of the Liberal Democrat’s ‘Fair Deal’ for the general election, the Liberal Democrats have committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2045, provide free retrofits for low-income houses, and plant 60 million trees a year to help reach net zero while restoring woodland habitats amongst other measures.

 

The Liberal Democrats have also called for Ofwat to be abolished with a new water regulator to be created in its place.

Conservatives


Awaiting announcements

Labour


Labour’s housing policy is designed to “get Britain building” and deliver more homes faster. It wants to unlock the planning system to encourage development, and the party has said it aims to:

Build 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament.
Labour plans to build one and a half million new homes across the country over the course of the next Parliament. This includes bringing forward a series of new ‘new towns’ across the country.

Deliver a Warm Homes Plan
Labour plans to deliver a national Warm Homes Plan to upgrade five million homes over the first five years of government, installing energy saving measures such as loft insulation, and going street by street in locally delivered programmes.

Labour will give devolved governments and local authorities the power and resources needed to bring every home in their area ‘up to standard’ within a decade, with public investment in home energy ramping up to £6 billion annual investment in the second half of the Parliament at the latest (in line with the Green Prosperity Plan). This will create over 200,000 jobs across the country, as well as up to 300,000 more indirect jobs.

Reform the planning system and strengthen planning capacity
Labour plans to reform the planning system and land purchase rules, whilst strengthening planning capacity by hiring more than 300 new planners across the public sector to expedite decisions.

Introduce a Planning Passport
Labour has committed to introducing a Planning Passport for urban brownfield development; with a fast track approval and delivery of high-density housing on urban brownfield sites.

Reform land purchasing rules to expediate building projects
Labour plans to reform how land is valued under Compulsory Purchase Order, and plans to give local officials more power to buy cheap land and build on it.

Create a new generation of development corporations
Labour plans to spur on the creation of a new generation of development corporations, spearheaded by and accountable to communities. These new bodies will allow local leaders, working alongside trade unions, to play a more active role in development in their areas.

Unleash Mayors
Labour plans to deliver a package of devolution to Mayors, with stronger powers over planning and control over housing investment.

Scrap the Infrastructure Levy
Labour has committed to scrap the infrastructure levy.

End the current system of leasehold
Labour will end the current system of leasehold housing in England and Wales, overhauling it to the lasting benefit of leaseholders and reinvigorating commonhold to such an extent that it will become the default.

Introduce a Renter’s Charter
Labour has committed to introducing a Renter’s Charter, enshrining the rights of renters and banning controversial Section 21 evictions.

Give first time buyers first dibs
Supporting younger people by giving them the first chance at homes in new housing developments with a government-backed mortgage guarantee scheme.

Read more in our Labour Manifesto Preview.

SNP


Awaiting announcements

Liberal Democrats


At the launch of the Lib Dems’ 2024 election campaign in Cheltenham, Leader Ed Davey said ensuring “everyone can have a “decent home that’s secure and clean and affordable” was central to his party’s platform. According to the party’s “Fair Deal”, this would be achieved by focusing on:

Social housing
Building at least 150,000 new council and social homes a year, giving local authorities the powers to end the right to buy in their areas, and requiring them to have a landlord licensing scheme.

Land value
Allowing councils to buy land for housing developments based on current use rather than on a “hope value” based on planning application by reforming the Land Compensation Act 1961 and strengthening their powers to build their own homes.

Renter’s rights
Strengthening rights for renters in the private sector by banning no-fault evictions and making longer tenancies the default, and for social housing tenants by giving them more powers over the management of their homes and estates.

Economic and Business policies to date

 
Conservative Party’s economic policies
  • Conservatives emphasise recent growth and reduction in inflation to 2.3%. Sunak claims this is proof of his successful economic plan, promising to maintain stability and economic certainty.
  • A potential Conservative government would introduce significant cuts to National Insurance, in an attempt to eliminate it, once affordable. Tax rises following the pandemic “will stay for their allotted time period”, say Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
  • The Conservatives have promised a “Triple Lock Plus” policy to raise the tax-free pension allowance by at least 2.5% or in line with the highest of earnings or inflation growth, aiming to prevent more pensioners from paying income tax on their state pension.
  • Last year, Sunak delayed a ban on sales of new petrol cars and other green initiatives. He has however claimed to remain committed to net zero emissions by 2050.
Labour Party’s economic policies
  • Labour’s focus has been on rectifying past instability, pledging to “reset” the economy to serve working people. If elected, they promise to adhere to tough spending rules to manage growth, taxes, inflation, and mortgages.
  • The Labour Party has said it will not raise corporation tax on company’s profits or income tax. In order to bring down NHS waiting times, Labour will end tax breaks for private schools, and also target non-domiciled residents by increasing tax on their income.
  • Regarding public spending, they pledge to improve public services, including reducing NHS waiting lists and recruiting more teachers.
  • By creating Great British Energy, Labour aims for decarbonisation by 2030 and invest in green technologies through a national wealth fund.
  • In an attempt to return to its roots during Britain’s trade union movement, the likely government will restrict zero-hours contracts, enhance job security (raising sick pay and protection against dismissal), and promote more flexible working.
Liberal Democrats’ economic policies
  • Make flexible working available to all employees from day one of their job, unless there are significant business reasons, to promote work-life balance and increased productivity.
  • Develop an industrial strategy that incentivises businesses to invest in new clean technologies, supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy and creating new economic opportunities.
  • Reform the UK’s relationship with the European Union by fixing the “botched deal” and seeking to join the Single Market, with measures such as a veterinary agreement, to promote trade and economic growth.
  • Reduce trade barriers with close allies, particularly the European Union, to increase economic cooperation and investment.
 

Work and Skills Manifesto Tracker

 

Conservatives

  • The Conservatives have said National Service will be instated for all 18 years olds. National Service will include either a one-year military contract or volunteering once a month for the year.
  • It has also been announced that the triple lock for pensioners will remain in place. This means the state pension must be raised in accordance with the highest figure out of either inflation, average earnings or 2.5%.
  • Sunak has also pledged to create over 100,000 high-skilled apprenticeships in a year. This will be funded by scrapping degrees with high drop pout rates and low career progression.

Labour

  • Labour has unveiled their Plan to Make Work Pay: Delivering a New Deal for Working People.
  • This includes changing the minimum wage criteria to reflect the need for pay to take into account the cost of living, as well as removing age bands to ensure all adult workers get the same wage.
  • Labour would also make flexible working the default all workers.
  • Labour will update trade union legislation, so it is fit for a modern economy, removing restrictions on trade union activity.
  • Ban zero hour contracts.
  • End fire and rehire.
  • Labour will also have a focus on digital and life-skills in their curriculum.
  • There is also to transform the Apprenticeship Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy enabling firms to spend up to 50 percent of their levy contributions on non-apprenticeship training.
  • Starmer also plans to increase both public and private research and development spending to 3% GDP.

Liberal Democrats

  • Davey would ask that businesses commit to promoting skills, equality, good governance and support for local communities.
  • The Liberal Democrats would also invest in people’s skills by increasing the amount of apprenticeships available.
  • There would be the creation of a Skills Wallet, giving all adults access to £10,000 to spend on education and training throughout their lives.
  • Davey’s party are also supportive of the triple lock.

Transport and Infrastructure Policies to Date

 

Conservatives:
  • The Conservatives are vehemently opposed to Labour’s plan to renationalise the railways, criticising the plans as ‘pointless’ and ‘unfunded’. The Tories are instead likely to campaign outlined in the draft Rail Reform Bill published in February, which suggested the introduction of Great British Railways (GBR), an integrated rail body, which will bring together responsibility for both rail infrastructure and services.

 

Labour:
  • Darren Jones, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, told the Financial Times he plans to merge the existing Infrastructure and Projects Authority and the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) to create an organisation ‘at the heart of government’. It is believed that the proposed new body, to be called National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, would stipulate from the outset how projects are planned, designed and costed.
  • Labour has also committed to renationalising nearly all passenger rail services within five years if it wins the next election. It says a new public body would inherit existing contracts when they expire, taking on responsibility for running services.

 

Liberal Democrats:
  • The Lib Dems have announced that their transport focus will be on devolution and decarbonisation.
  • The Party’s Fair Deal document published last year suggested that rail fares would be frozen and that the party would encourage drivers to switch to EVs with more charging infrastructure supported by a step-change in local grid capacity.

 

Energy and Environment   

Conservatives
  • While the Conservative Party does not appear to have released any core energy policies at this stage, they are using the recent fall in Ofgem’s price cap for consumers as evidence that their plan to reduce inflation and energy bills is working. Using this political gift, the Conservatives have committed to at least maintaining this cap for the entirely of the next Parliament, to make price comparison services easier to use, and to require Ofgem to publish league tables of how long energy firms take to respond to customer complaints.
  • The Conservatives these policy commitments will be met by issuing a ‘call for evidence’ should they win the election. This call for evidence will include more detailed proposals on regulating energy brokers, creating a new code of practice for the installation and use of smart metres, and a review of Ofgem standing charges.

 

Labour 
  • Following on from Sir Keir Starmer’s conference speech in 2021, the Labour Party has made the creation of ‘Great British Energy’ one of its flagship policies. Headquartered in Scotland, Great British Energy (GBN) will be tasked with investing in clean energy throughout the UK and to “make the UK a world leader in floating offshore wind, nuclear power, and hydrogen.”
  • While not an energy producer, GBN will be an investment and development agency that will support the scaling on new technologies and work with community energy groups to develop small and medium scale energy projects. More information about this policy can be found on it’s dedicated website.
  • Labour’s Green Prosperity Plan also outlines how a future Labour Government will use public investment in energy projects to boost economic growth and renewable energy production. The Green Prosperity Plan is a key tool for a future Prime Minister Starmer to deliver on his commitment for the UK to have the fastest growth in the G7, particularly while supporting levelling-up initiatives through targeted investment in provincial England and Wales.

 

Liberal Democrats
  • As part of the Liberal Democrat’s ‘Fair Deal’ for the general election, the Liberal Democrats have committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2045, provide free retrofits for low-income houses, and plant 60 million trees a year to help reach net zero while restoring woodland habitats amongst other measures.
  • The Liberal Democrats have also called for Ofwat to be abolished with a new water regulator to be created in its place.

 

Housing and planning

Conservative

Whilst the Tories have not released their housing plans for the next term and have remained quiet on the issue, their existing record provides indication on what to expect.

 

  • Continue to deliver the £11.5bn Affordable Homes Programme for 2021-26 to deliver up to 180,000 affordable homes using modern methods of construction.
  • Remain committed to the target of building 300,000 new homes a year.
  • Provisions to protect green belt development and favour brownfield sites.
  • Revive the Renters Reform Bill to abolish no-fault evictions, introduce a system of rolling tenancies and introduce the Decent Homes Standard to the private rental sector.
  • Deliver leasehold reform to redress issues in the leasehold system, with measures which make it easier for leaseholders to buy a freehold of property, and reducing the amount leaseholders must pay in ground rent.

 

Labour
  • Labour have pledged to build 1.5m homes over five years, working out at 300,000 per year which is a steep increase from the current rate of circa 210,000 per year and promise to do so by:
  • Prioritising brownfield development and unveiling plans to release ‘grey belt’ land, which is often poor-quality and ugly areas of the greenbelt which will be prioritised over nature-rich, environmentally valuable land.
  • Introduction of ‘planning passports’ for urban brownfield development with a fast-track approval and delivery of high-density housing on urban brownfield sites.
  • Unleashing Mayors with stronger powers over planning and control over housing investment. Rollout new Local Growth Plans to towns and cities take advantage of their economic potential and foster clusters of well-paid jobs. Labour state they will create a statutory obligation on all combined authorities and counties with devolution deals to develop a Local Growth Plan based on functional economic geographies which identify economic clusters.
  • Creation of development corporations, led by the communities in which housing will be delivered, the corporations will enhance local voice on ‘how’ housing is built with communities.
  • Reform the planning system and land purchasing rules to boost development across the country. Labour have also stated to add capacity to the planning system through 300 new plannings into local council planning departments.
  • Deliver affordable homes in a new zero carbon homes programme, ensuring all council and housing associations reach EPC band C. This comes alongside a commitment to provide funding to support councils and housing associations to build new homes to Passivhaus standards.
  • Make Britain warm again by upgrading four million homes to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C in their first term and invest £2.3bn per year to provide financial support for households to make their homes warmer and cheaper to heat.
  • Additional rights for renters through a new Renters’ Charter, which includes ending no-fault evictions and more rights to alter the property.
  • Commitment to scrap the infrastructure levy.
  • Rule out building on genuine nature spots and require plans to include improvements to existing green spaces, making them accessible to the public, with new woodland, parks and playing fields. Plans should meet high environmental standards.
  • Support first-time buyers of homes in new developments with a government-backed mortgage guarantee scheme.

 

Liberal Democrats
  • Build 150,000 social and council homes a year and grant new powers to local authorities to enable councils to take ownership and build their own social and affordable housing.
  • Introduction of a ten-year emergency programme to insulate Britain’s homes as well as new standards to ensure new homes are warm, cheap to heat and produce minimal emissions.
  • Build ten new garden cities to help tackle the housing crisis.
  • Grant new powers to local authorities to control and manage second home and holiday lets which add significant pressure to local housing needs.
  • Abolishing leaseholds for residential properties and effectively ending ground rents by cutting them to a nominal fee.
  • Scrap no fault evictions and make longer tenancies the default.
  • Allow councils to buy land for housing developments based on current use rather than on a “hope value” based on planning application by reforming the Land Compensation Act 1961 and strengthening their powers to build their own homes.

Transport and Infrastructure

Conservatives
  • The Conservatives are vehemently opposed to Labour’s plan to renationalise the railways, criticising the plans as ‘pointless’ and ‘unfunded.’ The Tories are instead likely to campaign outlined in the draft Rail Reform Bill published in February, which suggested the introduction of Great British Railways (GBR), an integrated rail body, which will bring together responsibility for both rail infrastructure and services.
Labour
  • Darren Jones, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, told the Financial Times he plans to merge the existing Infrastructure and Projects Authority and the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) to create an organisation ‘at the heart of government’. It is believed that the proposed new body, to be called National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, would stipulate from the outset how projects are planned, designed, and costed.
  • Labour has also committed to renationalising nearly all passenger rail services within five years if it wins the next election. It says a new public body would inherit existing contracts when they expire, taking on responsibility for running services.

 

Liberal Democrats
  • The Liberal Democrats have announced that their transport focus will be on devolution and decarbonisation.
  • The Party’s Fair Deal document published last year suggested that rail fares would be frozen and that the party would encourage drivers to switch to EVs with more charging infrastructure supported by a step-change in local grid capacity.

 

Economic and Business

Conservative
  • Conservatives emphasise recent growth and reduction in inflation to 2.3%. Sunak claims this is proof of his successful economic plan, promising to maintain stability and economic certainty.
  • A potential Conservative government would introduce significant cuts to National Insurance, to eliminate it, once affordable. Tax rises following the pandemic “will stay for their allotted time period,” say Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
  • The Conservatives have promised a “Triple Lock Plus” policy to raise the tax-free pension allowance by at least 2.5% or in line with the highest of earnings or inflation growth, aiming to prevent more pensioners from paying income tax on their state pension.
  • Last year, Sunak delayed a ban on sales of new petrol cars and other green initiatives. He has however claimed to remain committed to net zero emissions by 2050.

 

Labour
  • Labour’s focus has been on rectifying past instability, pledging to “reset” the economy to serve working people. If elected, they promise to adhere to tough spending rules to manage growth, taxes, inflation, and mortgages.
  • The Labour Party has said it will not raise corporation tax on company’s profits or income tax. To bring down NHS waiting times, Labour will end tax breaks for private schools, and target non-domiciled residents by increasing tax on their income.
  • Regarding public spending, they pledge to improve public services, including reducing NHS waiting lists and recruiting more teachers.
  • By creating Great British Energy, Labour aims for decarbonisation by 2030 and invest in green technologies through a national wealth fund.
  • To return to its roots during Britain’s trade union movement, the likely government will restrict zero-hours contracts, enhance job security (raising sick pay and protection against dismissal), and promote more flexible working.

 

Liberal Democrats
  • Make flexible working available to all employees from day one of their job, unless there are significant business reasons, to promote work-life balance and increased productivity.
  • Develop an industrial strategy that incentivises businesses to invest in new clean technologies, supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy and creating new economic opportunities.
  • Reform the UK’s relationship with the European Union by fixing the “botched deal” and seeking to join the Single Market, with measures such as a veterinary agreement, to promote trade and economic growth.
  • Reduce trade barriers with close allies, particularly the European Union, to increase economic cooperation and investment.

 

Work and Skills

Conservatives
  • The Conservatives have said National Service will be instated for all 18 years olds. National Service will include either a one-year military contract or volunteering once a month for the year.
  • It has also been announced that the triple lock for pensioners will remain in place. This means the state pension must be raised in accordance with the highest figure out of either inflation, average earnings or 2.5%.
  • Sunak has also pledged to create over 100,000 high-skilled apprenticeships in a year. This will be funded by scrapping degrees with high drop pout rates and low career progression.
Labour
  • Labour has unveiled their Plan to Make Work Pay: Delivering a New Deal for Working People.
  • This includes changing the minimum wage criteria to reflect the need for pay to consider the cost of living, as well as removing age bands to ensure all adult workers get the same wage.
  • Labour would also make flexible working the default all workers.
  • Labour will update trade union legislation, so it is fit for a modern economy, removing restrictions on trade union activity.
  • Ban zero-hour contracts.
  • End fire and rehire.
  • Labour will also have a focus on digital and life-skills in their curriculum.
  • There is also to transform the Apprenticeship Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy enabling firms to spend up to 50 percent of their levy contributions on non-apprenticeship training.
  • Starmer also plans to increase both public and private research and development spending to 3% GDP.
Liberal Democrats
  • Davey would ask that businesses commit to promoting skills, equality, good governance, and support for local communities.
  • The Liberal Democrats would also invest in people’s skills by increasing the number of apprenticeships available.
  • There would be the creation of a Skills Wallet, giving all adults access to £10,000 to spend on education and training throughout their lives.
  • Davey’s party are also supportive of the triple lock.

 

Health

Conservative
  • 100 GP surgeries would be built and a further 150 modernised. Increase the national screening programme for lung cancer to 100 percent of the eligible population by March 2030. Produce the first mRNA vaccine in the UK in 2025.
  • Double the number of medical school training places to 15,000 and increase nursing training places by 92 percent to 38,000 by 2031/32.
  • Expand dentistry training places by 40 percent and provide apprenticeship training routes for all clinical staff by 2031/32.
  • Fund a new “Pharmacy First” service to free up GP time and reform supervision to allow more pharmacists to provide clinical care.
  • Add 800 new ambulances and six new ambulance hubs to grow capacity and improve response times.

 

Labour
  • Labour has proposed ‘comprehensive’ health policies focused on data management, healthcare accessibility, and mental health support. They plan to improve data-sharing in health and care sectors while ensuring ethical use and security. The NHS App will be enhanced as a one-stop shop for health information, and there will be a single access point for genomic data to aid research. Women’s healthcare will be prioritised with strategies to ensure safe, high-quality care and efforts to eliminate the black maternal mortality gap.
  • Labour will support raising the legal smoking age annually.
  • Mental health policies include recruiting 8,500 new staff, guaranteeing treatment within a month of referral, providing specialist support in schools, and creating mental health hubs in every community. They also aim to halve the suicide rate within five years.
  • Labour plans to address NHS waiting lists by delivering 40,000 operations and appointments weekly. A senior official will ensure accountability and report progress to the Life Sciences Council

Liberal Democrats
  • The Liberal Democrats say free personal care would be offered to older or disabled people at home, if they were the government. Leader Sir Ed Davey says this pledge, plus raising care workers’ pay, would end the hospital crisis, and help people stay in their own homes. Plans would be funded by reversing tax cuts given to big banks by the Conservatives, he said, covering the estimated £2.7bn cost by 2028-29.
  • The Liberal Democrats have said they would increase taxes on social media giants and companies like Amazon and Google to fund mental health professionals for all England’s state schools.
  • The Liberal Democrats have pledged to recruit 8,000 more GPs if elected, putting the policy at “the heart” of their general election campaign offer.
  • Sir Ed Davey, the party’s leader, said the investment would create an extra 65 million appointments a year by the end of the next parliament.

 

Culture, Media & Sport

Conservative
  • The Conservative Party’s policies for Culture, Media, and Sport focus on governance, investment, and promoting physical activity. They plan to pass the Football Governance Bill to address financial issues and stimulate investment in the sport. The Media Bill will support creative industries and protect public interest journalism.
  • An investment of £30 million, including £5 million from the Football Association, will fund 30 new 3G pitches for women’s and girls’ teams across England. The “Get Active” strategy aims to engage 2.5 million more adults and one million more children in physical activity by 2030.
  • The Conservatives will continue to implement annual action plans under the Online Media Literacy Strategy, initially published in July 2021, through 2024/25. They will also deliver a statutory gambling levy and enforce the main measures of the gambling White Paper.

 

Labour
  • Labour’s policies for Culture, Media, and Sport focus on digital infrastructure, consumer protection, and sports regulation. They plan to invest in gigabit broadband and develop UK supply chains in 5G technology. New regulations will open data while protecting consumer rights, and AI and data analysis will be used to enhance public services within frameworks that ensure privacy and security.
  • Labour aims to close the digital divide by improving digital education in schools and directing Ofcom to strengthen consumer protections in the broadband market, including implementing a social tariff for low-income families. They will toughen legislation against online harms, imposing criminal sanctions on those promoting damaging content and establishing a new ombudsman.
  • In sports, Labour will introduce a statutory regulator for English football, ensuring fans have a strong voice, implementing financial regulations to prevent club bankruptcies, and improving distribution of resources to support lower league clubs and communities.

Liberal Democrats
  • The Liberal Democrats are pledging to make 10 English Premier League football matches per season free to watch on TV for everyone if they win the election.


Agriculture

Conservative
  • The conservatives are campaign to enhance natural beauty, heritage, and engagement with the natural environment, including ensuring high quality, accessible natural spaces close to where people live and work, particularly in urban areas, and encouraging more people to spend time in them.
  • Using natural resources more sustainably and efficiently, including ensuring all of England’s soils are managed sustainably by 2030, ensuring fish stocks are recovered to and maintained at levels that can produce their maximum sustainable yield, and doubling resource productivity by 2050.
  • Environmental Land Management Schemes aim to make available an additional range of actions through the Countryside Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Incentive to eligible farmers and land managers through high-quality service.
  • Offer a range of one-off payments for animal health and welfare, productivity, innovation, and research and development, and continue to provide free business advice.

Labour
  • Labour’s agriculture policies focus on sustainability, local sourcing, and post-Brexit trade opportunities. They will set mandatory targets to halve water utility leaks, enforce accountability by striking off company directors who repeatedly ignore responsibilities, and link dividend payments to key performance metrics.
  • Labour plans to deliver a land-use framework in England that supports sustainable farming practices and enhances national biodiversity. They aim to ensure that at least 50% of all food purchased by the public sector is locally produced and sustainable, equating to £1.2 billion of public expenditure on quality food.
  • In making Brexit work, Labour intends to leverage global trading opportunities while strengthening relations with the EU. This includes reducing friction on the movement of food, agricultural, medical, and veterinary goods, participating in the Horizon scheme, strengthening mutual recognition of professional standards, and enhancing links between students and universities.

Liberal Democrats
  • Liberal Democrats focus on clean water, food, and farming. Pleading an extra £1 billion should be injected into the farming budget, the Liberal Democratshave said as they seek to win over rural voters ahead of this year’s general election.
  • The party is also calling for “arbitrary” visa salary thresholds to be abandoned in order to help plug workforce gaps in the food sector as it announces a “rescue plan” for British
  • The Liberal Democrats have pledged to put environmental experts on water company boards to ensure sewage spills are taken seriously.
  • Party leader Sir Ed Davey accused the Conservatives of “sitting on their hands” as water companies released record spills of raw sewage into England’s seas and rivers in 2023.