Friday’s Financial Times has a serious piece (George Parker, et al , 24 January 2025; Reeves to go further and faster for growth after recent turmoil) examining the chances of the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuing a more aggressive growth agenda. She plans to accelerate flagship investment projects; re-direct regulators to prioritise growth; and attract some new leisure parks but says nothing about local residents’ rebellions against local spatial change. This omission is more worrying evidence the government continues to overlook the scale of local opposition to change in high demand areas. This lack of insight is shared by many, including the lead FT Commentor who blames poor growth on excess taxes and regulations.
My own comment, perhaps too late attracted no support. All the same, in my opinion it hits the target, despite widespread over sights. So here is the Comment
“ Sorry, but this claim is wrong. The people who hold back growth are the haves, seeking to stop the have nots from having . Mostly the haves, have homes they own; live in prosperous and popular areas of the South Rast, London or have the run of ‘unspoilt’ rural regions. Mostly the haves hate local change; have no desire to accept the conflict between their wish for no change in their local areas and the government wish to focus on national priorities to start economic growth.
Yes, this sounds simplistic, but it is spatial reality. Look at recent history. Opposition to local change started four decades ago. Look at elections which boot out long established Conservatives and put in place Liberal Democrat who are even more opposed to local change. A government like Reeves’ that intends to re-boot growth must tackle local myopia head-on. They will be opposed by local vested interests, knowing a policy U-turn in the summer of 2029 could happen. Followed by another decade of stasis. The challenge for Reeves is to get some local honesty into the growth debate”.
If you doubt the accuracy of this comment, look again at recent blogs about Liberal Democrats in Surrey Heath and Stockport. I could have added an urban example, Richmond upon Thames where the local Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney has no plan to encourage growth.
How is the new government going to ensure local residents make the connection? Until it happens, growth will remain in hibernation.
Ian Campbell
26 January 2025
