The Conservatives have dropped Crossrail 2 from their manifesto while the Institue for Fiscal Studies has derided both major parties
The election has, of course, taken something of a back seat next to the appalling events in Manchester. UKIP was the first party to come back to the campaign stump, becoming one of the last parties to unveil its manifesto. Construction consultant Mark Farmer, who last year recommended a wholesale shift in the industry toward modular and off-site construction, looks to have found an unlikely supporter in the anti-EU party, with UKIP building its housing policy around a pledge for the public sector to build up to 100,000 off-site homes each year with money saved from the EU鈥檚 拢1bn regional development budget. UKIP鈥檚 manifesto also called for the scrapping of HS2 and the Heathrow third runway project.
Neither sets out an honest set of choices. Neither addresses the long-term challenges we face.
Carl Emmerson, deputy director for IFS
Probably of more significance to construction was the report in the Guardian that Theresa May鈥檚 government has lost faith in the 拢32bn Crossrail 2 project, previously supported by George Osborne. The project was not mentioned in the Conservative manifesto, despite former prime minister David Cameron committing the party to it in the 2015 election. Crossrail 2 is a key priority for London mayor Sadiq Khan, needed to unlock sites for thousands of homes, and this latest setback follows 黑洞社区鈥檚 story last month that the election had delayed progress on the project. The Guardian report said the manifesto omission was 鈥渢he clearest sign yet that there is little appetite in a Theresa May government for another London-based scheme鈥�.
Meanwhile, the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) derided both Labour and Conservative manifestos in its assessment, published last Friday. IFS deputy director Carl Emmerson said that Labour鈥檚 plan, which includes a promise to build 100,000 affordable homes a year, falsely implies it can 鈥渁ll be funded by faceless corporations and 鈥榯he rich鈥�,鈥� and that the Conservatives鈥� proposals include 鈥渦nacknowledged risks to the quality of public services.鈥� In total, he said: 鈥淣either sets out an honest set of choices. Neither addresses the long-term challenges we face.鈥�
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The letter summarises construction鈥檚 importance to the UK economy and calls on election candidates to consider the key demands in the 黑洞社区 a Better Brexit manifesto.
A list of the candidates is available from the official political parties鈥� websites, along with contact details. Feel free to add local examples of important construction projects or related issues 鈥� we would also be interested to hear about these local stories, so please email us building@ubm.com.
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