Labour is seeking to fight the next UK general election

on economic grounds. It will argue that its vision of

‘securonomics’, involving ambitious supply-side

reforms and greater state intervention in sectors of

national importance, is an answer to the UK’s sluggish

growth.

To achieve this, Labour is targeting increased

infrastructure investment – planning reforms are a

priority. While this is essential to the party’s economic

goals, passing reforms may prove difficult.

Labour sees a greater role for the state in co-financing

and shaping investment in key sectors. It would create

planning documents setting out the infrastructure

investment each area needs, then work to co-finance

investments, with the private sector providing the

majority of funding.

Labour’s reforms are extremely ambitious and will

require government to become rapidly more adept at

handling large infrastructure projects than it has

demonstrated in recent years. For a party that has

been out of government for over a decade, this will be

extremely difficult, with high delivery risks.

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