🕑 As I mark two years at THIRTY4/7 Communications, I was asked to give my thoughts on how planning and politics has changed in that time: 🗳 'Since I started at T47, the political landscape has changed significantly. We have had three UK prime ministers, two monarchs, two first ministers of Wales and Scotland respectively, Welsh local elections, and two (nearing three) sets of English local elections. And if that weren’t enough, we are months away from a general election which might lead to a change of government for the first time since 2010. 🏗 The election will take place with both major parties having swapped positions on planning and development. Previously, under Boris Johnson’s government, the Conservatives placed growth at the heart of their economic agenda, pledging to ‘Level Up’ the nations and regions with investment and infrastructure. Johnson himself also championed the need to ‘build better and build greener but…also build faster’. In response, Keir Starmer’s Labour Party then warned voters that ‘The Conservatives’ developers’ charter would sell off and sell out our communities.’, in an appeal to those concerned at the prospect of overdevelopment. 🏡 Come 2024, and the position of both parties has reversed. Rishi Sunak has sounded a more cautious note around development, notably ditching national housing targets and watering down net zero legislation. Keir Starmer, on the other hand, has placed economic growth at the heart of his programme for government, with commitments on undertaking planning reform, achieving 100% clean power by 2030, and delivering 1.5 million new homes across the next Parliament. Starmer even recently acknowledged that Johnson’s policy had ‘struck a chord’ with voters, conceding that ‘Levelling-up is a good ambition for Britain’ and committing to delivering the policy in its totality. 🗣 Politics, after all, is driven by competing coalitions of voters and certain fluidity is to be expected, though with Labour anticipated to form the next government, perhaps there is growing evidence that voters wish to see growth and development at the forefront of the policy debate.' #politics #policy #development #Keir #Starmer #Boris #Johnson #Rishi #Sunak #Labour #Conservatives #communications
🎉 Over recent and upcoming weeks, Thirty4/7 celebrates the two-year anniversary for three of our valued colleagues – Hayley Fisher, Aaron Marchant, and Kate Orage 🎉 💬 We sat down with each colleague to ask them about their proudest achievement to date, how the role has changed in two years, advice for younger colleagues, how the planning/political landscape has shifted and, most importantly, their favourite food order at Newport Market! 🍔 A big thank you to Hayley, Aaron, and Kate for your dedication and hard-work, and, if YOU want to try the amazing food on offer at Newport Market, feel free to drop in to the office and say hello! 👋 #communications #planning #workanniversary #celebration #politics https://lnkd.in/eEcwV_dB
