Linzi Boyd’s Post

🚀 Unleashing Growth: Sir Keir's Vision for the UK Economy 📈 This Christmas, it wasn’t just Santa delivering surprises. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, alongside Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, sent letters to over 10 major regulators (think Ofgem, FCA, CMA) with a clear message: tear down the barriers to growth. 📜 The mission? Identify 5 bold ideas to drive investment and unlock economic potential. Pinpoint where regulations hinder progress in areas like housing, infrastructure, and innovation. Propose reforms to supercharge the UK’s competitiveness by mid-January. 💡 Leading the charge is Varun Chandra, Starmer's special adviser on business and investment, described as “relentlessly” focused on revitalising business sentiment. This initiative is just the first step in a larger programme of supply-side reforms. 🗨️ Sir Keir summed it up best: "Regulation should drive growth, not hold it back. From homes to roads to data centres, if it stops us building the future, we’ll cut it out." 🏗️ This approach promises to reshape the regulatory landscape and create a launchpad for businesses to thrive. Will 2025 be the year of transformation for the UK economy? I think it will take more than letters. 📌 Source: Mark Kleinman, City Editor, Sky News #UKGrowth #EconomicInnovation #RegulationReform #LeadershipInAction #FutureForward

Over 2 Million Voices Calling for Change: Time for Leadership That Understands Business The UK is at a crossroads. With over 2 million people signing a petition for a new general election, it's clear that the nation has lost faith in Labour’s ability to lead us through these turbulent times. Businesses, the backbone of our economy, are facing mounting challenges—crippling costs, stagnant growth, and dwindling confidence. This isn’t just about politics; it’s about survival. We need leaders who understand how to create opportunities, drive innovation, and empower businesses to thrive. Donald Trump’s rise in the US showed how a business-minded approach to leadership can resonate deeply with people who want real, measurable results. Similarly, figures like Nigel Farage have proven their ability to challenge the status quo and inspire transformative change. Now, more than ever, we need bold leadership that prioritizes the economy, supports entrepreneurs, and champions progress. It's time for a leader who not only understands business but also has the courage to stand up for what's right and necessary for our country to flourish again. This is a call to action—for anyone who believes in change, for those who want a stronger future for UK businesses and families. Share your thoughts, support the petition, and let’s make our voices heard. #LeadershipForChange #BusinessSupport #UKEconomy #CallForAction #GeneralElection

Rachel #Reeves needs private investment to get her economic agenda moving and give #Labour the chance to fulfil its long-term deals. It’s a good job The #City sees stability and soundness in her approach. Impressions from the finance industry are that Reeves is a true centrist who’s capable and serious, and has built a strong team that is practical and extremely open to policy ideas. A key judgment I’ve heard is that no one thinks this group will do anything terrible. That sounds like faint praise, but it contrasts with the City’s fear of a properly socialist Labour party under Jeremy Corbyn. And it’s a welcome novelty after the pathological infighting of Conservative politics in recent years and the brief but disastrous reign of Prime Minister Liz Truss, who blew up the government bond market barely a month into the job. While Labour hasn’t given a lot of policy detail yet, a sense of stability and longer-term planning is what Reeves has spent the past year or more promising, including in her Mais lecture delivered at Bayes Business School in March. Her diagnosis of Britain’s withering progress is spot on, and her prescribed treatment amounts to a new bargain between finance, business, employees and government. None of it is especially radical, but to work it needs to be underpinned by political stability and Reeves’s team will need to be determined to push their ideas through. Reeves wants to strike long term deals to boost growth. For example tax certainty business in exchange for stronger workers’ rights and training. Investment to lift growth and productivity would help the GDP part of the debt rule and make space for more public investment too. Read more Bloomberg Opinion >> https://lnkd.in/e6vRzrYB

Rachel Reeves’ vision of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reset UK politics speaks directly to the core of my research on economic competency. After the sum of several years of economic turmoil and the loss of economic credibility for the Tories due to Liz Truss and others, Labour now stands poised to demonstrate that economic stability is indeed a hallmark of its governance. As Reeves (reportedly) rightly notes, with stability comes investment, and with investment, growth and prosperity. Every Labour Party member, and every Labour MP and Lord, should be backing Reeves on this point. Establishing Labour as the party of economic competency will mean establishing itself as the new natural party of government. This reflects my own findings: economic competency isn’t just about balancing books, but unlocking policy space for progressive change. Rachel Reeves’ (reported) full quote: “After 14 years of Tory recklessness, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reset politics in our country, and the prize on offer for all of us is huge. The Conservative Party, which declared itself as a party of economic competence, has shown itself to be utterly incompetent. If we show, as I believe we will, that economic stability is the hallmark of Labour governments, there is no limit to what we can achieve. With that stability comes investment. With investment comes growth. With growth comes prosperity.”

Thrilled by the 2024 General Election results, it's clear a new era beckons for British business. 🌱 With a nod to the fresh mandate led by Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party, we're poised at the brink of reinvention and regrowth. 🇬🇧 These are times that call for boldness and unwavering focus. As businesses, we're ready to roll up our sleeves, working shoulder-to-shoulder with the government to ignite sustainable growth. 💡📈 From essential reforms in planning to supercharging grid capacity, the stage is set for transformative decisions that will reboot our economy with fervour. Brexit, COVID-19, and global tensions have tested the resilience of our households and enterprises. Yet, through it all, we've remained steadfast. 🛡️ Now, with the gears of the economy gaining momentum, we must champion growth like never before. The government's first 100 days carry the potential to sketch a vibrant blueprint for our shared economic future, embracing our role in the global community. 🌍 Together, we can envision a landscape where government and business are partners in prosperity, attracting global investors back to Britain's robust shores. 🤝 Let's harness the collective prowess of our nation's innovators, thinkers, and workers to forge transitions towards net zero, digitisation, and evolving employment landscapes, setting a sustainability blueprint we can all take pride in. 🚀 Your insights are invaluable as we embark on this journey. Join the conversation below or reach out at plumsteadconsulting.com - let's build a thriving, future-ready Britain together. 🤗 #UKBusiness #EconomicGrowth #NewBeginnings

Many have wondered what Rachel Reeves is hoping to achieve by increasing employer NI contributions when the ultimate goal is the growth of the UK economy, as it will likely lead to some employers restricting recruitment, or even cutting jobs altogether. Newspapers are famously rather slanted towards various parts of the political spectrum, and we should always factor that into our critiques of their articles, but this one from The Guardian gives a potential insight into the Treasury’s reasoning and is a worthwhile read for business leaders. Highlighting the wealth of experience underpinning Reeves’ decision-making is a smart move, whether you agree with her decisions or not. https://lnkd.in/eecV-akx #growth #UKEconomy #RachelReeves #Jobs #Insight

Since the election announcement in the UK on that rainy day in May, it has felt like many businesses are in a holding pattern. First waiting for the election result, then for the summer recess to end, now for the October budget before making significant changes or decisions.   Taken alongside the backdrop of conflicts, the UK riots, bad news about big names and political parties, party conferences and the system failings revealed by Lord Darzi’s report on the NHS, and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry report, it can feel hard to feel confident about our future in the UK.   When I feel like that I seek out: the experts; the facts and what I can learn; the people who raise me up and inspire me.   Later today I’m off to an event, organised by Matt Desmier for my alma mater Bournemouth University, called Thriving in Uncertainty and I will be connecting with Kelly Keating Michaela Smith and Joanna Hyde there.   Earlier this week I joined the IOD Summer Economic Update and was pleased to hear communications in response to a question: What can business leaders do to hold on to their people, build and maintain the confidence?   Anna Leach, the IOD’s Chief Economist, suggested:   1️⃣ Instil an innovative mindset in your culture ➡Use your town halls, employee conversations and feedback, line manager training to help shift the thinking to be open and foster the confidence and innovation within your organisations 2️⃣ Draw out some of the positives of what government is doing with regard to business ➡ There’s a lot going on to make changes in government when you look beyond the headlines. Such as: Industrial strategy and investment Government is interested and listening to business and organisations 3️⃣ Important topics can help galvanise your business and people, such as: ➡Transition to Net Zero ➡The multi-generational workforce and the wealth that brings to business ➡AI and engaging your people on the opportunities and how that could help your businesses 4️⃣ Set the context and you realise what we’ve overcome ➡We have come through a pandemic that shrank the economy by 25% ➡The war in Ukraine sent energy prices higher than in the 70s ➡In previous eras economic instability unemployment has hit 10%, as a nation we’re at 4% ➡Inflation is back down to 2.2% and whilst households may not be feeling it yet, the economy is more stable, prices are not rising so fast as they were The big takeaways for me from attending that economic update are: ✔ There is a level of stability that we have not had for a long time ✔ Confidence in businesses is key to boosting the UK as a place to live and work ✔ As communicators, we have a role to play in building that confidence in the organisations we work with and how they communicate with the people who do the work

Check out my article for FTAdviser on the Labour governments economic plans below.

"Labour has stabilised The UK economy". (Starmer as of 5 minutes ago). Now I'm all for people blowing their trumpets a touch when they've achieved something, but.......... Can you believe Keir Starmer just said this on his pre budget speech??? Now don't get me wrong, I really hope they deliver a pro growth, pro business budget but the early signs aren't promising. Is it just me, or do UK politicians think if they keep on saying the same things that eventually we'll believe them??? The proof will be in the pudding. Rt Hon Rachel Reeves and #labour have to deliver. With the countdown clock officially counting down until the Budget, what do you think has been decided, and will it be pro growth? Changes to CGT? Changes to IHT? Any other changes? Not long to wait now. A defining week for the UK economy. Let’s go. #ukeconomy #ftse100 #ukwealth #ukbusiness TPP Edward Davies

Rachel Reeves’ Plan for a Thriving UK... Rachel Reeves recently delivered a powerful speech where she reinforced the Labour party’s dedication to fostering economic growth as a remedy for the UK’s current challenges. She stressed the necessity for making hard choices to facilitate the construction of new homes and revamp the ‘timid’ planning system that’s been an obstacle to housing development. Reeves also laid out immediate steps to ‘fix the foundations’ of the UK economy, with a focus on rebuilding Britain and enhancing prosperity nationwide. She pointed out that if the UK had grown at the average rate of other OECD economies over the past 13 years, the economy could have been substantially larger. Labours plans seem to be focused around boosting and building our economy to help improve public services and make life better for workers. Investment: Encouraging investment in training, skills, technology, and infrastructure to boost productivity and efficiency. Green Investments: Allocating £3.5bn for public green investments, including home upgrades and hydrogen projects. Tax and Spend Plans: Raising £8bn through measures such as changing non-dom tax status, clamping down on tax avoidance, applying VAT to private schools, and introducing a windfall tax. Spending: The revenue raised will fund green investment, NHS operations, mental health staff, expert teachers, and primary school facilities. Green Prosperity Plan: An additional £4bn for a green prosperity plan. Labour aims for a cautious approach, prioritising stability and long-term growth over immediate tax cuts. https://lnkd.in/enmyTNh5 #Laboureconomicpolicy #UK