Retailers are ready to help the new government leverage their scale and reach to deliver policy goals that will benefit the industry, our economy and communities, says BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson.
We – the country – have made our decision. It’s a fresh start for politics and a fresh start for business.
As Keir Starmer takes the keys to Number 10, his party has to hit the ground running on tackling the many urgent challenges currently facing the nation: the cost-of-living crisis, growing the economy, housing, crime, education, employment, the environment, health… the list goes on.
By the middle of October, we expect our new, first-ever female chancellor, Rachel Reeves, to have delivered her first budget, setting out the roadmap for how to secure economic stability over the next five years. A roadmap on the new government’s plans for business tax is expected within the next six months.
We know in Labour’s first year, employment rights and planning policy will be a big focus. As will net zero and decarbonisation.
“Our #BuyIntoRetail campaign will continue, so do get involved by engaging with your new local MP to highlight the power of the Everywhere Economy”
But to deliver on these, the new government will need to forge a partnership with retail and other industries.
Working with our members, we are ready to be a constructive partner, helping them leverage the scale and reach of retail to deliver the policy goals that will benefit our economy and communities in every corner of the country.
The machinery of government had become old and tired and often fraught with tension between business and politicians. In order to drive real and positive change, and give every retail business the opportunity to invest in communities, in technology, in climate action and in people, any government needs the power of industries such as ours. Nothing can be achieved without a shared endeavour and collective buy-in.
Through our #BuyIntoRetail campaign, we’ve been highlighting the importance of retail to our economy: the scale of your contribution to investment in every corner of the country; the creator of three million jobs nationally. This campaign will continue, so do get involved by engaging with your new local MP to highlight the power of what we call the ‘Everywhere Economy’ in our Manifesto for Retail.
We’ve already built strong relationships with many of the new Labour ministers and they understand the contribution the industry can make. Now it’s all about ensuring they follow through on the commitments made in their manifesto that are important for retail.
“There’s no doubt that business rates are a hard nut to crack, but all of us, Labour included, are on the same page that the system is broken”
The Apprenticeship Levy system must change, and Labour’s commitment to a flexible Growth and Skills Levy could provide just the answer retailers and their employees have been looking for. A more flexible levy could be instrumental to Labour’s policy for growth. We hope this will appear in the first Labour budget in the autumn.
Rising rates of retail crime and abuse have burdened retail workers for years. We’re pleased Labour has taken a tough line on retail crime, and they were first to back the industry’s pledge to create a new specific offence for assaulting a retail worker. We hope implementing this new offence is included in the King’s Speech on 17 July.
As things stand though, we still need to see more details around some of Labour’s other manifesto proposals. There’s no doubt that business rates are a hard nut to crack, but all of us, Labour included, are on the same page that the system is broken. We’ll continue to work closely with them to ensure any reform is well thought through and reduces the burden on retailers. Ultimately, any reforms should incentivise investment and benefit all retail businesses.
We also need to understand more about Labour’s plans for recycling and building a more circular economy, and how it will implement some of its employment law proposals.
It’s time for that fresh start, so we will build on the relationships we already have with Labour, sharing our expertise to support the development of policies which support retail investment and deliver growth in the wider economy. It’s all to play for.
So let’s get down to business.
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