A view from Conservative Party Conference: Fear and Planning in Birmingham

By Phil Briscoe

As the Conservative Party Conference draws to a close, it has been another year of fringe disagreements, disloyal sniping and a media frenzy about gossip in the bars. None of this is really new – and a bar full of party activists is always a place for them to get issues, gripes and concerns out in the open, often helped by some alcohol-infused honesty! Having been at conference in the May, Major and IDS years, I’ve seen all this before! 

However, what appears to have become increasingly apparent in recent years is the irrational fear factor of losing seats. MPs in red wall seats, blue wall seats, safe seats, marginal seats all seem to be focused on whether they can hold their seats at the next election, and for some, this means they panic and blame the Leader, or indeed anyone who dares to announce a new policy. In the fast-moving geopolitical climate that we have today, it seems a little premature to be fearing an election that could still be over two years away.  

The issue now for the housing and infrastructure sectors is how this fear translates into policy delivery. The fringe this week has been packed with some great discussions from across the sectors and there is an optimistic expectation of those supply side reforms we have been promised, streamlining the planning system, stripping back the bureaucracy of infrastructure planning, and prioritising a growth agenda that will see greater delivery of homes, energy supplies and transport links.  But all of this is long-term planning and at a local level will require some tough political decisions. 

The u-turn on the 45p tax cut earlier this week has provided hope to all those who want to change or derail policy, and if you combine this with the panic of MPs, we can expect these changes to the planning system to have a rocky journey through Parliament. With the newly appointed NIMBY Commander in Chief, Michael Gove, we have seen a leader emerge who will undoubtedly whip up other MPs to oppose measures that are aimed at speeding up the delivery of new housing and infrastructure. This is someone who when appointed as Levelling Up Secretary declared “I am never going to talk about the Green Belt, as it is too difficult, so I just won’t mention it.” 

It is usual for politicians to be shaped by their electoral fortunes and to oppose anything that may damage their re-election – anyone who works in planning knows this only too well! However, the difference now is that the panic has set in too early and long-term policy changes and reforms cannot be delivered if everyone is running round obsessed with short term scare stories.    

The coming months will be a challenge not only for Liz Truss, but also the sector that will have to engage with Ministers on policy change whilst at the same time focusing on backbenchers to help them calm their nerves and back changes for the long term. And if you need help with your communications strategy and advice on the political landscape, you know where we are!