Industry responds as Rishi Sunak becomes new PM

[edit] Electrical Contractors Association (ECA)

Leading electrotechnical and engineering services trade body association ECA has welcomed the appointment of Rishi Sunak as the new Prime Minister.

ECA’s Director of Workforce and Public Affairs Andrew Eldred said:

“We hope this latest development at number 10 will bring much-needed stability to the economy and provide welcome reassurance to our Members, who desperately need certainty to plan for the future.

“The electrotechnical sector is a crucial part of the construction industry, which forms the backbone of the UK’s economy. While ECA broadly supports Mr Sunak’s aim to fix the ‘profound economic crisis’ facing the country, we cannot overstate the importance of keeping electrification and decarbonisation front and centre of those plans.

“We eagerly await next week’s fiscal statement and urge Mr Sunak to prioritise green skills, infrastructure and incentives to boost our renewable energy sector, which in turn will help tackle rising energy bills.

“ECA is also keen to see Mr Sunak’s new government position the UK at the vanguard of decarbonisation on the world stage at COP27 in Egypt this November.”

ECA, which represents and supports nearly 3,000 businesses in the electrotechnical and engineering services industry, actively highlights the sector’s vital role in delivering Net Zero. Learn more at https://www.eca.co.uk/improving-our-industry-representation/leading-the-charge

[edit] Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)

The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) gave its reaction to Rishi Sunak becoming the new Prime Minister and has set out how he can support the built environment sector during his time in office.

Eddie Tuttle, Policy, Research and Public Affairs Director at CIOB, said: “At the time Liz Truss became Prime Minister, we called for consistency and ministers to be appointed for the long term to provide some stability and confidence for those in the construction industry, and this position hasn’t changed. In fact, with so many changes in Government since then, is even more relevant.

“Levelling up, net zero and energy efficiency in existing and new housing remain key issues we’d like the new PM and their cabinet to focus on in relation to their immediate priorities, which will clearly be the economy and cost of living crisis. The levelling up agenda provides significant opportunities for the construction sector, through local job creation and stability, while property retrofit schemes to improve energy efficiency for example, will further boost the sector and go some way to helping residents mitigate rising energy costs. Long term infrastructure and capital investment planning is also very much needed to provide a level of assurance and confidence for the industry and its supply chain together with the need to address the current delays in the planning system which are constraining supply.”

[edit] Timber Development UK

David Hopkins, CEO, Timber Development UK said:

"Like many other parts of the construction industry, timber businesses are crying out for some political stability right now. We hope the appointment of Rishi Sunak as PM will provide this and continue to calm down the markets too. Of course, he has some urgent economic issues to prioritise. But for TDUK members, whether he's a good PM or not will also be judged by his actions on Net Zero.

"Liz Truss commissioned a review of Net Zero policies to ensure they are pro-growth and pro-business, following increasing scepticism amongst conservative MPs. We firmly believe that a Net Zero strategy with effective and targeted regulation is a driver of economic growth and can be part of the solution to this country's difficulties. We look forward to productive conversations with Mr Sunak’s ministers on this and other issues in the coming months."

On the resignation of Prime Minister Liz Truss, Hopkins said:

“Political instability does no one any favours and it is vital we establish a stable government as soon as possible. In particular, we can’t let political turmoil damage crucial progress towards a net-zero construction industry following so much progress and investment in the past decade."

"This is an issue to which every part of the timber sector is currently committed and we have had positive conversations with new ministers only recently about how our sector can contribute to critical carbon reduction targets."

"Our hope is that a new prime minister does not mean a major reshuffle and yet another reset in ministerial appointments crucial to the construction industry. Following our commitment at COP26 to a 68% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, a consistent policy environment is more important than ever.”

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