Every general election is a reset opportunity of sorts, but this one is more important than most, and the opportunity to deliver a plan for the long term must not be missed.
For more than a decade, Britain has been stuck in a low-growth economy where historic problems, many of them affecting the most vulnerable people in our society, have been left unaddressed, constrained by a culture of austerity.
Successive geopolitical and economic shocks including Brexit, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine have undermined business confidence and encouraged short-term thinking. Many sectors have suffered chronic underfunding and a lack of investment, which has placed them in a spiral of decline. Coping with high interest rates, inflationary cost increases and skills shortages has become part of ‘business as usual’ for private and public sector organisations across industry sectors.
As a social purpose law firm, we have a unique perspective on the forthcoming election, which is rooted in an appreciation of the issues that count to the most vulnerable in our society. We know how important it is that the next government delivers more social and affordable housing, finds a long-term solution for funding children and adult social care, and supports the third sector by recognising the increasingly valuable role it plays in the fabric of our society. There is also an opportunity to restore pride and determination in local government by devolving decision-making processes and empowering councils to find new ways to deliver the services that their communities need.
This Government must address the big issues of the day and be prepared to take a radically different approach. For example, there is an opportunity to reset public opinion of immigration, viewing it less as a border control issue or a political tool for garnering votes, and more as a means of bolstering the workforce and supporting economic recovery.
Above all else, this general election has been an opportunity for a cultural reset – a move away from the politics of austerity and looking after our own interests, to a more stable, inclusive and long-term agenda that is focused on driving the economy forward for the benefit of society as a whole.