Election 2024 - Outline On Political Party Manifesto Details For UK Hospitality

This week the country will be heading to the polling booths to cast their votes in the General Election.

The hospitality industry has fallen on difficult times over recent years - from the lasting effects of the Covid pandemic to the impact of the cost of living crisis. Those people running businesses across the sector will be looking for support and change under the newly formed Government– in order to help them forge a successful way forward.

Interesting to read UK Hospitality message to the next Government - ContractCatering - Story (contractcateringmagazine.co.uk).

The theme of sustainability has also risen high up on the agenda for hospitality providers in the last few years, as they seek to minimise their food and packaging waste, in order to mitigate the environmental impact.

Here, we outline some of the business and sustainability initiatives relating to the hospitality industry from the main political perspective:

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Conservative manifesto highlights:

Ø  Business rates relief - the manifesto includes plans to ease the burden of business rates for the high street, leisure, and hospitality businesses by increasing the multiplier on distribution warehouses that support online shopping over time.

Ø  Support for pubs and hospitality businesses - emphasising support for pubs and hospitality businesses through prioritising them for Business Rates relief and freezing alcohol duty. Additionally, there is a commitment to reversing the decline in the night-time economy by launching a review to address the reduction in pubs and clubs and enhance the appeal of towns and cities for nightlife​​.

Ø  Ten-point plan for SMEs - Within the ten-point plan for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), there are provisions aimed at improving the operating environment for hospitality businesses, such as reducing the complexity of reporting requirements and promoting digital invoicing to support cash flow​​.

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Labour manifesto highlights:

Ø Reform business rates - one of the primary pledges is to reform business rates, a significant burden on high street businesses, including those in the hospitality sector. This reform is aimed at supporting the financial stability of these businesses and helping them thrive in local communities​ (morningadvertiser.co.uk)​.

Ø Tackling energy prices - Labour also plans to tackle energy price volatility through the establishment of Great British Energy, a new public energy company designed to provide stable and affordable energy prices. This initiative is particularly important for hospitality businesses, which have been struggling with high energy costs​ (LabourList)​.

Ø Improving workplace rights - additionally, Labour's manifesto includes measures to improve workplace rights, which would affect many workers in the hospitality industry. These measures include ensuring written contracts, tackling late payments, and extending health and safety protections​ (LabourList)​.

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Liberal Democrat’s Manifesto highlights

The Liberal Democrat Manifesto includes several references to net zero and sustainability. Here are the key points:

Ø  Net Zero target - the Liberal Democrats are committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 at the latest.

Ø  Renewable Energy - they plan to invest in renewable power so that 90% of the UK's electricity is generated from renewables by 2030​​.

Ø  Government coordination and leadership - a Chief Secretary for Sustainability will be appointed in the Treasury to ensure the economy is sustainable, resource-efficient, and zero-carbon.

Ø  Supporting transition and innovation - the manifesto emphasises putting climate change at the heart of a new industrial strategy and investing in education and training to equip people with the skills needed for the low-carbon economy of the future​​.

Ø  Dedicated Minister for Tourism and Hospitality - the manifesto proposes upgrading the status of tourism in the government by appointing a dedicated Minister of State for Tourism and Hospitality​.

Ø  Impact of COVID-19 - the document highlights the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on culture and tourism businesses and criticises the Conservative response. It emphasises the need for support to these industries to help them recover and thrive​.

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Reform UK manifesto highlights:

Reform UK's manifesto for 2024 prominently addresses net zero and sustainability policies. However, there is little in relation to the hospitality sector specifically.

Ø  Abandoning the UK's current net-zero targets - the party proposes to abandon the UK's current net-zero targets. They argue that the costs associated with achieving net zero by 2050 are prohibitively high, estimating it to be around £30 billion annually. As part of their policy, they plan to scrap net-zero goals and related subsidies, claiming this would save substantial taxpayer money over 25 years​ (POLITICO)​​ (Planning, Building &Construction Today)​.

Ø  Referendum - additionally, Reform UK seeks to hold a referendum on the 2050 net zero target, believing they would win public support to abandon it. They argue that green policies have been driving up consumer costs and hindering economic growth​ (POLITICO)​.

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Green Party manifesto highlights:

The Green Party’s promise is to create a greener, fairer country together – one in which everyone is safer, happier and more fulfilled. They state that ‘Voting Green on 4th July is your way of showing you believe a fairer, greener world is possible – and is worth fighting for’.

Manifesto highlights include:

Ø  Creating a fairer, greener economy

Ø  Powering up fairer, greener energy

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