Latest:
Contractors look to Labour for their future
00:00 23 Mar 1995
|
Contractors are starting to forge closer links with the Labour
party as the construction industry continues its struggle to
grow.
A combination of Labour's commanding lead in the opinion polls and its construction-friendly policies has resulted in contractors approaching shadow ministers for discussions on policy.
Shadow housing and construction minister, Nick Raynsford, says there is an ever-increasing list of contractors and house-builders wanting to talk to him since he took office four months ago.
And contractors confirm that with the house market stagnant, local authority spending slashed and infrastructure spend down, they are keen to listen to Labour's alternatives.
The move to Labour comes as Lord McAlpine, a director of Sir Robert McAlpine, welcomed the prospect of the Conservative Government's defeat at the next election.
In a tough attack on the Government this week, Charles Gallagher, president of the House Builders Federation, said he was alarmed at the Conservatives dropping support for home ownership.
'It is ironic to find the Labour party championing the plight of the hard-pressed home owner while the Government refuses to do so,' he said.
But it is not only on housing where Labour is gaining ground. At a seminar this week contractors were pleased to hear Opposition spokesman for transport, Lord Clinton Davis, attack the private finance initiative. 'There will be a 25% cut in capital investment over the next three years, just when infrastructure is crumbling,' he said. 'PFI is inconsistent with the country's needs.'
Roy Paramor, chief executive of JT Design Build, has had several meeting with Labour party policy makers.
He said: 'They have good business sense. I expected more entrenched views but I was surprised at the way they were prepared to listen.'
Other leading contractors told CJ that they were disappointed with Tory policies.
'The government is in dramatic need of an integrated transport policy,' said one. 'Letting today's chaos go on is bad.'
A combination of Labour's commanding lead in the opinion polls and its construction-friendly policies has resulted in contractors approaching shadow ministers for discussions on policy.
Shadow housing and construction minister, Nick Raynsford, says there is an ever-increasing list of contractors and house-builders wanting to talk to him since he took office four months ago.
And contractors confirm that with the house market stagnant, local authority spending slashed and infrastructure spend down, they are keen to listen to Labour's alternatives.
ADVERTISEMENT
The move to Labour comes as Lord McAlpine, a director of Sir Robert McAlpine, welcomed the prospect of the Conservative Government's defeat at the next election.
In a tough attack on the Government this week, Charles Gallagher, president of the House Builders Federation, said he was alarmed at the Conservatives dropping support for home ownership.
'It is ironic to find the Labour party championing the plight of the hard-pressed home owner while the Government refuses to do so,' he said.
But it is not only on housing where Labour is gaining ground. At a seminar this week contractors were pleased to hear Opposition spokesman for transport, Lord Clinton Davis, attack the private finance initiative. 'There will be a 25% cut in capital investment over the next three years, just when infrastructure is crumbling,' he said. 'PFI is inconsistent with the country's needs.'
Roy Paramor, chief executive of JT Design Build, has had several meeting with Labour party policy makers.
He said: 'They have good business sense. I expected more entrenched views but I was surprised at the way they were prepared to listen.'
Other leading contractors told CJ that they were disappointed with Tory policies.
'The government is in dramatic need of an integrated transport policy,' said one. 'Letting today's chaos go on is bad.'
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Viewed Articles
ADVERTISEMENT