This year’s party conferences confirmed that the political consensus around energy and infrastructure is gone. Where once there was broad cross-party agreement on Net Zero, renewables and long-term policy support, the debate has fragmented – and with it, the sense of certainty the sector has relied on for over a decade.
The dividing lines are clearer than ever. Labour and the Liberal Democrats are presenting a vision where clean energy, transport and digital infrastructure underpin economic growth. The Conservatives, meanwhile, are increasingly positioning energy and infrastructure through the lens of cost and security, looking to position themselves as on the side of “bill-payers” and seeking to reclaim ground from Reform UK.
And Reform themselves have gone all in on an anti-Net Zero message, calling for the UK to “abandon net zero and restore energy abundance”.
For investors, developers and planners, the result is a more volatile environment – one where long-term projects face short-term political risk.
Labour: investment, growth and a cautious return to delivery
At Labour conference, the message was clear: “Build baby, build.” Energy and infrastructure continue to be central to the party’s economic and industrial strategy, with Rachel Reeves’ keynote speech reaffirming a commitment to invest in clean growth and confirm funding for the long-delayed Northern Powerhouse Rail. That said, there’s recognition that lessons must be learned from HS2 – with Labour promising to “take the time to get it right” rather than move at breakneck speed.
The big question for the sector is what comes next. The Autumn Budget will be the true test of Labour’s investment intent. But the signals were largely positive: a renewed focus on net zero, a commitment to apprenticeships and skills, and an understanding that infrastructure delivery must be tied to local growth.
The party’s New Towns announcement hinted at a new model of coordination – one that links housing delivery with local energy, transport and water infrastructure. However, much of the detail remains thin. Promises of a “sustainability framework” to set standards on energy, water and waste are welcome but vague, and the expected updated Green Book will provide detail on how government investment in projects like roads will be assessed.
There’s also an open question around devolution. Labour’s rhetoric suggests a genuine intent to empower regions, but the Treasury will need to let go of the reins for that to mean anything in practice. Successful devolution models, like Manchester’s, are the blueprint – but scaling that across the country will take time and trust.
Conservatives: retreating from the consensus
By contrast, the Conservative conference was defined more by what it sought to scrap than what it sought to build. Pledges to scrap the Climate Change Act and abandon the 2050 Net Zero pledge took centre stage, attempting to put clear blue water between the Conservatives and Labour, as well as showing a shift away from the last 14 years of Conservative governments.
Rolling back GB Energy schemes, ending carbon pricing, and scrapping EV subsidies were pitched as measures to cut household bills, but they risk undermining investor confidence just as the Government needs to crowd in private capital.
Whilst North Sea oil and gas, alongside large-scale nuclear, were clearly the big winner from this year’s conference, innovative new technologies, such as Carbon Capture & Storage, SMRs and synthetic fuels, also won plaudits from the party leadership and members alike.
Liberal Democrats: green pragmatism and localism
The Liberal Democrats used their conference to reclaim the “community energy” space, combining pragmatic net zero policies with a strong focus on local delivery. Their pledge to delink gas and electricity prices, helping halve bills by 2035, was a headline moment.
They’ve also backed the “Build, baby, build” mantra – and even went further than Labour by committing to revisit the northern leg of HS2 and backing Northern Powerhouse Rail between Liverpool and Manchester. Their focus on skills was notable, with proposals to reform Skills England and align local Workforce Development Plans with a national industrial strategy.
For the energy sector, the Lib Dems’ support for small modular reactors and a new Energy Security Bank to back local efficiency projects point towards a policy platform designed to attract both local voters and private investment.
Reform UK: the outlier
Reform UK’s energy message can be summed up by the titles of its fringe events: “Drill, Baby, Drill?” and “Abandoning Net Zero and Restoring Energy Abundance.” The party is openly rejecting climate targets and positioning itself as the party of “cheap energy” and deregulation.
While that might appeal to certain voters, it creates significant uncertainty for investors – particularly in regions where Reform is polling strongly. For example, the East Midlands could see its attractiveness for data centres or renewables projects diminish if local authorities begin reflecting Reform’s stance.
The state of play
Across all parties, there’s no shortage of ambition – but a worrying lack of detail. The Government’s “sustainability framework” for New Towns, the promise of skills reform, and the rhetoric around energy security all sound promising, yet the delivery models remain undefined.
The one constant is the growing expectation that infrastructure delivery must be better coordinated. From grid capacity to data centre demand, from low carbon transport to new housing, the challenge is not just policy design – it’s making sure the system works together.
In short, the UK’s energy and infrastructure debate is entering a new phase. The political consensus that industry has been able to rely on for the last decade has collapsed, and with it certainty and clarity on the road ahead. For industry, there is a need to look carefully at what this change means, as the effects and impacts will be vast. A single message no longer works – businesses need to know their audiences and stakeholders like never before, understand their drivers and influence, and ensure that messaging is adapted accordingly.