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Experts from the University College of Estate Management (UCEM) found 77% of those in the built environment say that their organisation would lose its competitive edge without sustainability skills.

The research, which was published yesterday, also found that not only do green skills help set company’s aside from each other, they are relevant to every role in the sector – 88% of individuals surveyed expressed this view.

However, despite being extremely relevant, the research discovered that these certain skills are hard to come by and 77% of people reported that recruiting people with the right skillset is a challenge.

The survey also highlighted the demand for those skills will only increase as goals to achieve net zero and assist with the current climate crisis have tightened.

‘The UK has the oldest housing stock in Europe which creates significant problems around sustainability and energy conservation,’ Stephen Bartle, Pro Vice-Chancellor at UCEM, said.

‘Built environment professionals are facing looming environmental legislation, yet there is still a shortage of the skills required to meet legal requirements,’ Bartle added. ‘This is a wake-up call for the sector to invest in training that meets financial, legal, and ethical obligations, yet it also highlights the economic opportunity that sustainability presents to both employers and jobseekers.’

On the topic of environmental legislation, 91% of the people involved in the research identified optimising energy use and reducing carbon emissions as the most highly sought-after skill, followed by optimising buildings for health and wellbeing (89%) and actively contributing to improving the sector’s sustainability performance (89%).

Against this backdrop, 83% of respondents agreed that sustainability solutions are a core focus of their industry.

Image: Evgeniy Alyoshin

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After 14 years of Conservative mismanagement Labour have successfully achieved a landslide victory in this years General Election.

“We did it!”, shouted Keir Starmer after it was revealed in the early hours of this morning that he will become the UK’s next Prime Minister, “Change begins now.”

Although the success was far from unexpected, the 2024 election has shattered records. Labour has won a landslide victory, reversing its heavy defeat experiences less than five years ago. The final majority will come close to Tony Blair’s achievement of 1997, surpassing the landslides achieved by Clement Attlee in 1945 and Margaret Thatcher in 1983. Overall, Labour secured more than 635 out of 650 seats declared and will now run the country with a majority of at least 100.

Although this achievement can be described as nothing short of exceptional, Labour now has arguably one of the biggest jobs in trying to fix this country – especially in regard to addressing the current housing crisis. With this in mind, we analyse the reaction to Labour’s victory.

This story will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Parest Raja, CEO of Market Financial Solutions: ‘The accepted logic is that elections bring uncertainty and are therefore bad news for the property market. But there have been some important differences this time around: Rishi Sunak called for the vote to take place a lot earlier than expected, and the result (a Labour victory) has seemed highly likely from the off. As a result, there has been less uncertainty than there could have been, and now the ballots have closed, we should see a prompt return to more stable, ‘business as usual’ conditions.

‘There are enough signs to suggest the market is ready for a post-election uptick in activity. The number of homes coming onto the market in the first half of 2024 is 22.9% higher than last year, while economists are still predicting that the Bank of England will cut the base rate twice before the end of the year, with the first potentially coming on 1st August.

‘But, despite these reasons for optimism, there is clearly no room for complacency. Political and economic turbulence remains, so lenders have to focus on supporting brokers and borrowers as best they can. Optionality and flexibility will be key in the second half of this year, and lenders have to commit to providing borrowers with the financial products they need to both benefit from any opportunities that a potentially more stable climate could provide.’

Jatin Ondhia, CEO of Shojin: ‘Labour’s ascendancy to Downing Street marks an important moment for the property sector. Several ambitious pledges regarding housebuilding and investment were made on the campaign trail, but now’s the time for Starmer and his party to back up their words with actions. Ensuring the UK continues to remain a global hub for investment needs to be a key priority, and the real estate sector will remain a crucial market for attracting that inbound investment.

‘Labour has work to do: interest rates remain high, the cost-of-living crisis has left a toll on people’s spending power, and economic growth needs to turbo-charging. However, following a rather tumultuous end to the Conservatives’ 14 years in power, the UK now has a chance to reposition itself, building strong international partnerships and attracting global investments. Labour’s plans to reform the planning system and pave the way for affordable house building present significant opportunities for greater investment into property development, but the effective implementation of their promised reforms will be key.’

Nicholas Harris, Chief Executive at Stonewater: ‘Labour has work to do: interest rates remain high, the cost-of-living crisis has left a toll on people’s spending power, and economic growth needs to turbo-charging. However, following a rather tumultuous end to the Conservatives’ 14 years in power, the UK now has a chance to reposition itself, building strong international partnerships and attracting global investments. Labour’s plans to reform the planning system and pave the way for affordable house building present significant opportunities for greater investment into property development, but the effective implementation of their promised reforms will be key.

‘For customers, I hope that Labour’s pledge to ‘review’ universal credit sees a more supportive approach, ensuring that those who most need support get the help they need, and ultimately that more customers can thrive.

‘We hope that the government will be focused on delivery, consistency and ambition, and we look forward to working with the MPs in the areas that we operate to help them tackle the issues being faced and deliver support for customers.’

Douglas Grant, Group CEO of Manx Financial Group: ‘While widely anticipated, Labour’s victory brings uncertainty, making it crucial for SMEs to reassess their lending arrangements to strengthen financial stability and operational resilience. This preparation is vital in light of potential economic and policy changes post-election. Recent research by Manx Financial Group indicates significant financial challenges for UK SMEs, with nearly a third having to halt or pause business operations due to insufficient finance. Although this figure has improved from 40% in 2023, 10% of SMEs seeking external finance were unsuccessful. These constraints, alongside a volatile environment marked by conflicts, ongoing global elections, a tight labour market, and cost-of-living issues, hinder SME prospects and national economic growth.

‘The current government has made strides in SME financial support, but more proactive measures are necessary for the Labour government. Advocacy groups urge both current and future governments, along with the Treasury, to continue short-term loan schemes and establish a permanent, government-backed loan scheme. Such a scheme should target resilient sectors and include both traditional and non-traditional lenders, essential for economic recovery and support. As SMEs are crucial to the economy, driving innovation, employment, and local development, it is imperative to equip them with resources to thrive. The evolving SME lending landscape necessitates the next UK government to focus on the following areas:

• Long-term government-backed financial support: Establish permanent sector-specific financial support, ensuring stability and predictability for SMEs.
• Technology as a job enabler: Invest in digital skills training, infrastructure development, and technology adoption initiatives to enhance productivity and job creation.
• Infrastructure development: Provide consistent funding and execution of infrastructure projects to stimulate local economies and support SME growth.
• Supply chain and infrastructure optimisation: Analyse and improve supply chains and infrastructure to mitigate risks and enhance efficiency.
• Incentivise investment: Introduce tax breaks and investment schemes to attract capital to UK SMEs, fostering growth and innovation.’

Mark Chick, Director of ALEP: ‘So now that we know the size of the Labour majority it seems a fairly safe bet that the next five years will see a more vigorous programme of reform in the residential leasehold sector.

‘During the next five years we are likely to see the acceleration of commonhold and possibly legislation to end or put a sunset date on leasehold for new properties.

‘It will be interesting to see what Labour chooses to do with the Commonhold project and I expect we will now find out what other drafting has been done by DLUHC in relation to the law commission’s original reports and recommendations.

‘In addition we can presumably expect the current reforms in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 to be brought into effect and the question now turns to the timing of these and secondary legislation.’

Daniel Austin, CEO and Co-founder of ASK Partners: ‘Housing stands as a pivotal issue for the Labour government, given its correlation with economic stability. Recent upticks in house prices and mortgage approvals hint at recovery, yet the persistent housing shortage threatens prolonged recession. The UK faces a crisis of affordability due to insufficient homes for rent and sale, negatively impacting GDP. Decades of social strain persist with little resolution in sight. We urge the implementation of a radical yet credible long-term plan to assuage market concerns.

‘A previously proposed target of 300,000 homes annually echoes longstanding government aspirations unmet since 2004. France’s surpassing construction efforts underscore the urgency, with Capital Economics estimating a need for 385,000 new homes yearly. Four primary factors underpin this crisis: over-reliance on major housebuilders, politicised planning discouraging development, net loss of social housing, and post-Brexit labour shortages.

‘Addressing these roots is imperative to alleviate the affordability crisis. Reinvigorating SME housebuilders is pivotal. Incentives should facilitate access to opportunities, including allocating small land plots for development and streamlining planning permissions for brownfield sites. Boosting skilled labour domestically and reforming the planning system are equally crucial. Independent decision-making and private sector assistance can expedite approvals and reduce costs. Prioritising social housing and incentivising brownfield developments are essential steps toward sustainable growth. Lenders must offer flexible financing to smaller developers.’

Colin Brown, Head of Planning & Development at Carter Jonas: ‘With the election of a new Labour government, there are new opportunities ahead for planning and the wider housebuilding industry – policies to reform the planning system, increase the rate of housebuilding and utilise brownfield and selected Green Belt sites.

‘The extent to which the new government can succeed where the last one frankly struggled will depend on many factors. Building ‘the right homes in the right places’ is a laudable aim but not necessarily as straightforward as it sounds.

‘The new administration appears committed to delivering increased housing numbers through the creation of several new towns.  At one level, this is something one should welcome as part of a balanced overall development strategy, but it will be important not to place all eggs in one basket, given the long lead-in times for delivery of new communities.

‘Labour has also made it clear that a more strategic approach will be taken to the selective release of the Green Belt. In our view, this is the correct approach to take, especially having regard to the fact that many Green Belt locations are those where housing affordability is at or beyond crisis levels. But it remains to be seen exactly how land might be categorised as ‘grey belt’ and we suspect there will be rather more nuance than simply distinguishing beyond what is ‘green’ or ‘grey’.

‘Labour has pledged to introduce effective new mechanisms for cross-boundary strategic planning, requiring all Combined and Mayoral Authorities to plan strategically for housing growth in their areas. While we welcome this, it remains to be seen if cross-boundary strategic planning becomes an advent for informal or more formal regional spatial strategies.  In our view, this is precisely what is needed, and combined with mandatory housing targets, development strategies can be set at a city-regional level.  This would bring many benefits and added certainty to the development industry, allowing more focus on the desirable co-location of housing and jobs.’

Oli Sherlock, Managing Director of Insurance at Goodlord: ‘The new government has a hell of a job on its hands. Whilst their attention will be pulled in many directions, housing policy deserves to be high on the agenda. We’ve had over a decade of stagnation on housing – now is the time for action.

‘Firstly, we need a credible, rapidly implemented plan for house building. The lack of new private and social homes being built is at the very crux of our housing crisis. House building doesn’t happen overnight, meaning we have no time to waste if we want current pressures to abate within a reasonable timeline.

‘Alongside this, the new government must give the market clarity on what’s happening with Renters Reform. If similar legislation to the previous Bill is set to go through, we need clear information on details and timelines. The election-induced delay is also an opportunity to ensure concerns around Section 21 and court backlogs are effectively addressed, before legislation hits the statute books.

‘Lastly, we need consistency of leadership. This isn’t Premiership football, we can’t afford to have another merry-go-round of Housing Ministers – the sector is far too fragile. Long-term planning, consistent leadership, and clarity over details is what the market is calling out for as we enter this new chapter.’

Lauren Hughes, Head of Customer Success at Vouch: ‘Housing should be at the heart of the new Government’s agenda. So many other areas of public policy – health, education, productivity, growth, immigration – are made far more challenging by our current housing crisis. Fix housing and vast benefits are unlocked for the nation.’

‘The UK needs more private and social housing built as soon as possible, alongside incentives to boost the rental market, clearer rules to support tenants and landlords, and far more clarity and consistency over what the future looks like. It’s a big challenge, but we can’t afford to kick the housing can down the road any longer.’

Images: Shutterstock, Nick Kane, Aldric RIVAT and C Dustin

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The Local Government Association (LGA) have revealed that homelessness spending now accounts for 60% of councils’ housing budgets, reducing their ability to provide much needed affordable social homes.

The continued cost-of-living crisis has had devastating impacts on housing and individuals and new research from the LGA demonstrates this. The organisation found councils in England are spending three times as much of their housing budgets on homelessness and temporary accommodation than they did in 2015.

Experts also discovered council spending on homelessness has increased by 42% since 2015/16, up £733m.

As for now, spending has surpassed £1bn in 2023/24 and is stretching budgets much further than a decade prior when local authorities paid £315m to support people experiencing homelessness.

‘Homelessness pressures on councils are spiralling as a larger proportion of their budgets is put towards costly temporary accommodation due to a lack of social housing,’ Cllr Claire Holland, leader of Lambeth Council.

‘The way to properly resolve the issue is to address the shortage of suitable housing across the country and build up councils’ stock of social housing.

‘Councils need to be given the powers and resources to build affordable homes their communities need so they can resume their historic role as a major builder of affordable homes.’

In addition to councils being stretched with forking out to help support people sleeping rough, the LGA has also warned that a record-high 113,000 households in temporary accommodation means councils are spending £1.75bn annually. Researchers likewise remarked that both figures are due to rise in future.

Following these shocking statistics, the LGA has called on the next government to reform right to buy to allow all homes sold to be directly replaced as well as exemptions for newly built homes.

The council-led group is also campaigning for the abolition of permitted development rights, which allow commercial buildings to be converted to residential without planning permission, and an increase in affordable housing programme grants to keep on top of inflation.

Image: Etienne Girardet

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Despite a General Election being underway, Ian Barnett, National Land Director at Leaders Romans Group, explores the idea of having a future free of politics impacts on the development sector. 

As those who have put forward land for development will know, the process from a local plan’s ‘call for sites’ to a land sale typically stretches beyond the length four-year political term. And yet development is all too easily derailed, or substantially delayed, by short-term political thinking. 

This is demonstrated time and time again. Earlier this parliament, Boris Johnson made a conference in which he said that he would not support greenfield development, and as his comments ricocheted around town halls up and down the country, many local plans were halted.

Another impasse occurred following Liz Truss’ comment about ‘Stalinist national housing targets’ and then Rishi Sunak’s substantial changes to national planning policy and the effective scrapping of housing targets. Both were the result of a political rebellion fuelled by entrenched NIMBYism within communities.

Many local plans are now stalled and landowners are left unsure of the future potential for their territory. In every case, local politics is the root of the problem: residents resist development and the councillors that represent them fear an own-goal, scored by the notorious ‘political football’.

Democracy has had an active role in planning since the first Town and Country Planning Act in 1947. I am not endorsing a US-style, market-led approach to planning which deprives residents from having a voice. But the next election must not be fought on opposition to development

While there is undoubtedly a role for local voices in development decisions, it is clear from the new towns delivery programme and the establishment of development corporations that housing targets are only met when decisions are outside the remit of local authorities.

An ‘infrastructure first’ approach which brings together infrastructure, housing, energy and climate change in a de-politicised environment to expedite the creation of new settlements is part of the solution.

In the UK, the closest we ever have got to this model was the Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS) which were introduced by the last Labour government in 2004. RSSs established a spatial vision and strategy specific to a region, for example, including the identification of areas for development with a 20 year timescale while also providing direction for local development frameworks on a local (borough / district) level.

They provided a cohesive approach to housing targets, transport planning and regionally-specific policies which is so problematic within the two-tier system. Even then, politics hampered progress: they were denied time to crystallise and ultimately withdrawn before they had chance to come to fruition.

Saying ‘yes’ to utilising land for development works best top-down, rather than bottom up. Ideally, a national spatial plan could kick-start development strategically and effectively. Community involvement would have a role to play within this national approach and of course only land put forward for development by its owner would be considered. But engagement process must be efficient (is three rounds of consultation on a design code alone really the best route to fast-tracking development?), and consistent. As neighbourhood planning has demonstrated, the potential for a specific community to impact on planning decisions lies in that community’s demographic: neighbourhoods with a professional, prosperous and permanent demographic are likely to exert more power than deprived areas with transient communities.

As recent politics has demonstrated, speeches berating development of greenfield land and the surrender of housing targets might bring about short-term political success. But to enable the sale of land suitable for development, create new settlements, and in doing so, achieve the (political) goal of providing the housing that this country needs, requires long-term commitment. A government which could enable this – if necessary, by relinquishing some local political power – could achieve and a lasting legacy for which they would be proud.

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There are at least 309,000 homeless people in England today – a figure that’s been rapidly increasing since the cost-of-living – and many experts have claimed tackling this issue should be a priority for the next prime minister.

As of this morning, polls have opened their doors in the UK for the first July General Election since 1945. Polling stations, which have been set up in buildings like churches, community halls and schools, are set to be open between 7:00 and 22:00 BST on Thursday.

Ahead of polling stations closing later, below you will find a run-down of Labour’s and the Conservative’s parities pledges to help tackle the ongoing housing crisis.

Conservatives

The Tory party have laid out plans to deliver 1.6 million new homes should they be successful today. There is a promise to do this in the ‘right places while protecting our countryside.’

Back in 2021, the party announced similar goals as they planned to produce 300,000 new houses by the mid-2020s however, according to the latest government data, they only managed to produce 234,000 a year.

In addition to creating new places for people to live, the party have also outlined that, should they be re-elected, they plan on bringing back the Renters (Reform) Bill which was first introduced in 2019. In their manifesto, the party is dedicated to passing the Bill, ‘to deliver fairness in the rental market for landlords and renters alike’.

Plans include abolishing Section 21 – ‘no-fault’ – evictions and strengthening other grounds for landlords to evict private tenants guilty of anti-social behaviour. A number of charities have supported this decision including Shelter – the UK’s leading homelessness charity. Research by YouGov, which was commissioned by Shelter when the bill was first suggested, showed 943,000 tenants had been served Section 21 notices – equivalent to more than 500 renters per day.

However, various delays and liaisons with landlords cast concerns that the bill was more in favour of who was renting out properties rather than the individuals living in them. This sparked the creation of the Renters’ Reform Coalition (RRC) which is comprised of 20 leading housing charities and campaign groups. They sent a letter to the government which criticise MPs for meeting with landlords twice as often to discuss amendments.

The letter read: ‘This legislation is intended to give the impression of improving conditions for renters but in fact it preserves the central power imbalance at the root of why renting in England is in crisis.’

If the Renters Reform Bill is re-introduced into parliament any changes that it wants to implement would require a law to be passed.

Although the future of the government is currently hanging in the balance, Jacob Young, who currently serves as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, has said that the Renters Reform Bill ‘will deliver our manifesto commitment to abolish Section 21 no-fault evictions and ensure a fairer private rented sector for both tenants and landlords.’

Labour

In the Labour party’s manifesto, they have created a goal of delivering 1.5 million new homes, as part of the Kickstart Economic Growth mission. Within this project, Keir Starmer – leader of the party – has said he wishes to put councils and communities at the heart of housebuilding in their area. This could be a pledge that will be well received in London as new research has just revealed the majority of individuals living in the capital city have lost faith in the national government and would favour a devolution deal.

Similar to the Conservatives, Starmer has also revealed his party will be prioritising building on Brownfield sites. What’s more, the party plans to release and prioritise ‘lower quality ‘grey belt’ land’ where 50% of properties will be earmarked as affordable. This particular promise has caused concerns among environmentalists, though Labour have claimed there will be ‘golden rules’ to ensure any development benefits both the community and surrounding area.

Speaking of benefitting the community, Keir Starmer has further promised to introduce Awaab’s Law should he be elected. It’s no secret that growing numbers of homelessness and potential evictions are a major issue in this country, but there is an argument that if people are placed into housing riddled with physical health risks they aren’t much better off.

The law was originally introduced into the social sector in July 2023 following the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who lost his life after being exposed to too much toxic mould in his one-bedroom flat in Rochdale. The law will require landlords to investigate hazards within 14 calendar days and begin repairs a following seven days after the investigation. For emergency repairs, landlords have 24 hours to fix any issues.

Staying on track with what Labour have in common with the Conservatives, the party also wish to abolish Section 21 evictions immediately. Though Labour has previously shared there are ‘significant doubts’ around the version of the Renters (Reform) Bill as introduced, due to multiple provisions being removed from the bill after experiencing staunch resistance from Conservative back-bench MPs.

One of the changes Keir Starmer wants to implement within the Bill is requiring landlords and letting agents to state the amount of rent payable when advertising a property and, preventing them from encouraging prospective tenants to offer to pay more than this. Although, a prospective tenant would not be prohibited from offering to pay more than the advertised rent under the proposals.

It seems this new rule would help tenants from constantly being out of pocket – especially after research from the New Economics Foundation think tank last year found renters were paying £1,200 a year above the advertised rate – although Starmer is yet to confirm details on how this idea would actually run.

Images: Emily Whitehouse and Shutterstock

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The consultation is now underway on proposed changes to the way Leeds provides transport assistance for post-16 learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

At the minute local MPs and the leaders of political parties are fighting for the populations vote, however citizens in Leeds have also been asked to share their views on a new transport update that will affect SEND individuals.

Due to run until 23rd July 2024, a public consultation has been launched which highlights plans that Leeds City Council is considering changing the existing discretionary transport assistance for post-16 learned with SEND. Councillors have claimed it will help promote independence through travel.

Last week senior councillors approved the plans at an executive board meeting.

Currently, the local authority is statutorily obliged to make free of charge home to school travel arrangements for eligible children of compulsory age, there is no similar statutory obligation on the authority to provide transport for post-16 learners.

Officials have remarked that the changes would significantly help address financial challenges facing the council. As it stands they pay between £4m-£4.5m each year for transport assistance, with the number of learners receiving support having doubled since 2015.

‘We encourage as many people as possible to look at these proposals and give us their views by taking part in the consultation. It will be vital in shaping the decisions made in this area, so we want to hear what people think,’ Cllr Helen Hayden, executive member for children and families, said.

‘We remain firmly committed to supporting all those in Leeds with special educational needs and disabilities as much as possible, but the level of transport support we currently offer is not sustainable given the current financial challenges the council faces and the increasing level of demand.’

Cllr Hayden added: ‘We will be encouraging young people, their families, and partners across the city to take part in the consultation in order to reach a carefully considered decision on how to proceed.’

Although the policy seems negative on the surface, the council have assured that replacement options will be put in place should it be passed.  

These include:

• Considering travel distances to education settings
• Helping students make their own transport arrangements via a transport allowance
• Asking for a contribution towards transport costs
• Limiting support to post-16 only with support for post-19 learners ending

The feedback received in the consultation will be presented to the executive board in October 2024 with a decision expected on implementation from September 2025.

Image: CHUTTERSNAP

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With just one day left before we head to polling booths, new data from Savanta reveals Westminster has got a long way to go to win over Londoners’ trust.  This begs the question, could the devolution deal be a better option?

Commissioned by Centre for London, the research from Savanta, an organisation that specialises in B2B market research, shows just one in six people from the capital city trust the national government. What’s more, 31% were found to trust their local authorities and one in five said they trust city government, (i.e Mayor of London and London Assembly) the most.

With this in mind, almost half of Londoners (49%) admitted to Savanta that they support the decision for their taxes to be decided by councils rather than the powers of Downing Street. A mere 16% have opposed this view.

Antonia Jennings, chief executive at Centre for London, said: ‘With trust in national government waning, and support for greater devolution increasing, it’s time to re-think London’s devolution deal.’

‘It’s in the whole country’s interest for London to be firing on all cylinders, and in every Londoner’s interest for the city to become less manifestly unequal,’ Jennings added. ‘We know London needs to address its productivity and inequality crises, and fast. A new deal for London has the potential to be the key ingredient for making this happen.’

News of the research has come just one day before polling stations open in the UK for the next General Election. As it stands, polls indicate that the Labour Party will secure the most votes, which could be a pivotal step in securing a devolution deal. Should Sir Keir Starmer be successful, it will be the first time in eight years that national government comes from the same party as the London Mayor. As both authorities will be batting for the same team, MPs could have an unprecedented opportunity to work together under aligned goals.

Whilst unveiling his political manifesto last month, Starmer promised a ‘full fact devolution’ if his party are successful tomorrow. The Labour leader pledged a Take Back Control Act which would involve ‘harnessing’ and ‘unlocking’ the ‘pride people have in their communities’ and granting more power to directly elected mayors.

In addition, the amount (or lack of) taxes currently raised by the government and local authorities is another reason to suggest why devolution wouldn’t be such a bad idea. As it stands, they raise a mere 5% of taxes, which is significantly lower than comparable countries like the UK (32%) and France (14%). Local and regional government is funded through regressive council tax, devolving a proportion of business tax raised, and often competitive central government grants. All these measures are outdated and insufficient for London’s stretched government. Council tax bands remain set at the level of a property’s worth from 1991 in London. Meanwhile competitive funding pots are estimated to have cost local government tens of millions of pounds developing bids – the vast majority of which are unsuccessful. 

‘In some senses our results are not surprising – it’s long been true that when asked, people say they are more trusting of politics that is ‘closer’ to them, rather than national governments,’ Emma Levin, associate director at Savanta, said.

‘But our findings also suggest a partisan element to this, with Conservative voters more likely to trust the Westminster government they currently control, and Labour voters more likely to trust local and city governments – most of which are Labour-led.’

Background on the research

To conduct the research, Savanta interviewed 1,579 londoners aged 18+ online between 21st-26th June 2024. Data were weighted to be representative of all London adults by age, sex, region and SEG. Voting intention is also weighted by 2019 General Election and 2016 EU Referendum vote, as well as likelihood to vote. Savanta is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

Image: Steve Houghton-Burnett

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