Will Labour drive growth in the UK automotive industry?

While there are positive signs of an industrial strategy for automotive and pledges of investment in EV infrastructure, the new government's actions will be determined chiefly by ongoing political uncertainty and competing national priorities.

The need for long-term consistency in policies is critical for the sector's stability and growth. Ensuring a skilled workforce, reducing energy costs, and maintaining incentives for electric vehicle sales count among the most important factors that the industry has lobbied for to ensure a sustainable and competitive automotive sector

At the latest Vehicle Remarketing Association meeting, a panel of industry experts discussed the scope – albeit limited - of the new government to provide the vital support that the sector needs

Industry experts Lee Swinerd, director at Interpath; Alastair Cassels, automotive advisory partner at MHA; and Louise Wallis, director at Auto Strategists, shared their insights on whether Labour's policies and initiatives are likely to provide the necessary support for growth.

Lee Swinerd, director at Interpath, noted that while there has been an absence of a robust industrial strategy in recent years, the new government plans to use the automotive manufacturing sector as one of its straetegic cornerstones.