The UK once again faces up to the reality of a hung Parliament after no party won overall control of the House of Commons following the General Election.
The Conservatives have secured 319 seats, down from 330 seats in 2015, while the Labour Party has obtained 261 seats, up from 232 seats in 2015. The SNP failed to match the previous election performance, having kept only 34 seats, while the Liberal Democrats won 12 seats.
Negotiations are now under way to form a new administration with enough support in the House of Commons. Conservatives have reportedly been in contact with the Democratic Unionist Party for a confidence-and-supply arrangement.
The National Federation of Builders (NFB) urges all parties to work cooperatively and get on with the job of fixing broken housing policies, reforming public procurement, fostering home-grown talent, and enabling SME builders to grow and flourish.
Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “Now more than ever, political parties must set ideological differences aside and put country before party. Any new government will need to focus on putting SME builders into a better place to build the homes and train the skilled workers the UK needs to succeed, as well as allowing regional economies to prosper.”
BSRIA is now urging the major political parties to recognise the construction industry “big ticket” items including key issues around housing, energy and the environment and skills and to work together on these crucial issues.
Julia Evans, Chief Executive, BSRIA, said: “The drive towards collaboration demanded by the outcome of the election must mean a more inclusive approach to the big construction related issues of the day. This must be seen as an opportunity to test policy assumptions and reinvigorate the drive towards positive outcomes for the environment and for the carbon economy.
“Any steps that ensure both businesses and households’ energy bills remain low is encouraging – coupled with the use of emerging smart meters and relevant technologies as and where applicable.
"The construction industry needs access to a skilled global workforce – especially from the EU. Specifically regarding labour: how will industry access much-needed tradesmen? With the current housing shortage crisis – we need a workforce with the right skills to build these, therefore a fluid skilled labour market is key. In addition to this – international students should have the freedom to study and work in the UK.
“There has been much chaos and mixed-messages surrounding Brexit since June last year so government must ensure that much-needed clarity and order is delivered in the ongoing Brexit debate – which provides investor confidence.
"Indeed, as we move forward, we must not lose sight of the fact that it is crucial that the construction industry’s voice is heard in the Brexit deliberations. What is evident is that the ‘construction industry is open for business’. The country voted last June to leave the EU. Moving forward: industry needs clarity and stability not further votes and political filibustering.”
RIBA President Jane Duncan said the state of uncertainty should not mask the priorities for the next UK Government.
"Throughout the election campaign it was clear that the main political parties were responding as much on quality of life issues as they were on Brexit," she said. "The built environment has a crucial impact on the quality of all our lives. This is why the RIBA’s Building Global Britain manifesto made recommendations to tackle the housing crisis through quality homes, support for the development of a better school estate, and further devolution of planning powers. The quality of our built environment must be a priority for the UK Government and Parliament.
"UK architecture has an almost unrivalled worldwide reputation and that position must be maintained. The RIBA, on behalf of our members, will be looking to the next UK Government for certainty on our priority concerns such as ensuring the rights of non-UK EU citizens in order that the sector can continue to thrive.
"The RIBA, with the support of our members, will continue our work with the next UK Government to ensure that the communities in which we live, work and play reflect the needs and ambitions of people across the country."
The construction sector could be left vulnerable to the negative effects of political uncertainty following the indecisive result, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “The surprise General Election result has left key business sectors nervous with no one political party securing enough seats to form a majority government. The construction sector is particularly vulnerable to dips in consumer confidence brought about by political uncertainty and therefore it’s crucial that this uncertainty is minimised.
“In the longer term, there could be a potential silver lining for the business community as the prospect of a hard Brexit now seems less likely. Theresa May stood on a hard Brexit platform and she has clearly not been given a mandate to approach the negotiations in this way.
"Brexit is inevitable but the election result will surely have a significant impact on the shape of the Brexit deal we end up with. This could be a positive for business leaders who are concerned about a broad range of issues – for the construction sector, our greatest concern is that the flow of migrant workers might be reduced too quickly and before we are able to put in place a framework for training sufficient UK workers to replace them.”
David Orr, Chief Executive at the National Housing Federation said despite the hung Parliament, politicians still had to find a way to govern.
"High on the list of priorities must be a continued focus on building and regenerating the homes we need and looking again at the way welfare reform measures like the Local Housing Allowance cap are making that more difficult," he continued.
"We also need early progress on secure funding for supported housing – this is vital to delivering effective social care. As ever, the nation's housing associations are up for the challenge and ready to play a leading role with the new Government."
