Council chair and former MP David Burrowes reflects on the some of the issues challenging parliament before it rose for the summer recess.
Unlike schools, where the end of the summer break signifies the end of term, MPs and Peers comeback in the Autumn for a spill over session, prior to Parliament proroguing in time for the Queen’s Speech which opens next year’s Parliamentary session and legislative programme.
During this two or three week spill over session, the House completes any unfinished business before the next parliamentary year begins. In fact, Parliament decrees that all legislation must pass through both Houses within a single parliamentary year.
And what an incredible year it has been.
If we thought that Brexit had been all encompassing, we had not seen anything yet. Not only has Covid taken an unprecedented amount of Parliamentary time, to the exclusion of many other issues. It has also directly affected the way that Parliament conducted its business and the way in which we, along with many other bodies with direct lines into Westminster and Whitehall, had to conduct our business with them.
As many of the restrictions begin to be lifted, I think that it is now a good time to take a quick look back at the year that has gone before us and to take a quick look forward into the crystal ball to see what might be coming our way.
Followers of the political press might be forgiven for thinking that Covid and a few (ahem) human interest stories were the only ones in town. Not true, as we have reported before. Plenty has still gone on.
Legislation was announced on Renter’s Reform, Planning, Leasehold Reform and Building Safety to name but a few relevant Bills. Select Committee inquiries continued, and we also responded to many consultations. Virtual meetings continued with politicians and regulators, and we produced thought leading reports and webinars to ensure that members’ interest stayed central to the debate. A busy year all round.
What then is the coming Parliamentary year going to hold for us?
It almost goes without saying that the Government’s high-level aims will be to run a healthy nation with a health economy. But there will be much more besides. Of direct interest to us, the government has finally outlined proposals for social care, which are covered elsewhere in this newsletter.
There has been much speculation from those who commentate on such things that all is not well between the Prime Minster and his Chancellor. “Boris wants to spend his way out of trouble and Rishi just wants to balance the books” was the rather simplistic way the story was reported recently. I do not subscribe to that view myself.
I cannot think of a company anywhere where a Board does not come up with a wish list of spending requirements; only to be told what they can and cannot afford by the head accountant. Government is no different. Of course, there will be some lively debate, but that is the nature of politics. I think that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have worked well together throughout this crisis and there is every indication that they will continue to do so.
Which in turn brings me neatly on to what the future holds for the party leaders. I think that Ed Davey is pretty safe at the head of the Lib Dems – especially after the Chesham and Amersham by-election result. I think Boris Johnson is safe for another year – despite the Chesham and Amersham by-election result. I am less sure about Sir Keir Starmer however. Had Labour not held Batley and Spen, the knives would certainly have been out. They only won by the skin of their teeth and, arguably, had the Green candidate not pulled out, they would not have won at all. On such small margins……
Legend has it that Sir Alex Fergusson was on the verge of being fired as manager of Manchester United before being saved by a last minute equaliser in a cup match. The rest as they say is history. Will that be true for Sir Keir?
Lastly, but most importantly, what for our members? I firmly believe that Ministers and Regulators now clearly understand the positive role that property wealth has to play in stimulating our economy, plugging the pension gap, solving the social care crisis and many more things beside. Our job now, is to press that home and ensure that this is reflected in both legislation and regulation going forward.
