Budget Resolutions

Dave Robertson Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Andy MacNae (Rossendale and Darwen) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to speak in this debate on a Budget delivered in an extraordinarily difficult global economic climate and with limited fiscal headroom. Yet I do believe that it will be remembered as both radical and important in prioritising cheaper energy and focusing on prevention, which is a massive step. Fiscal devolution and supporting high streets and entrepreneurs are significant measures that will ultimately bring significant benefits to the residents of Rossendale and Darwen, particularly now that Lancashire has an opportunity to join the mayoral pathway. On that point, I take this opportunity to urge the leadership of Lancashire county council to listen to businesses and community leaders and finally agree to a mayor and grasp the huge opportunities that this Government have offered.

More broadly, the Chancellor has balanced immediate support and the need for breathing space, with long-term reforms needed to build a global economy for the 21st century. At its heart, the Budget lays the foundations for a reindustrialisation strategy capable of bringing good jobs to places that need them most. This vision resonates powerfully in Rossendale and Darwen and across the UK. Making more things in more places means secure, well-paid jobs and a more resilient country.

That is why we established the Reindustrialisation Research Group, bringing together over 90 Labour MPs to support the Prime Minister’s vision and help translate it into action. It is good to see the Budget addressing the key questions that have been raised ever since the Prime Minister first championed the idea. First and foremost is clarity on objectives. That is important, because if we judge economic success only through national GDP, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past, pursuing the easiest growth while overlooking the towns and communities that were left on the sidelines for far too long. Instead, reindustrialisation must deliver good growth everywhere, spreading jobs, hope and opportunity across the country.

The Chancellor has been clear that reindustrialisation is also essential to national resilience. We must once again produce the steel, fuels, chemicals and other things that we need to be secure in a turbulent world. In understanding that, we see that reindustrialisation is far more than just a rebrand of the modern industrial strategy. Supporting high-growth economic clusters is vital, but it cannot be the whole answer. As the Red Book itself states:

“Reindustrialisation means more good jobs around the country. It means more towns and cities making and innovating and having a stronger role in the national economy.”

This is a UK-wide project to build the great British businesses of the future, whatever and wherever they may be, combining our proud manufacturing heritage with world-class innovation, creativity, research and development. That means tackling the constraints holding firms back, and the Budget is clear on what they are: high energy costs, limited access to finance, procurement and so on. Addressing those at a national level while drawing on the power of devolution, and supporting businesses through powerful local partnerships, provides a comprehensive approach to unleashing the potential of British manufacturers.

We need to take up the challenge with urgency. We must recognise that right now we are losing good businesses, ones that could compete and win if only they were on a level playing field. So, the first step towards reindustrialisation must be to halt deindustrialisation. Among other things, that means further action on industrial energy costs. We called for an extension of the British industry competitiveness scheme to all manufacturing companies in the Budget. I realise the constraints the Chancellor was under, but we must recognise that this is unfinished business. We need to continue to look at all options for immediate measures.

[Dave Robertson (Lichfield) (Lab)]

My hon. Friend is giving a really powerful speech about the importance of reindustrialising our communities and halting deindustrialisation. Does he agree that we need to do everything we can to get the ceramics impact fund, which was designed by the Government to support the ceramics sector, out of the door and into businesses where it can make a difference as soon as possible?

[Andy MacNae]

Absolutely. Ceramics is one of those industries, along with steel, chemicals, fuels and so on, that is foundational to our economy. It is part of our national resilience and our national story. It is vital that we retain it in the interests of a safe, secure and stable country, so I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend.

We need the structure to effectively deliver reindustrialisation and we need to be clear that that requires a whole-Government approach. It needs dedicated capacity empowered to drive implementation, and policy co-designed with businesses and trade unions.

Finally, we need to turn ambition into measurable national objectives. The ReRG proposed a target of 1 million additional jobs in production by 2035. That would help to rebalance our economy and ensure that prosperity is felt in every part of Britain. The forthcoming 10-year plan is our opportunity to make that vision real. I urge the Government to build on the Budget and work with the ReRG, businesses and trade unions to back British manufacturing and ensure we deliver good jobs in every community.

--- Later in debate ---

[Dave Robertson (Lichfield) (Lab)]

I am always a little worried when Members cheer because I am last!

I join colleagues in recognising and supporting important measures in the Budget that will give people across Lichfield, Burntwood and the villages—the place I call home—valuable breathing space. There are 34,790 households across my constituency that will receive £100 directly into their bank account in January because of this Budget. That comes on top of the removal of VAT from energy bills, the return of the £2 bus fare, and the promise to get rid of standing charges on gas. Haulier businesses have also been supported by the delay to the fuel price escalator. We could go on and on and on. Any of those changes on their own will not be the end of the cost of living crisis, but I am already hearing from people back home who are so happy that this Government understand the importance of giving them that breathing space in their personal finances.

The changes to small business rates relief announced by the Chancellor in the Budget will mean that many businesses in our town and city centres and in our villages will be lifted out of paying any business rates at all, and many more will see a smaller bill. Fifteen premises in the centre of Sankey’s Corner in my constituency will be taken out of paying that bill at all—that is a huge number of shops that will now have more money to put back into their businesses and the community. I have been unable to get the total figure for how much will be saved there, but it looks like it will mean an investment into that community of anywhere between £50,000 and £100,000 per year forever. That is a real investment in a high street in Burntwood by this Government.

Similarly, of around a dozen shops on the high street in the village of Fradley, four will no longer be paying business rates at all and a further four will have their bills cut because of this Budget. On top of that, across Lichfield and East Staffordshire, some 764 retail, hospitality and leisure businesses will see their rates frozen in cash terms because of decisions made by this Labour Government.

I am pleased that the Government are pressing ahead with plans for devolution across Staffordshire and Stoke. While the previous Government pushed power and funding into the West Midlands conurbation and the East Midlands combined authority, they gave a cold shoulder to the county to the north. This Government are prepared to step up and give our county the powers, and drive the economic growth, to bring good jobs across our area. Just yesterday, I spoke to the principal of South Staffordshire college about the importance of getting these powers to where they need to be, so that our skills training can meet the needs of our local area, especially the rural areas of my constituency and the wider county. The economy needs workers, and ensuring that those workers have the skills they need is something that is so important to areas like Staffordshire. I am excited to get the decisions on skills made in the right places.

There are a few other points that I wanted to pick up, but in the interests of time I will turn finally to the mineworkers’ pension scheme and the British Coal staff superannuation scheme. The pension schemes for former coalminers and mineworkers have been poorly set up for so long, so I am very pleased that this Government have moved even closer to delivering the justice that coalfield communities—like mine, in Burntwood, Handsacre and the surrounding areas—deserve. The end of the Treasury grabbing half of the scheme surpluses should be applauded; the end of the standstill clause so that bonus pensions can be guaranteed should be applauded; and the previous return of the investment reserve to the people who earned it should be applauded. All those steps for communities should be applauded, and they simply would not have happened without a Labour Government.

However, there needs to be action on the last remaining piece of the jigsaw: the final reserve—the guarantor’s fund. The commitment from the Chancellor to move quickly on this, and the commitment this week from the Work and Pensions Secretary this to happen in weeks not months, have been really welcome, but we cannot wait. Miners have already waited for far too long. Every day, miners leave the scheme. Every day, we lose people. We cannot afford to wait any longer. We must push for them, because it is their money—they earned it—and this Labour Government need to do what we should always do: stand up for our mining communities.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

I call the shadow Minister.