Andy Burnham officially began his tenure as Prime Minister on Monday 20th July
In response to the appointment of Andy Burnham MP as Prime Minister, Fran Barnes, Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) Chief Executive, said:
“We look forward to working with Andy Burnham as the new Prime Minister, as well as his Cabinet and wider government, as we face a period of both opportunity and challenge for environmental horticulture. The priority now must be to create the right conditions that allow British businesses to truly grow, invest and thrive.
“As a sector worth £38 billion and supporting 722,000 jobs, taking action on the cost crisis our members have been facing into for too long is essential. The new Prime Minister and Chancellor must match their ambition for economic growth with practical actions that will give our members certainty and confidence. That means tackling rising costs, easing unnecessary regulatory burdens and creating the right environment for investment.
Adapting to climate change
“Prime Minister Burnham is walking into Number 10 during a summer of extreme weather, as water companies across the country implement water restrictions that directly impact our retailers, growers, landscapers and their customers. At a time when plants, trees and green infrastructure are increasingly vital for helping communities adapt to climate change, it cannot be overstated that the businesses producing, planting and maintaining them have the water security they need. This underlines the urgent need for a national water resilience strategy, accelerated investment in new reservoirs and greater support for horticultural businesses to access the funding and planning needed to improve water storage and resilience.
“Environmental horticulture is uniquely placed to present solutions to many of the challenges the new Prime Minister faces. We create rewarding green careers that can help tackle youth unemployment, our plants and trees improve health and wellbeing, and green infrastructure is essential for building climate resilience and making our towns and cities more liveable.
“The sector and the country are at a crossroads. The decisions taken in the coming months will shape the future of both our sector and the wider economy. Once again, we congratulate Andy Burnham and look forward to working constructively with the Prime Minister and his government to unlock the full potential of British horticulture and build a positive future relationship with the sector.”
Commenting on the appointment of Dame Angela Eagle DBE MP as the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Fran Barnes, Horticultural Trades Association Chief Executive said:
“We congratulate and welcome Dame Angela Eagle back to Defra, this time in her new appointment as the Environment Secretary, and we look forward to working with Dame Angela and her ministerial team. We want to ensure that the voices of our members and the environmental horticulture sector are heard and valued at the heart of government, and that the sector is recognised for the important contribution it makes to the economy, communities and the environment.
“We share the government’s ambitions to drive economic green growth and strengthen the UK’s resilience to climate change. Our sector has a central role to play in supporting this, and we hope the new Secretary of State will build on the work already underway to unlock the sector’s full potential and address the challenges businesses continue to face.
“This summer’s extreme weather has demonstrated both how essential our sector is and how vulnerable it can be. Plants, trees and green infrastructure are among our strongest defences against rising temperatures, flooding and biodiversity loss. Yet, the businesses that grow, supply and maintain them are themselves being affected by water restrictions. That is why we urgently need a national water resilience strategy, faster investment in new reservoirs and greater support for horticultural businesses to improve theirown water storage and resilience.
“Backing environmental horticulture means backing the UK’s original green industry and valuing the SMEs that support the economy. Our sector creates skilled jobs, supports healthier communities, enhances nature and helps build more climate-resilient places. We look forward to welcoming Dame Angela to meet with our members, seeing first-hand the innovation taking place across the industry and working together to unlock even greater green growth.”
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