Navigating the latest Changing of the Guard

Clemency Lion Director of Research, Policy and Communications at ukactive

The UK has bid farewell to Sir Keir Starmer and welcomed its second Prime Minister of this Parliament, and seventh of the decade, Andy Burnham. After leading his Party to a landslide victory at the last General Election, Sir Keir lasting in post for only two years is a clear demonstration of how quickly support can be lost and how impatient the British public has become with its politicians.

So, is there reason to be optimistic about Mr Burnham’s chances of outlasting his predecessor? In his first week, the new Prime Minister began to set out a 10-year plan for change, based around a flagship ambition to deliver “growth in every postcode” and improve people’s quality of life during the cost-of-living crisis.

He swiftly followed up by announcing a swathe of policies to deliver targeted tax relief to households and a small number of businesses in the coming months. His immediate charm offensive will certainly have pleased those benefiting in the short term, but he is likely to find it difficult to maintain his nice guy image come the Autumn Budget, where the measures to fund his tax cuts will have to be introduced. This will be the first real test for him and his new Chancellor.

Though there are some radical changes being floated by the new-look Government, particularly concerning setting up a ‘Number 10 North’, this change of leader should be less of an upheaval than the last. Much of the work that was already underway within Government departments is likely to continue, though potentially with some delays. The Bills announced in the King’s Speech last month will still proceed as Government Business, and at DCMS in particular little has changed, with both the Secretary of State and Sports Minister remaining in post.

But a new leader renews the opportunity for the sector to present its value to Government. The PM is no stranger to our sector, having spoken at ukactive’s Active Uprising conferences in 2020 and 2018, where he said physical activity is “the most cost-effective way of dealing with some of biggest challenges we face – obesity, traffic congestion, air quality, mental health”. An avid runner in his personal life, as Mayor of Greater Manchester he has previously demonstrated support for our members’ work and played a central role integrating physical activity into healthcare across the city.

Fully unlocking the sector’s potential will require more creative thinking and strategic investment

Our open letter to the PM last week urged him to leverage our sector’s national infrastructure and expertise in meeting his ambitions. For example, gyms, leisure centres and other fitness facilities can play a key role in high street regeneration, driving health and wealth in town centres. These services form the social fabric of our communities, and the growth of these facilities improves not just the health of their members, but also the local economy as secondary spend with surrounding businesses such as cafés and shops.

However, fully unlocking the sector’s potential will require more creative thinking and strategic investment. Keen to reinforce his reputation as pro-business, the PM has already indicated plans to “back the businesses that people want to see in their communities”.

Our sector falls firmly into that bracket, and our engagement with the PM’s newly appointed Cabinet and Ministers will underline the opportunities to back our businesses, as will our upcoming lobbying. Over the coming months, we will be working closely with our members and partners to ensure our sector takes full advantage of the shifting policy landscape.