London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Labour pledge to 'build British industry' through state-owned investment fund

Labour pledge to 'build British industry' through state-owned investment fund

Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, will say on Monday that the proposal is a "real plan" for "growth", "the climate" and "levelling up".

Labour will pledge to "build British industry" through the use of a state-owned investment fund during the second day of the party's conference in Liverpool.

In her speech later today, Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, will set out the party's industrial strategy, which includes promises to invest in national projects from battery factories to clean steel plants.

She is expected to confirm that the projects would be funded by a National Wealth Fund.

The policy would mean that when money is spent on projects, British people would own a share of that wealth and benefit from the returns on those investments.

Ms Reeves will say the proposal is a "real plan" for "growth", "the climate" and "levelling up".

"Here is the deal: the next Labour government will create a National Wealth Fund so that when we invest in new industries, in partnership with business the British people will own a share of that wealth and the taxpayer will get a return on that investment," the shadow chancellor is expected to say.

"Because conference, when I say I want to buy, make and sell more in Britain I mean it.

"What you will see in your town, in your city, under Labour is a sight we have not seen often enough in our country.

"Cranes going up, shovels in the ground. The sounds and sights of the future arriving. Secure, skilled jobs for plumbers, electricians and joiners, for designers, scientists and engineers.

"Wealth that will flow back into your community and on to your high street. Wealth that the British people will own a stake in. Wealth that is invested in our country's future."

She will add: "That is a real plan for the climate. That is a real plan for growth. That is a real plan for levelling up.

"A zero carbon economy - made right here... made in Britain."

The party said projects will include eight new battery factories, six clean steel plants, nine renewable-ready ports, the world's biggest hydrogen electrolyser plant and net-zero industrial clusters in every region of the UK.

It added that every region in the country will get investment under the plan.

Ed Miliband, the shadow climate change secretary, said it is time for "an economy by the many for the many".

"It is time to take back control of Britain's economic destiny by making sure that we build the industries of the future in our towns and cities," he said.

Mr Miliband continued: "Labour's National Wealth Fund is based on a simple idea: that it is time to invest and build the wealth for this country, so we can lead the world in industries such as hydrogen, electric vehicles, green steel and offshore wind.

"This is about good jobs that pay well, with strong trade unions, and with money that flows back into the pockets of the British people."

Labour said its industrial strategy will boost economic growth, investment and employment rights through four "missions":

• Delivering clean power by 2030

• Harnessing data for public good

• Caring for the future

• Building a resilient economy

Labour will on Monday also announce plans to tackle concerns facing business and workers, including helping firms deal with "future shocks" and making Brexit work as part of the launch of party's industrial strategy.

A new statutory body, the Industrial Strategy Council (ISC), will report on Labour's progress against the strategy's missions to drive economic growth, including delivering clean power by 2030.

Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow business secretary, said: "In a clear break from the Conservatives' belief in 'trickle down economics' Labour has outlined the importance of sustainable growth and bolstered employment rights to economic prosperity.

"While the Conservatives are dusting off the same tired old policies that got us into this mess, Labour is looking to the future. Businesses and workers want a partner in government that can offer certainty, bringing with it the confidence to invest in Britain.

"Only Labour working in partnership with business and trade unions can deliver the fairer, greener future Britain deserves."

Another item to watch out for tomorrow afternoon is a conversation event between Sir Keir, shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell and former England footballer Gary Neville.

On the official first day of Labour's conference on Sunday, the party's deputy leader Angela Rayner pledged that an incoming Labour government would "oversee the biggest wave of insourcing for a generation".

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer told the BBC Labour will reverse the cut in the higher rate of income tax if it wins power at the next election.

Around 660,000 of the highest earners on more than £150,000 will benefit from the scrapping of the 45p rate, getting back on average £10,000 a year.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The Great Western Exit: Why Best Citizens Are Fleeing the Rich World [PODCAST]
The New Robber Barons of Intelligence: Are AI Bosses More Powerful Than Rockefeller?
The End of the Old Order [Podcast]
Britain’s Democracy Is Now a Costume
The AI Gold Rush Is Coming for America’s Last Open Spaces [Podcast]
The Pentagon’s AI Squeeze: Eight Tech Giants Get In, Anthropic Gets Shut Out [Podcast]
The War Map: Professor Jiang’s Dark Theory of Iran, Trump, China, Russia, Israel, and the Coming Global Shock [Podcast]
Labour Is No Longer a National Party [Podcast]
AI Isn’t Stealing Your Job. It’s Dismantling It Piece by Piece.
Lawyers vs Engineers: Why China Builds While America Litigates [Podcast]
Churchill’s Glass: The Drunk, the Doctor, and the Myth Britain Refuses to Sober Up From
Apple issues an unusual warning: this is how your iPhone can be hacked without you doing anything
Kennedy’s Quiet War on Antidepressants Sparks Alarm Across America’s Medical Establishment
The Met Gala Meets the Age of Billionaire Backlash
Russian Oligarch’s Superyacht Crosses Hormuz via Iran-Controlled Route
Gunfire Disrupts White House Correspondents’ Dinner as Trump Is Evacuated
A Leak, a King, and a Fracturing Alliance
Inside the Gates Foundation Turmoil: Layoffs, Scrutiny, and the Cost of Reputational Risk
UK Biobank Breach Exposes Health Data of 500,000, Listed for Sale on Chinese Platform
KPMG Cuts Around 10% of US Audit Partners After Failed Exit Push
French Police Probe Suspected Weather-Data Tampering After Unusual Polymarket Bets on Paris Temperatures
CATL Unveils Revolutionary EV Battery Tech: 1000 km Range and 7-Minute Charging Ahead of Beijing Auto Show
Crypto Scammers Capitalize on Maritime Chaos Near the Strait of Hormuz: A Rising Threat to Shipping Companies
Changi Airport: How Singapore Engineered the World’s Most Efficient Travel Experience
Power Dynamics: Apple’s Leadership Shakeup, Geopolitical Risks in the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe's Energy Strategy Amidst Global Challenges
Apple's Leadership Transition: Can New CEO John Ternus Navigate AI Challenges and Geopolitical Pressures?
Italy’s €100K Tax Gambit: Europe’s Soft Power Tax Haven
News Roundup
Microsoft lost 2.5 millions users (French government) to Linux
Privacy Problems in Microsoft Windows OS
News roundup
Péter András Magyar and the Strategic Reset of Hungary
Hungary After the Landslide — A Strategic Reset in Europe
Meghan Markle Plans Exclusive Women-Focused Retreat During Australia Visit
Starmer and Trump Hold Strategic Talks on Securing Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Unofficial Australia Visit by Prince Harry and Meghan Expected to Stir Tensions with Royal Circles
Pipeline Attack Cuts Significant Share of Saudi Arabia’s Oil Export Capacity
UK Stocks Rise on Ceasefire Momentum and Renewed Focus on Diplomacy
UK to Hold Further Strategic Talks on Strait of Hormuz Security
Starmer Voices Frustration as Global Tensions Drive Up UK Energy Costs
UK Students Voice Concern Over Proposal for Automatic Military Draft Registration
Rising Volatility Drives Uncertainty in UK Fuel and Petrol Prices
UK Moves to Deploy ‘Skyhammer’ Anti-Drone System to Strengthen Airspace Defense
New Analysis Explores UK Budget Mechanics in ‘Behind the Blue’ Feature
Man Arrested After Four Die in Channel Crossing Tragedy
UK Tightens Immigration Framework with New Sponsor Rules and Fee Increases
UK Foreign Secretary Highlights Impact of Intensified Strikes in Lebanon
UK Urges Inclusion of Lebanon in US-Iran Ceasefire Framework
UK Stocks Ease as Ceasefire Doubts in Middle East Weigh on Investor Confidence
UK Reassesses Cloud Strategy Amid Criticism Over Limited Support Measures
×