After months of speculation, Mr Brown has visited the Queen and asked for Parliament to be dissolved and the General Election will now take place on the 6th May 2010.
Unprecedented levels of debt, a very uncertain economic outlook and massive under employment combined with the low levels of trust will make this General Election the most important in living memory.
For those of us dependent on the construction industry for our livelihood, the next few weeks and the outcome of the election may prove critical to our long-term future. Our industry has still not emerged from the recession albeit the housing sector has seen a small recovery although some 59% of current developments are fully or partly funded by public money.
Post election, all parties have acknowledged the need to deal with our massive debts but somehow they are all unable to tell us how. We face the threat of increased taxation and the removal of the subsidies that are keeping our industry going. The continuing reluctance of the publically funded banking sector to lend to business and homeowners is starving the industry of the oxygen it needs for natural growth. If this is allowed to continue the outlook is bleak.
The MP's expenses issue will result in us having more new MP's than ever before. This offers us all an opportunity to influence the future direction of Government by educating our future leaders as to the wide ranging benefits of investing in our sector.
We cannot and must not be passive during this election campaign. This is the time to stand up and be counted. We may well end up with a hung parliament so all MP's of all political persuasions are important to our future. Having enjoyed a long period of economic growth, many MP's may not be aware that the construction industry has led the country out of every previous recession.
Please take this opportunity to invite your prospective MP's to visit your factory, site or merchant yard and hear first-hand how we contribute to the economy by providing jobs and creating the built environment. Give them a copy of the Get Britain Building Manifesto and ask them to support us and do the right thing for UK PLC and kick-start a truly sustainable recovery by "Getting Britain Building."
