07/05/2025
Health and wellbeing is naturally high on the agenda in healthcare facilities, but what more can be done to ensure fire door safety is being met with competency and not complacency? Alex ...
BWF president Roy Wakeman OBE met with Ed Balls MP and two of his senior advisors at the Construction Product Association’s Chairman’s lunch. The event brought together 25 senior representatives from across the industry and gave the Shadow Chancellor an opportunity to outline his priorities for the economy now as well as the post election period.
He highlighted the importance of balancing the deficit plan with economic growth and the importance of increasing confidence and credibility into the UK economy and he laid out a number of activities the government could do immediately to stimulate activity, such as bringing forward infrastructure spending and reducing VAT on repair and maintenance.
BWF President Roy Wakeman commented:
“The lunch was the best attended in my time, with some twenty senior industry figures attending from the CPA, along with Ed Balls and his Chief of Staff. Ed was welcomed by the new Association Chairman, Geoff Cooper, who gave a short verbal brief as to what the issues are of concern to the Industry. These were workload, red tape, the economy, Europe, immigration and the welfare cost.
"Ed Balls had done his homework as in his reply as he spoke of actions in a future labour government that would build 100K more houses, cut VAT on home improvements to 5% and take a longer term view with action to tackle the countries debt pile.
"He said that all parties agreed that the deficit had to be tackled but that it was the speed at which the coalition was taking to deal with the debt that was causing the economy to stagnate. He believed that they (Labour) could get both growth and a reduction in the public expenditure.
"He was certainly a master of his subject and spoke confidently with knowledge on all the issues, I was impressed with this. In his speech he also mentioned that for his footballing skills he had been voted as the best dive in 2012.
"In a general discussion all of the points were debated and I believe he convinced everyone of his commitment but was not sure if the maths would all add up.”
