Andrew Griffith pledges major deregulation and Heathrow expansion

Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffith has pledged a major deregulation program aimed at stimulating economic growth and reducing costs for citizens. If elected, the Conservative Party intends to slash red tape across the construction, supermarket, and nuclear energy sectors. Key proposals include the abolition of Natural England and the Environment Agency, with their powers transferred to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs to create a more streamlined regulatory landscape.

Griffith’s plan includes scrapping environmental standards on housebuilding and removing the Extended Producer Responsibility packaging tax. Combined with a pledge to abolish stamp duty on primary residences, the party claims these reforms could reduce the price of a new home by £50,000. Additionally, the UK would withdraw from the Aarhus Convention to facilitate the construction of critical infrastructure and nuclear power plants.

A central component of the Conservative platform is the expansion of Heathrow Airport. Griffith vowed to legislate to remove barriers delaying the construction of a third runway, arguing that the national hub must increase capacity to support global connectivity. While Heathrow Airport leadership has welcomed the support, political figures remain divided; Prime Minister Andy Burnham has stated that the airport’s future is a matter for Londoners and requires further consultation.