n an era marked by economic uncertainty, rising inequality, and a growing disconnect between politics and people, the Labour government has a unique opportunity to offer a bold, unifying vision for the future: a national programme of re-industrialisation. If Labour embraces this agenda, not only can it revitalise the UK economy it can also win back disillusioned voters and neutralise the growing threat posed by Reform UK.
The UK’s economy has become dangerously reliant on financial services and low-wage, low-productivity jobs. We have an enormous national debt, high taxation and stagnation. Entire regions, particularly those once built around coal, steel, and shipbuilding have been left behind. This has fuelled the rise of political movements like Reform, who speak to the real grievances of people in post-industrial towns but offer little in the way of credible solutions and in fact Reform policies would harm the prospects for re-industrialisation.
Labour has a chance to step into this void with purpose. By re-industrialising Britain, not through nostalgia for the past, but by building the industries of the future, it can offer a plan that speaks to both economic hope and national pride, security, jobs and growth. A modern re-industrialisation strategy would centre on high-value, future-facing sectors like green energy, advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure, and life sciences. These industries have the potential to create tens of thousands of well-paid, skilled jobs across the country.
For instance, investing in domestic battery production, green steel, offshore wind, hydrogen, and semiconductor manufacturing would boost the UK’s technological capability and reduce dependence on volatile global supply chains. Ensuring national energy supply builds economic resilience and is a deeply patriotic move. By fostering innovation and local supply chains, Labour could drive up productivity, support exports, and reduce the trade deficit which are all essential ingredients for sustainable economic growth. Moreover, an industrial strategy could support high-quality apprenticeships and training programmes that give young people a pathway to stable employment outside of London and the Southeast, truly levelling up all parts of the British economy. The government has an industrial strategy but nobody knows about it. Re-booting this and demonstrating how it will improve the lives of the people is key to beating Reform.
Reform UK has gained traction by tapping into a sense of loss; loss of industry, identity, and local pride. A Labour-led re-industrialisation drive can directly counter that narrative. By building new industries in the towns and regions that have borne the brunt of deindustrialisation, Labour can bring real jobs, economic dignity, and visible investment back to places long forgotten by Westminster. So while Reform stand on the sidelines and hark on about yesterday, Labour can bring real change to people’s lives.
This is more than economics; it’s about belonging. When people see new factories rising, apprenticeships being offered, and wages going up in their hometowns, they regain confidence in politics and its ability to deliver for the future. Labour can turn passive frustration into active support by delivering results on the ground. But we are now one year into a four-year Parliament and the government must accelerate the pace of change. In the digital world where a fake meme can get millions of views online and become ‘truth’ the government press release doesn’t even get a look in.
Reform UK frames itself as the voice of ordinary Britons, but it offers anger without answers, just cheap slogans. Labour must respond not by mimicking their rhetoric but by demonstrating that only it can deliver the change those voters want. A patriotic, confident Labour Party that talks about rebuilding British industry, investing in sovereign energy and infrastructure, and empowering communities can outflank Reform on the very terrain it has claimed. But not just talking about it- delivering it and fast is what is required. We need a Minister for Industrial Growth whose sole purpose is driving the opening of new factories, plants and machinery, creating industrial jobs, and securing industrial investment. Let’s make Britain great by making stuff in Britain again and boosting exports.
Crucially, this approach gives Labour a story of national renewal to combat Reforms story of decline. Not a retreat into the past, but a march toward a modern economy where Britain makes things again and does so better, greener, and fairer than before. None of this will work if it’s just a slogan. Labour must commit to a serious industrial strategy: targeted investment, strategic use of public procurement, support for research and development, regional development banks, and partnerships with business and unions. The vision must be big, but the delivery must be local. Councils, local enterprise partnerships, and communities must be involved in shaping what re-industrialisation looks like in their areas.
Re-industrialisation offers Labour a golden opportunity: to drive long-term economic growth, restore pride in work and place, and expose Reform UK as a party of protest, not progress. By placing industry, innovation, and inclusion at the heart of its economic offer, Labour can build a stronger Britain and win back the trust of those who feel left behind.
