See also: UK under pressure, part 1: How Britain’s economic and political crisis is affecting business travel
“I’ve never voted Labour in my life but that might change at the next election,” said one travel industry grandee privately at a recent BTN Group event. He is not alone. Opinion polls consistently show Sir Keir Starmer’s party 25 points and sometimes much more ahead of the Conservatives. The imminent appointment of a fifth Tory prime minister in six years, and third in 2022 alone, following last week’s resignation of Liz Truss is unlikely to help.
Despite Opposition clamour for a general election, there is nothing to indicate the next Conservative PM will agree to one significantly earlier than the due date of January 2025. Nevertheless, those in or connected with the travel industry are turning their thoughts to the implications of a potential, and at this point likely, change of ruling party for the first time since 2010.
Accordingly, the UK’s Business Travel Association is stepping up its engagement with Labour. However, chief executive Clive Wratten…
