New power plants, wind farms and data centres would be sped through development with emergency law changes under a Wes Streeting-led government, the potential Labour leadership challenger will say.
The Labour former health secretary will, in a speech on Tuesday, set out his proposals for getting major new infrastructure projects built quickly to boost economic growth, his latest tilt at Sir Keir Starmer amid the gathering threat of a leadership challenge to the Prime Minister.
Mr Streeting’s camp has already started to draft Bills aimed at fast-tracking infrastructure schemes, a step he will put at the centre of his economic offering to oust Sir Keir.
Ahead of the speech, Mr Streeting said: “We used to be a country that could do great things. With the promise that the next generation can have it better than the last. We still can. And I want to give people reason to believe again.
“If Parliament can act in days to save British Steel, it can act with urgency to save Britain’s future prosperity.
“Successive governments have been sleeping, while Britain’s crying out for action. I will pass emergency laws to build data centres, nuclear power generation, transport infrastructure connecting people with jobs, and more.
“We still can build the infrastructure to grow our economy, we have to, and – if I become Prime Minister – we will.”
Under Mr Streeting’s plans, infrastructure projects would be given “decision in principle” consent through bills in Parliament, with ministers then settling environmental concerns and consultations after the fact.
This would bypass and replace the often lengthy planning processes which currently take place before builders can get spades in the ground on major projects.
Wes Streeting will also lay out plans to increase high-skilled immigration into the UK (Jeff Moore/PA)
PA Wire
Mr Streeting’s campaign pointed to the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant, approved by the Government in 2016, which has still not yet been built out.
Entire categories of nationally significant projects, such as reservoirs, power plants, and transport schemes, could be exempted from individual planning applications under the proposals.
In the speech, Mr Streeting will also lay out plans to increase high-skilled immigration into the UK, with the aim of recruiting 20,000 scientists, engineers and AI experts from across the world.
Elsewhere, he will argue that two stalled North Sea drilling projects – Rosebank and Jackdaw – should go ahead, and that tax receipts from the oil and gas fields should be ploughed into funding cheaper energy measures such as heat pumps and insulation.
Mr Streeting’s speech comes two days ahead of the Makerfield by-election, in which his rival challenger to Sir Keir, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, is vying to return to Parliament.
