The Horticultural Trades Association used Party Conference season to highlight the value of the environmental horticulture sector and the contributions of its businesses to the UK economy, biodiversity, and health and wellbeing.

Throughout events in Birmingham, Brighton and Liverpool, the HTA’s Policy and Public Affairs team met senior political figures, stakeholders, spoke at panels and fringe sessions, and ensured that the pressures facing HTA members, particularly the rising cost of doing business, were clearly heard.

Conversations centred on rising employment costs, regulatory burdens, the overall cost of doing business, the need for a swift SPS trade agreement and EU-UK reset and why government and cross-party support is essential to unlocking green growth and the development of green spaces -the industry’s solutions to our changing climate.

Key Highlights from the Party Conferences

Reform UK Party Conference – Birmingham

The HTA attended the Reform UK Party Conference in Birmingham for the first time this year. Samantha Smith, the HTA’s Policy and Public Affairs Manager, met other businesses during ‘Business Day’ at the conference, with tax, regulation, rising employment costs, and the overall cost of doing business as the main talking points. The event also featured panel discussions with senior party figures and leading voices from across the economy.

Liberal Democrat Party Conference - Brighton

Katie Neenan, the HTA’s Senior Public Affairs and Policy Executive, returned to Brighton for this year’s Liberal Democrat Party Conference. Business, the climate and the built environment were the main topics of discussion at fringe events. The HTA attended the Enterprise Forum reception, with business, investment and trade spokespeople including Sarah Olney MP, Joshua Reynolds MP and Lord Fox. Katie Neenan also engaged with the EU delegation involved in a panel discussion, where EU–UK cooperation was firmly on the agenda. The discussion also explored what that cooperation could mean in practice, from strengthening security and defence to supporting economic growth, tackling global challenges such as climate change, and empowering young people.

Labour Party Conference - Liverpool

In Liverpool, Jennifer Pheasey, the HTA’s Director of Policy & Public Affairs, joined The Enterprise Forum’s business lunch at the Love Lane Brewery to highlight environmental horticulture's vital contribution to the UK economy. As a panel speaker, Jennifer examined the challenges businesses face, from rising operating costs to skills gaps, and championed member businesses and green spaces. Natascha Engel, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, chaired the event, with the Rt Hon James Murray MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, also speaking on the panel. Jennifer also attended various fringe events which focused on Europe and how to deliver an EU-UK reset and work more closely with the EU for greater economic advantage.

Conservative Party Conference - Birmingham

The Party Conference season wrapped up for the HTA this week in Birmingham with the end of the Conservative Party Conference. Samantha Smith returned to the city (after attending the first conference there - Reform UK) with key messages and discussions around business matters, such as cutting the regulations that impact HTA member businesses. The HTA continued to push members’ concerns during Small Business Day with Rt Hon Kit Malthouse MP. Alongside employment and business, Samantha also met with Robbie Moore MP, the Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to discuss the value of green spaces and environmental horticulture businesses to the UK economy and their benefits to the nation’s health.

A short video summary capturing key moments and conversations from each of the conferences can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/qfwCG1A6gRE

As politicians return to Westminster and across the devolved nations, the HTA is preparing for a busy autumn ahead. It continues to work with policymakers across the political spectrum to ensure the sector's recommendations are carefully considered in legislative priorities and to include environmental horticulture’s needs in the autumn budget later this month.

For more information about the work of the Policy and Public Affairs team at the HTA, visit: hta.org.uk/policy.