In late September, Cleantech for UK attended the Liberal Democrat Conference in Bournemouth. The party, buoyed by its recent electoral gains and strengthened position in Parliament, used the weekend to set out an ambitious economic agenda - one with clear implications for the UK’s cleantech sector.
A central theme emerging from the conference was the challenge of scaling. Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper described Britain’s economic problem not as a lack of innovation, but as structural barriers that prevent small and mid-sized companies from reaching scale. This message resonated strongly with testimony from OVO and Vertical Aerospace founder Stephen Fitzpatrick, who spoke of the UK’s risk-averse capital markets and regulatory burdens that can hinder company growth compared to international competitors.
The Liberal Democrats are currently developing a series of policies that align closely with cleantech needs, including:
The conference also underlined the party’s support for Labour’s net zero commitments, including backing for small modular reactors, as well as calls for closer EU economic ties to improve market access and capital flows. Importantly, there was a clear emphasis on creating an economic culture that celebrates, rather than scrutinises, business success.
For Cleantech for UK, the conference provided valuable opportunities to engage directly with Liberal Democrat policymakers and business leaders, ensuring that the specific challenges faced by cleantech innovators remain at the heart of emerging policy debates. We look forward to continuing to engage with the party moving forward.
