Political Radar

• Labour wins the UK general election in a landslide - Keir Starmer will be the new prime minister
• Dissolution Peerages 2024
• Trade updates
• TfL delivers pledge of doubling wildflower verges in roadside areas to encourage more biodiversity
• Confor and environmental groups called for action on tree planting on eve of election
• Natural Resources Wales: Diseased larch trees to be felled at forest
• Retail sales fell faster than expected in June following May's modest recovery - CBI Distributive Trades Survey June 2024
• Northern Ireland Assembly question
  Media Watch

• The Lib Dems make huge gains, while the SNP lose dozens of seats
• High-profile Conservatives who have lost their seats include former Prime Minister Liz Truss, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Penny Mordaunt, Michael Gove, Gillian Keegan, Lucy Frazer, Alex Chalk, Therese Coffey, Rebecca Pow, Mark Spencer.
• Reform UK leader Nigel Farage becomes an MP as the party secures four MPs; the Greens are also on four in their best election performance yet
• The Conservatives have lost all their MPs in Wales after Welsh Secretary David TC Davies lost his seat in Monmouthshire to Labour

You can view seat share by party and search by postcode or constituency to see who won in your area here.

Reactions

• HTA responds to the result of the 2024 General Election
• Hort Week: Reaction to Labour election victory
• CBI responds to 2024 General Election result

Seats won per party (at the time of writing)

• Labour 412 (+211)
• Conservative 121 (-250)
• Lib Dem 71 (+63)
• Reform UK 4 (+4)
• Green 4 (+3)
• SNP 9 (-38)
• Paid 4 (+2)
• Sinn Fein 7
• DUP 5 (-3)
• Other 11

Vote share per party

• Labour 34%
• Conservative 23%
• Lib Dem 12%
• Reform UK 14%
• Green 7%
• SNP 3%
• Plaid 1%
• Sinn Fein 1%
• DUP 1%
• Others 4%

You can view comparison to the previous election here.

The King has been graciously pleased to signify His intention of conferring the following Peerages of the United Kingdom for Life. 

All individuals nominated for peerages have gone through vetting checks, and the Chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission has confirmed to the Prime Minister that all individuals are supported by the Commission.

Among those nominated are:

• The Rt Hon Sir Graham Brady PC
• The Rt Hon Theresa May PC
• The Rt Hon Sir Alok Sharma KCMG PC
• The Rt Hon Harriet Harman KC PC
• The Rt Hon Dame Margaret Beckett GBE PC
• The Rt Hon Dame Rosie Winterton DBE PC
• Thomas Elliott MLA
• Minette Batters - Former President of the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales.

BCP Costs & Operations document updated

HTA have updated the BCP Costs & Operations information document to include Port of Tyne and additional contact details for other BCP operators, plus some tips on how best to use Sevington if called there.  You can access it on this page: https://hta.org.uk/policy/cross-border-trade/borders-trade-updates

CDS Downtime Scheduled

Due to scheduled maintenance on the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), the service will be unavailable to all users on Saturday 6th July 2024, 9:30pm to 5:30am Sunday 7th July 2024. Declarations submitted during this timeframe will be processed at the end of the downtime. Creating, updating, or embarking a goods movement reference (GMR) that are linked to CDS could be affected during the times listed.

IPAFFS Fixes & Updates

It is anticipated that IPAFFS will be undergoing an update over the course of the 4th July. While this is not confirmed, please look out for a fix for the notifications (this should be turned back on), a new email notification for when consignments are released from holds and potentially the linking of commodity codes relating to bulbs (0601)

Immingham Port

HTA recently met with the port operator who runs the BCP at Immingham port (AB Ports). They are keen to learn more about how to handle plants efficiently and are looking for nurseries / distribution centres to visit with staff to see loading/unloading in operation at locations within a 1hr drive of their port locations of Hull & Immingham. Please email [email protected] if you would like to help out.

Transport for London (TfL) pledged last year to increase biodiversity, mitigate climate change and become more sustainable in its operations by increasing the amount of wildflower verges on roadsides of TfL's network and has doubled the area managed in this way to more than 260,000m2 in 2024.

The sites are managed to promote biodiversity by reducing mowing frequency to allow wildflowers to grow, TfL continue to regularly mow the edges to keep London's streets looking well maintained. TfL now has wildflower verges across its network including Gants Hill roundabout in Redbridge, Clockhouse roundabout in Feltham and the A21 Sevenoaks Road (Green Street Green) in Bromley.

On the eve of the General Election, Confor joined forces with The Woodland Trust, the Tree Council and Trees for Cities to call on the new UK Government to commit to new investment for far higher levels of future tree planting alongside action on key issues such as timber security.

In, the joint statement, the four organisations call on the new government to commit to trees, saying:

We have been pleased to see political parties once again recognise the importance of trees in their manifestos. However, if the many benefits of trees to society in both rural and urban areas are to be realised, urgent action will be required from the new government. This should include:

• investment allocated in the spending review to accelerate planting rates
• significant improvements in restoration and protection for valuable existing woods and trees
• tackling the lack of UK timber security
• improved access to training

We need clear and strategic leadership from Government underpinned by a new trees action plan for England – connecting with all four nations to maximise the potential of trees. We also need a land use framework that identifies where tree establishment can best deliver for climate, nature, the economy and a healthier society. We stand ready to help whoever forms the government after 4 July to deliver on these aims.

Infected trees at Beddgelert Forest, Gwynedd, will be felled to stop the spread of larch disease.

Work, which will be managed by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), starts on July 1 for up to six months in areas of the forest totalling 18 hectares.

It follows an outbreak of Phytophthora ramorum, commonly known as larch disease.

A Statutory Plant Health Notice has been issued which requires NRW to act within a set period of time to control the disease, which can spread quickly through woodland, killing whole trees.

Retail sales volumes fell faster than anticipated in the year to June, reversing a return to modest growth last month, according to the latest CBI Distributive Trades Survey.

Retailers expect sales volumes to continue falling next month, albeit at a slower pace.

Key findings included:

• Retail sales volumes fell in the year to June, following a modest recovery in May (weighted balance of -24% from +8%). Retailers expect sales to fall at a slower rate next month (-9%).
• Sales were reported to be well below “average” for the time of year (-39% from +2% in May). Sales volumes are expected to remain below seasonal norms in July, albeit to a lesser extent (-29%).
• Orders placed upon suppliers fell moderately in the year to June at a broadly similar pace to last month (-14% from -11% in May). Retailers expect the cutback in orders to continue next month (-16%).
• Stock positions were reported as broadly “adequate” in relation to expected sales (+3% from +16% in May). Stock positions are expected to remain unchanged next month (0).
• Internet sales declined heavily, and at a faster pace than expected in the year to June (-45% from -6% in May). Online sales are expected to fall again next month, but only slightly (-5%).

Mr Matthew O'Toole: To ask the Minister of Finance when her Department will publish proposals for changes in our domestic and business rates system based on the consultation that took place between November 2023 and February 2024.

Answer: I wanted to give Committee sight of the factual report summarising the consultation responses received in relation to the Rating Revenue Raising Measures well in advance of publication. So, it has been provided to you as Chair of the Finance Committee. My officials also provided extensive briefing to the Committee on the responses received in closed session on 12 June. As officials are currently in a pre-election period, it is not possible for them to publicly comment on policy or publish the consultation report until after the election.

Any future changes to the rating system will be made between now and the end of the Assembly mandate. They will be informed by the evidence gathered as part of the consultation process that ended in February this year.

Full answer here.

The Guardian: UK and EU horticulture firms warn of harm caused by post-Brexit border delays

Landscape and Amenity: The HTA presents on cross-border trade and peat-policy at European meeting

Landscape and Amenity: HTA and APL members impress judges and crowds at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

Garden Forum: Unexpected sales growth in May

GTN Xtra: Re-booking opens for HTA National Plant Show 2025

Hort Week: A future UK Government can't deliver on the environment without horticulture

Hort Week: Last minute election pleas from horticulture

Hort Week: BCPs: 'Open' bills from importers mean charges are impossible to gauge UPDATED with trade body letter

Pro Landscaper: 16 Highlights of RHS Hampton Court press day

Politics Home: The HTA presents on cross-border trade and peat-policy at European meeting

Politics Home: Plant and flower industry call for urgent action on import cost hikes

Politics Home: A future UK Government can't deliver on the environment without horticulture