The degrowth agenda is a political dead end masquerading as environmental salvation

Let’s construct the longer term we need to see, not destroy it.

Christopher Worrall is a housing columnist for LFF. He’s on the Government Committee of the Labour Housing Group, Co-Host of the Priced Out Podcast, and Chair of the Native Authorities and Housing Member Coverage Group of the Fabian Society. 

Degrowth architects are the apostles of decline, pushing an agenda of shortage that threatens to derail Britain’s future. Their imaginative and prescient—endorsed by figures like Phineas Harper and showcased at occasions just like the Oslo Structure Triennale—rejects development because the enemy of the planet. With proponents like Phineas Harper, advocates of the Corbynite ‘Land for the Many’ ideology persevering with to push their agenda. However this ideology will not be solely delusional; it’s harmful. It stands in direct opposition to Rachel Reeves’ plan to kickstart financial development and Keir Starmer’s missions to rebuild Britain with equity and ambition.

Let’s be clear: degrowth is a recipe for stagnation. It romanticises shrinking economies and limiting cities, condemning working individuals to a way forward for ever-higher rents, stagnant wages, and decaying infrastructure. Labour is aware of that Britain’s issues—rising inequality, a housing disaster, and the local weather emergency—demand daring motion, not the defeatist politics of pseudo “shared a lot”. Degrowth architects would have us surrender on development, locking tens of millions out of cities, properties, and alternatives.

Rachel Reeves’ agenda to develop Britain’s financial system is the polar reverse of degrowth’s defeatist imaginative and prescient. Labour’s plan recognises that financial development isn’t simply suitable with tackling the local weather disaster—it’s the one option to fund the inexperienced power revolution, retrofit properties, and rebuild the infrastructure we’d like for a sustainable future. Degrowth architects, against this, provide no options. They demand austerity dressed up as environmentalism, buying and selling progress for shortage. Britain’s housing disaster is a first-rate instance. Restrictive planning legal guidelines, cheered on by degrowth advocates, have stifled development and made properties a privilege for the wealthy. Labour’s pledge to construct 1.5 million new properties is a direct rejection of this shortage agenda. To deal with inequality and construct thriving cities, we have to say sure to development, densification, and sustainable city improvement.

The degrowth agenda is a political useless finish masquerading as environmental salvation. Its architects are the enemies of progress. Labour should reject their defeatist dogma and the promoters of poverty politics that’s degrowth. As a substitute we should always embrace the daring imaginative and prescient of constructing Britain again stronger, greener, and fairer. Let’s construct the longer term we need to see, not destroy it.