The Politics of Abundance: Can Labour Count on a ‘Pro‐Growth Coalition’?

ABSTRACT The article examines the political challenges facing the Labour government as it seeks to advance a pro‐growth “Abundance” agenda centred on housebuilding, infrastructure investment and deregulation. Fourteen years of Conservative policy—marked by austerity, abandoned planning reforms, and curtailed infrastructure projects—reflected the priorities of an older, property‐owning voter base resistant to disruptive change. Labour's younger coalition is more open to removing barriers to housing, energy and technology, yet public attitudes towards growth‐enhancing policies remain conditional and often sceptical. Support for housebuilding hinges on visible investment in local services; enthusiasm for green energy weakens when voters fear higher bills; and major infrastructure schemes suffer from mistrust after past delivery failures. Deregulation is complicated by deep public suspicion of big business and strong support for institutional safeguards. By linking selective parts of an abundance agenda to fairness and tangible improvements in everyday life, the government may be able to overcome public scepticism and convert a technocratic growth narrative into a morally resonant political project.