Focus on: ports and harbours

As part of Labour’s manifesto to kickstart economic growth and its ambition for boosting investment, Labour will establish a National Wealth Fund capitalised with £7.3 billion and directly invest in ‘ports, hydrogen and industrial clusters in every corner of the country’. 

The funding is to be allocated as follows.

• £1.8 billion to upgrade ports and build supply chains across the UK. 
• £1.5 billion to new gigafactories so our automotive industry leads the world. 
• £2.5 billion to rebuild our steel industry. 
• £1 billion to accelerate the deployment of carbon capture. 
• £500 million to support the manufacturing of green hydrogen.

To be allocated from the National Wealth Fund, Labour has pledged £1.8 billion towards the upgrade of port infrastructure and to build supply chains across the UK. Labour has made clear its intention to ‘work in partnership with industry to seize opportunities and remove barriers to growth’.

The infrastructure enabled by a £1.8 billion pledge will naturally feed into Labour’s offshore wind ambitions. As set out in our Focus on: energy and natural resources– 

Labour’s mission is to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030, delivering a cheaper, zero-carbon electricity system. To do this Labour has committed to (amongst other things) quadruple offshore wind with an ambition of 55GW by 2030, pioneer floating offshore wind by fast tracking at least 5GW of capacity. This more than triples solar power to 50GW and double the government’s target on green hydrogen. A fund of up to £500m will be allocated from the 2025-26 contract for difference auction round.

In relation to border security and the small boat crisis, Labour plans to ‘stop the chaos and go after the criminal gangs who trade in driving the crisis’. Labour will create a new Border Security Command, with hundreds of new investigators, intelligence officers, and cross-border police officers. Labour will set up a new returns and enforcement unit to fast-track removals to safe countries for people who do not have the right to stay here.