Andrew Griffith to Pitch Sweeping Deregulation Agenda as Tories Promise Tax Cuts and Cheaper Homes

Conservative shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith will use the second day of his party's annual conference in Birmingham to set out an economic programme he describes as the most ambitious deregulation effort in a generation, according to plans trailed ahead of his speech.

The package centres on reducing taxes, stripping back regulatory requirements and lowering the cost of building homes, as the opposition seeks to rebuild its economic credibility following a heavy general election defeat in 2024.

Griffith is expected to argue that no external force will rescue Britain's sluggish economy and that only the Conservatives are prepared to confront difficult truths. He will frame his agenda as a route to cheaper housing, lower taxes and less bureaucracy, while accusing Prime Minister Andy Burnham of reviving what he characterises as a 1970s-style socialist experiment.

The conference appearance follows the publication by party leader Kemi Badenoch of a 100-page document setting out her guiding principles and how a future Conservative government would govern if it wins the next general election. That blueprint, alongside Griffith's speech, forms part of a wider attempt to persuade voters that the party has changed since its long stint in office between 2010 and 2024.

A central plank of the plans involves scrapping environmental and energy efficiency rules, including the future homes standard. Conservative shadow ministers believe removing these requirements could reduce the cost of delivering a new home by as much as £50,000, savings they expect would eventually be passed on to buyers.

The party also intends to replace section 106 agreements and the Community Infrastructure Levy with a single developer levy. Under the current system, developers negotiate obligations to fund local infrastructure and services as part of planning approvals. The Conservatives contend that a unified charge would cut delays and ensure money is spent more effectively for the benefit of residents.

Two regulators would be abolished entirely under the proposals. Natural England, which oversees the protection of the natural environment, and the Environment Agency, responsible for flood prevention and pollution control, would see their functions transferred to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The party has been critical of both bodies, arguing they slow down house building and flood defence work.

Griffith is also expected to confirm that a Conservative government would scrap the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme, which obliges companies to cover the cost of collecting, recycling and disposing of the packaging they produce. The party argues the scheme places an unnecessary burden on businesses and that removing it could help reduce the cost of the weekly grocery shop.

On aviation, the shadow chancellor will say the next Conservative government would do whatever it takes to end delays at Heathrow and boost capacity by backing a third runway. Expansion plans were abandoned by the Conservative-led coalition in 2010. Former chancellor Rachel Reeves later championed the project as a growth measure after Labour took power, but Burnham has declined to say whether he supports it since becoming prime minister, describing the matter as principally one for London and Londoners.

Chancellor John Healey said last week that all government commitments would be built on a foundation of fiscal discipline, and that the Budget on 28 October would give families and businesses some breathing space. His remarks underscore the fiscal constraints any opposition party would face in delivering tax reductions without spooking financial markets.

The Conservative proposals drew immediate criticism from rival parties. Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said the Tories had cemented their position as a pointless anti-growth, anti-business party by rejecting closer ties with Europe, and argued that no one could take their economic claims seriously given what she called a litany of fantasy-land financial pledges.

Reform UK economy spokesman Robert Jenrick accused the Conservatives of copying his party's policies once again, adding that the Tories were unable to match Reform's promise to raise the tax-free personal allowance to £15,000. The exchange highlights intensifying competition on the right of British politics as both parties court voters frustrated by high taxes and sluggish growth.

The Tories face a difficult balancing act. Having spent fourteen years in government, they must convince the electorate that they have learned from past mistakes while offering a distinct alternative to the current administration. Repeated attacks from opponents over their economic record remain a significant obstacle to that effort.

Further details are expected throughout Monday, when a series of shadow ministers will deliver speeches expanding on the proposals. The conference, staged in Birmingham, provides the party with its most prominent platform of the year to shape the national debate before the next election.