Spotlight on a policy manager… developing the public affairs strategy

I joined Logistics UK at the start of this year to form and lead the Public Affairs team. It’s an exciting opportunity to build a team and strategy from scratch and see this through to delivery. The UK’s in the midst of a period of significant change, which gives us a great opportunity to engage with policy makers and politicians to make the case for the role logistics can play for the future, to the benefit of our members. 

I’m keen to shape our message for our political audiences and continue to increase the reputation of logistics across the UK amongst policy makers. There is scope to increase politicians’ and other stakeholders’ understanding of the logistics network significantly, so they can come to  see it as an essential part of infrastructure underpinning all movement of goods in the country. It’s vital for everything from public services and business operations to ordering goods for home delivery and imports and exports. 

While the importance of logistics was highlighted to everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic and through Brexit, it’s time to evolve this understanding. A key part of our strategy is to build on current knowledge – and broaden this beyond our role in a crisis – to encompass how logistics can support the UK going forward with regards to the economy, making a difference on decarbonisation, providing exciting opportunities for new and innovative skills, and supporting trade with the EU and rest of the world – among other things!  

Policy makers in Westminster and Whitehall, the devolved nations and the regions play an important role in how successful we are as an industry. They make decisions on local infrastructure, support for businesses to decarbonise, energy, skills funding, custom arrangements, and other areas that significantly affect our members. Given this, we have been increasing engagement with key stakeholders to highlight and influence the policy areas members care about most.  

In recent months, we have had discussions and debates with politicians on decarbonisation and logistics in general.  Shortly, we’ll publish research on the important role logistics has to play in increasing productivity and we’re also preparing to engage with politicians at the party conferences. With a general election expected in 2024, it’s important for us to start to meet potential new MPs and talk about the role logistics plays across the country and what logistics does in their local areas.  

Looking forward, there are a number of live policy issues we must focus on. There are decisions to be made on the low carbon fuel strategy, road investment, planning policy and there is also an upcoming review of EU trade and the cooperation agreement.  

In addition, the regional devolution agenda continues to hand over more powers from central government, with mayors becoming increasingly influential and there will be regional mayoral elections in 2024. We need to make the case to devolved governments and regional authorities for a national freight network and national logistics solutions, ensuring that increased devolved and regional powers support business investment and mitigate the risk of fragmented planning and policies for operators acting across the UK. 

Members can provide their input on what areas they want to see Logistics UK focus on as part of this engagement with politicians through the Public Affairs working group. I encourage anyone who has responsibility for public affairs to join this working group and support our discussion. Find out more about our working groups at https://logistics.org.uk/membership/logisticsuk-councils.  

As well as taking part in discussions as our regular regional and national council  meetings, members can also contact me and my team directly to provide feedback on our approaches to politicians and opinion formers on national infrastructure, innovation policy, skills, trade, and other key topics, so we can foster engagement between members and politicians on those big subjects. 

While I am new to the freight and logistics sector, with a background in public affairs and communications in passenger transport and energy and, prior to that, Middle East politics, there are many lessons from my previous experience I am already applying.  

Overall, my approach is to simplify complex subjects and enable stakeholders and the wider public to overcome the barriers to taking an interest. While there are many complex challenges in logistics, it’s an industry that affects people’s everyday lives so there is significant scope for policy makers and politicians to understand our sector and have a hand in its success.  

The UK faces major questions with regards to infrastructure, innovation, decarbonisation, skills and trade and these are all areas where logistics must be part of the answer.  

*www.logistics.org.uk/campaigns

Published On: 18/05/2023 16:00:00

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