In yesterday’s King’s Speech, the government placed manufacturing, infrastructure and industrial resilience at the centre of its plans for the UK economy, with steel production, energy security and major infrastructure investment emerging as key priorities.
Delivered against a backdrop of growing geopolitical instability and economic uncertainty, the speech repeatedly linked Britain’s industrial capability with national security, signalling a more interventionist approach to industrial policy and domestic production.
Steel production and industrial strategy
One of the clearest commitments for manufacturers came through the government’s pledge to “take all action necessary to safeguard the domestic production of steel” through the proposed Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill.
Relevant reading: Prime Minister announces plans to nationalise British Steel
The wording suggests ministers are prepared to intervene directly to protect strategic industrial capacity, including through potential nationalisation powers if required.
The speech also outlined a broader pro-industry economic agenda centred around public investment, infrastructure development and regulatory reform.
“My Ministers will use public investment to shape markets and attract further private investment,” the speech stated, adding that government would “deploy the power of an active State in partnership with business”.
The comments point toward a more active industrial strategy aimed at supporting long-term growth, strategic industries and domestic resilience.
Trade, regulation and supply chain support
Trade and supply chain resilience also featured prominently. The proposed European Partnership Bill aims to strengthen economic ties with the European Union, a move likely to be closely watched by manufacturers reliant on integrated European supply chains.
Improved UK-EU trading arrangements could help reduce border friction, simplify exports and improve supply chain efficiency across sectors including automotive, aerospace and machinery manufacturing.
The government also announced plans for a Small Business Protections (Late Payments) Bill, targeting late payment practices that have long affected SME manufacturers and engineering suppliers.
Alongside this, ministers pledged to reduce the burden of “unnecessary regulation through innovation” via the proposed Regulating for Growth Bill, which could have implications for industrial AI, robotics and advanced manufacturing technologies.
Responding to the proposed legislation, Graham Hoare, CEO at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), said advanced manufacturing depended on regulation keeping pace with innovation.
“The Regulating for Growth Bill announced in today’s King’s Speech is a positive step towards a system that supports new technologies while maintaining vital safeguards.”
– Graham Hoare, CEO, MTC.
Hoare added that reducing unnecessary barriers could help manufacturers move innovations more quickly from concept to commercial deployment, while proposed regulatory sandboxes would allow businesses to test and scale emerging technologies in real-world environments.
“If delivered well, this legislation can ensure regulation becomes an enabler of growth – supporting advanced manufacturing and the wider economy to innovate with confidence,” he said.
Infrastructure and energy independence
Infrastructure investment formed another major pillar of the speech, with commitments around airport expansion, the Lower Thames Crossing, Northern Powerhouse Rail and the continued rollout of Great British Railways.
The government said “world class infrastructure” was essential to Britain’s economic security, with the projects expected to improve freight movement, regional connectivity and supply chain efficiency.
Energy policy also featured heavily, particularly around energy independence and domestic generation capacity.
The proposed Energy Independence Bill will aim to scale up renewable energy generation, while the Nuclear Regulation Bill is intended to support what the government described as “a new era of British nuclear energy generation”.
The measures are likely to be welcomed by energy-intensive industries such as steel, chemicals and glass manufacturing, which continue to face competitiveness pressures linked to industrial energy costs.
Responding to the proposed Energy Independence Bill, Dr Russ Hall, Lead for Sustainable Manufacturing and Circular Economy at Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), said energy independence was critical to the UK’s “long-term economic resilience, national security and industrial competitiveness”.
He said recent fossil fuel supply shocks had exposed the vulnerability of internationally dependent energy systems, while increased domestic renewable generation, grid modernisation and energy storage could help deliver more stable and lower-cost energy supplies for industry.
Hall also said the proposed legislation could help accelerate infrastructure investment and regulatory reform, reducing industrial energy costs and improving confidence for long-term manufacturing investment.
“For UK manufacturing, energy independence presents a major opportunity. Access to lower-cost, secure and lower-carbon energy can improve operational resilience, reduce exposure to international price volatility and enhance global competitiveness.”
– Dr Russ Hall, Lead for Sustainable Manufacturing and Circular Economy, WMG.
Responding to the speech, Yselkla Farmer, CEO of BEAMA, welcomed the government’s continued focus on energy infrastructure, electrification and grid deployment.
“It is positive to see the Government’s commitment from the King’s Speech to implementing the policy measures announced in the past year that could benefit BEAMA members,” she said.
Farmer highlighted measures including accelerated grid deployment, energy flexibility, domestic energy efficiency and cybersecurity improvements, but warned that manufacturers and energy suppliers needed greater certainty around delivery timelines.
“BEAMA’s Market Pulse shows that political and policy uncertainty hurts investment and market growth, so we hope that the Government is able to reassure us as soon as possible on the details and timings for implementation of policies,” she added.
Skills, defence and cyber resilience
The speech also reaffirmed support for apprenticeships and vocational education, with ministers criticising “a lack of respect for vocational education” and committing to continued investment in technical skills and youth employment.
For manufacturers facing persistent engineering and technician shortages, the focus on vocational pathways could prove particularly significant.
Defence and cyber resilience were also positioned as industrial priorities. The government confirmed plans for increased defence spending and announced a new Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which may have implications for manufacturers operating connected factories and industrial control systems.
Responding to the speech, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) said the focus must now shift from policy announcements to delivery.
“The King’s Speech signals that the Government is shifting from ambition to delivery. The priority now must be action. The UK cannot afford further delays to major infrastructure and energy projects.
“Engineers are ready to help deliver at pace, but government must also confront the growing engineering skills gap. A National Engineering and Technology Workforce Strategy is now essential if ministers are to turn ambition into reality.”
– James Partington, Director of Engineering Policy and Impact at IMechE.
Taken together, the speech signals a shift toward a more strategic and interventionist industrial agenda, with manufacturing increasingly framed not simply as an economic sector, but as a core pillar of Britain’s national resilience, security and long-term competitiveness.
Read the full King’s Speech transcript here: The King’s Speech 2026.
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