Build Up from the Basement

Housing policy and small builders: Sir James Cleverly MP explains what needs to change. The FMB explores how tax, planning and employment costs could affect SME builders' growth, recruitment and future opportunities. In this episode of Build Up From The Basement, we sit down with the Rt Hon Sir James Cleverly MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, to discuss t...

SME house builders: planning reform, skills and growth in UK construction. Sarah Edwards MP and the FMB explore how planning delays, skills shortages and rogue builders are affecting SME construction businesses and what needs to change. In this episode of Build Up From the Basement, we’re joined by Sarah Edwards MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for SME Housebuilders and MP for...

In this episode of Build Up: From the Basement, Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice joins FMB CEO Brian Berry and host Iona Stewart-Richardson to discuss the future of UK housebuilding and small construction businesses. Tice shares his backing for the FMB’s Licence to Build campaign, his concerns about missed housing targets, and why he believes smart, simple regulation is key to tackling rogue b...

What does it really take to hit the UK’s ambitious housing targets, and why does design matter just as much as quantity? In this episode of Build Up: From the Basement, Iona sits down with Kit Malthouse MP, former Housing Minister, to explore the big lessons from his time in government and his candid predictions for the future of construction. From the challenges of meeting the 300,000 homes targe...

In this episode, we sit down with Mike Reader MP for Northampton South - a former civil engineer turned Construction Champion for the UK Government - to explore the future of UK construction, infrastructure, and housing policy. With nearly 20 years in the industry at firms like Mace and Pick Everard, Mike brings real-world insight into the challenges and opportunities shaping the built environment...

Recognising our best and brightest young builders, solving the housing crisis, and professionalising the construction industry are all on the agenda as MP for South Holland and the Deepings, and former Government Minister, Sir John Hayes joins us in the basement. We also take a dive into the question, "Why was Jesus a carpenter, and what does it tell us?", and Sir John makes a "very very very good...

MP for the Isle of Wight West, Richard Quigley, joins us in the basement at the FMB to chat about tackling the skills crisis, a licensing scheme for builders, and whether or not the UK genuinely has a realistic chance of meeting it's housebuilding targets.

We’re joined by Mark Garnier MP, Member of Parliament for Wyre Forest, to discuss why it's time to introduce licensing for the building industry. 🏗️ From protecting homeowners to raising standards and boosting trust in the trade, Mark explains why licensing is long overdue—and what his Private Members’ Bill aims to achieve.

In the UK today, anyone - regardless of training, skill, or experience - can legally carry out construction work. No tests. No proof of competence. Just tools in hand and access to your home, your business, your safety. Here's why we’re calling for a License to Build.

We’re joined by Tom Hall, Chief Economist at Aqua Consultants, on the latest episode of our podcast Buildup from the Basement. Tom shares expert insights on the UK’s economic outlook and what it means for the construction industry—from interest rates to infrastructure investment.

The FMB's Iona Stewart-Richardson speaks to CEO Brian Berry and Head of External Affairs Jeremy Gray about the Spring Statement and how the construction industry will be affected by the recent announcements.