Our response to the 2017 UK general election

Today we woke up to yet another shock after a UK election and we wait to see the outcome of the Prime Minister's negotiations to form a government over the coming days.

For the country many questions will remain on what the result means for Brexit and the economy, and for key policy decisions on ageing, health, housing, education and skills.

When much of our lives can seem clouded by uncertainty, design can provide a mechanism for us to look forward and positively respond to change. More than ever, our economy and our politics will rely on creative thinking and innovation. Design Council believes that good design is at the centre of solutions. It can drive economic growth, improve our shared built environments and tackle social challenges. It can also bring people together. This will not stop after an election result, and over the coming days, Design Council will continue to look to the future.

First and foremost, we must aim to keep design talent in the country. Britain has some of the best designers in the world – it is vital that we remain the best place in the world for them to be. These minds will discover – design – how we can raise living standards; pay for social care; rejuvenate our health service; build homes and create places that enable all of us to prosper and live healthier, fulfilling lives.

We call on the new government to position design at the centre of its plans for a healthier, more prosperous Britain and to use it to respond positively to change.