You know politicians are in election mode when they don a hard hat to visit a construction site. Along with the photo opportunity, there are the obligatory soundbites. “We’ll create the conditions for growth” was Labour leader Keir Starmer’s offering last week as he visited a site in central London and talked about how he would reform the apprenticeship levy.

Talk of growth is well targeted at construction bosses and the obvious follow-up question is: how exactly would a Labour government make it happen? Spending commitments have been body-swerved by the opposition party, although various reviews into energy, transport and social infrastructure – which are gathering evidence from industry – do suggest consultation is happening behind closed doors.

Meanwhile, the governing party had its big moment in the limelight with last week’s Budget, when the chancellor Jeremy Hunt indulged in some pre-election tax give-aways, but did little to boost construction or housebuilding. What did become apparent was the poor state of our public finances – according to analysis from the Institute for Fiscal Studies – and how any incoming administration, whatever its colour, will have very little room for manoeuvre.