Leaving EU behind: How Britain lost its trading edge and how to get it back

Ten years ago, the UK voted to leave the EU – a major global economic bloc that it had been part of nearly half a century. Such a decision was always bound to cause significant economic disruption, and it’s far from the only big economic shock we’ve experienced – from pandemics to trade wars and now the AI revolution. While many will spend this anniversary looking backwards, it’s just as important to look forward and consider how we can navigate economic change in the decade ahead. How the UK’s trade in goods and services changed over the past decade, and how much is down to Brexit compared to other global shifts? How has the UK fared compared to its G7 peers? What does the past decade of economic change mean for the future of the UK’s industrial strategy? And are there strengths to leverage, as well as weaknesses to defend? The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of new research marking ten years since the Brexit vote and just over five years of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, we will hear from leading experts on at the scale of economic change the UK has experienced over the past decade and how to boost growth over the next ten years. The event will be open for people to physically attend, alongside being broadcast via YouTube and the Resolution Foundation website. Viewers will be able to submit questions to the panel before and during the event via Slido. Speakers Sam Lowe Leading European trade expert and Partner at Flint Global Anna Leach Chief Economist at the Institute of Directors Sophie Hale Research Director at the Resolution Foundation Lord David Willetts President of the Resolution Foundation (Chair)