The goal of sustainable, high quality growth
After the 2008 banking crisis the Labour administration took emergency actions aimed at shoring up the banking system and providing short-term economic stimuli. The Coalition that took power in 2010 gave priority to cutting public spending and followed an austerity agenda along the same lines as the US and the rest of Europe. This has, since 2014, begun to bear fruit, evidenced by a return of growth in the UK, but key objectives of rebalancing the economy away from a dependence on the financial sector, providing the means to invest in infrastructure and reducing the trade deficit by increased exports, still remain elusive. Thus the top priority for many UK businesses is the achievement of sustainable, high value-added growth that will help the real economy. Businesses in the UK believe this is eminently achievable and are keen to work with policy-makers to make it happen.