The Industry Forum Ltd, 20 St Andrew Street, EC4A 3AG, London
info@industry-forum.org
+44 (0)20 7434 0090
The Industry Forum Ltd, 20 St Andrew Street, EC4A 3AG, London
  • Straight talking between business and policymakers since 1993

  • Straight talking between business and policymakers since 1993

  • Straight talking between business and policymakers since 1993

  • Straight talking between business and policymakers since 1993

Upcoming events

Confirmed
In planning
Industry Forum Spring Reception
Our Spring Reception this year will be an opportunity to meet Ministers and backbenchers, other members of the Industry Forum community and guests including the researchers, consultants and advisers who…
Event details
Delivering the homes that the UK desperately needs
Adequate housing is essential for the social and economic functioning of a nation. Nevertheless, the UK suffers from a serious shortage of housing to buy or to rent at affordable…
Event details
Fixing the skills crisis
The skills crisis is absolutely at the top of the agenda for Industry Forum members. Changes in immigration policies and inadequate education and skills training programmes are causing shortages in…
Event details
all upcoming events
Fixing the skills crisis
Date:
Event location:
Central London
Host:
Checkatrade
Speaker:
The Rt Hon Baroness (Jacqui) Smith of Malvern
The skills crisis is absolutely at the top of the agenda for Industry Forum members. Changes in immigration policies and inadequate education and skills training programmes are causing shortages in sectors including agriculture, healthcare, plumbing, programming and the leisure industries. This is currently hampering businesses and will be a restraint on growth. The Rt Hon […]
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Industry Forum Spring Reception
Date:
21/05/2025
Event location:
House of Commons
Host:
The Horticultural Trades Association & The British Coatings Federation
Speaker:
Gareth Thomas MP
Our Spring Reception this year will be an opportunity to meet Ministers and backbenchers, other members of the Industry Forum community and guests including the researchers, consultants and advisers who form part of the big influx of new faces contributing to the, still new and evolving, Labour administration. Our keynote speaker is Gareth Thomas MP, […]
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Delivering the homes that the UK desperately needs
Date:
06/10/2025
Event location:
Central London
Host:
TBC
Speaker:
Florence Eshalomi MP
Adequate housing is essential for the social and economic functioning of a nation. Nevertheless, the UK suffers from a serious shortage of housing to buy or to rent at affordable prices, and this adversely affects living standards and labour mobility. After the destruction of WW2, the country had a continuous and successful house building programme. […]
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Editorial comments

The baton passes to Europe

Published:
24-03-2025

However much they would like just to focus on doing profitable business in this country, international turbulence is posing big risks to the plans and investments of many UK businesses. From a flood of insightful articles in journals and newspapers, we have concluded that new realities affecting the overall UK economy, and individual businesses in the immediate future are that:

  1. We can no longer outsource much of our security to the United States
  2. Tariff uncertainty will make access to US markets unpredictable
  3. The current Russian regime represents an economic and security threat to Europe
  4. The pillars of the post-WW2 economy such as the World Bank, the IMF, and the US dollar as the world's main reserve currency, may no longer fully serve UK and European interests.

(more…)

1 11
Editorial comments

The baton passes to Europe

Published:
24-03-2025

However much they would like just to focus on doing profitable business in this country, international turbulence is posing big risks to the plans and investments of many UK businesses. From a flood of insightful articles in journals and newspapers, we have concluded that new realities affecting the overall UK economy, and individual businesses in the immediate future are that:

  1. We can no longer outsource much of our security to the United States
  2. Tariff uncertainty will make access to US markets unpredictable
  3. The current Russian regime represents an economic and security threat to Europe
  4. The pillars of the post-WW2 economy such as the World Bank, the IMF, and the US dollar as the world's main reserve currency, may no longer fully serve UK and European interests.

(more…)

1 11

News & Publications

News & Views
Our publications
March 2025 Newsletter
Details of upcoming and recent events in the Industry Forum March Newsletter. Industry Forum March 2025 Newsletter 
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January 2025 Newsletter
Details of upcoming and recent events in the Industry Forum January Newsletter. Industry Forum January 2025 Newsletter 
Read now
December 2024 Newsletter
Details of upcoming and recent events in the Industry Forum December Newsletter. Industry Forum December 2024 Newsletter 
Read now
news archive
Did the conference speeches reveal an economic vision for the UK?
In his party conference speech, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt painted a rosy picture of our future leadership in technology sectors. His words didn’t match the scale of the economic challenge. In…
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UK economic prospects for 2022 and beyond
At the 25 November Industry Forum virtual roundtable, Andrew Smith, Chief Economist for the Industry Forum reviewed the prospects for the UK economy in 2022 in the light of the Chancellor's Autumn…
Read now
Paying for the pandemic - recovery shouldn’t mean Austerity 2
At the 17 March Industry Forum virtual roundtable, IIPP Economist Josh Ryan-Collins analysed the case for an ambitious recovery plan to avoid Austerity 2. Open presentation For slides, please email jwyer@industry-forum.org
Read now
all publications

Events in planning

SEE what's coming
Fixing the skills crisis 
Energy transition - the obstacles and opportunities for the UK
Decarbonising homes - making it happen
Could reform of consumer credit regulation support higher growth?
Creating opportunity in the UK
Working with the new US administration
Improving our digital infrastructure would be a win/win for businesses and the economy
Policy priorities for safe and sustainable, high-quality buildings
An integrated plan for the UK road and rail networks
Achieving a new positive relationship with Europe

Recent events

Creating opportunity in the UK
Recently, Sarah Smith MP, Keir Starmer’s ‘Opportunity Mission Champion’, led a broad ranging Industry Forum roundtable on ‘Creating Opportunity in the UK.’ The meeting was…
Event details
Delivering the Growth Mission
The Industry Forum was delighted to welcome Labour’s National Growth Champion, Daniel Tomlinson, to lead a roundtable on ‘Delivering the Growth Mission.’ The meeting was…
Event details
Budget 2024 - the turning point?
The Industry Forum assembled a stellar panel of economists to decide whether Rachel Reeves’s ‘Budget 2024’ is the turning point for the UK economy which…
Event details
events archive