The British electorate’s decision to leave the European Union presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-configure the way we do business with the world – forging new relationships, re-invigorating past friendships and establishing the UK as a champion of free trade.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) was established to help the UK embrace this new landscape and take advantage of these opportunities.
We start from a position of strength; we are the fifth biggest economy in the world, have a high employment rate and are home to world-leading industries – from car manufacturing and satellite engineering, to financial services and the creative industries.
With global demand for our goods, services and expertise, it’s the DIT’s role to support UK businesses in their export journey, helping them to expand their brand and build their markets abroad. But it is equally important that the UK continues to attract overseas business, bringing inward investment into housing, regeneration and infrastructure to create jobs right across the country and generate growth for the UK economy.
The Bank of England recently revised the annual growth forecast for 2017 by 0.6% to 2%, showing there is a demonstrably positive backdrop against which the government can continue to work in partnership with the real estate sector, moving forward our key priorities.
In order to fully realise our ambitions, the DIT will fully support the property industry by matching investors with projects and facilitating flows of foreign capital into investment opportunities across the whole of the country.
Leaving the EU allows us to make fresh choices about how we shape our economy and presents an opportunity to deliver a bold, long term industrial strategy that builds on our strengths and prepares us for the years ahead.
This includes building more homes, upgrading infrastructure, regenerating towns and cities and promoting the strengths of regional areas, such as the Northern Powerhouse and the Midlands Engine.
Investment in construction and dedicated local council teams for property and infrastructure development can have a real impact on communities across the UK, with their catalytic economic effects encouraging wider business growth through improved connectivity, cityscapes or accommodation.
EG’s UK Cities Investor Guide is a vital tool in showcasing the wide range of investment opportunities that exist across the UK, from Southampton to Edinburgh and Cambridge to Cardiff, in key sectors from tech to creative. It helps investors both within the UK and from overseas understand the scale of our ambition and the role they can play in achieving it.
Liam Fox is a secretary of state for international trade and president of the board of trade
Image Credit: Rob Pinney/LNP/REX/Shutterstock
