天美影院

And thanks to all you for being here鈥�

It鈥檚 fantastic to stand here and look out and see so many of you here鈥�

And I鈥檓 really grateful that you have made the effort, and you are here. It means a huge amount to me and my government鈥�

And welcome to this Government鈥檚 first International Investment summit.

And some of you I know have come a very long way to be here鈥�

You have flown in from a great distance, some of you will be going straight back out again afterwards.

You have made a huge effort to share with us the precious gift of your time鈥�

And we are really, really grateful for that.

And welcome to the Guild Hall鈥�

London鈥檚 ancient Town Hall鈥�

Isn鈥檛 it a fantastic building, it鈥檚 really breathtaking this Guild Hall.

Not of course to be confused with the nearby Guildhall school of music鈥�

Where I once pursued a fleeting ambition to play the flute professionally. I kid you not鈥�

Complete with then long hair and very, very flared jeans.聽

All photographic evidence has been destroyed.

But today we are pursuing a different ambition鈥�

A shared ambition鈥�

Growth.

You have to grow your business.

And I have to grow my country.

I鈥檒l leave it to you to decide if you think voters or shareholders are the more forgiving audience鈥�

But without growth 鈥� let鈥檚 just agree it鈥檚 a difficult conversation鈥�

And that therefore, growth is a cause that binds us together.

The shared endeavour of prosperity.

It鈥檚 why we鈥檝e made it the number one test of this government鈥�

I am determined to do everything in my power to galvanise growth鈥�

Determined for this country to be the highest growing economy in the G7鈥�

That is our most important national mission.

Because it鈥檚 the only way to deliver the mandate for change that we won.

Growth is higher wages.

Growth is more vibrant high streets.

Growth is public services back on their feet.

It鈥檚 less poverty, more opportunity, more meals out, more holidays, more precious moments with your family, more cash in your pocket.

And of course, for any business鈥�

It means a bigger market.

Higher demand鈥�

A more secure and prosperous future鈥�

Your effort and enterprise 鈥� rewarded in profit.

But it鈥檚 much more important, even than all that.聽

We live in an age when political fires rage across the world.

Conflict. Insecurity.聽A populist mood that rails against the open values so many of us hold dear.

Values which, as you know鈥�

Are so crucial for making business easy to do.

And yet 鈥� at the same time鈥�

Look around the world鈥�

Look at the investments you and others are making.

This is an age of great possibility, as well.聽

Huge revolutions in digital technology, clean energy, medicine, life sciences鈥�

Each - with the potential to fundamentally change the way we live and the way that we work鈥�

Each - with the possibility to transform the lives of working people for the better.

And so, in times like this鈥�

Economic growth is vital 鈥� as it always has been鈥�

If we are to steer our way through a great period of insecurity and change鈥�

And on to calmer waters.聽

Because when working people benefit from that growth鈥�

When every community enjoys the fruits of wealth creation鈥�

It stops a country turning in on itself and against the world.

And that in turn, helps provides a stable foundation鈥�

Breathing space鈥β�

For a country to take advantage of those opportunities for a better future.

To put it more simply鈥�

It鈥檚 not just that stability leads to growth 鈥� though we all recognise that.聽

It鈥檚 also that growth leads to stability鈥�

Growth leads to country that is better equipped to come together鈥�

And get its future back.

That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 always been so critical to my political project.

The key ingredient of that 鈥楪reat Moderation鈥� we became accustomed to before the financial crash鈥�

But which together, in partnership鈥�

We now have to earn again.聽

Every one of you here today鈥�

Has been invited for that reason.

It鈥檚 not just that you lead some of the most important businesses in the world.

It鈥檚 also because you are pivotal to this great cause of our times.聽

And the reason we are focusing so much on investment鈥�

Is because the mission of growth, in this country in particular鈥�

Demands it.

Private sector investment is the way we rebuild our country鈥�

And pay our way in the world.

And make no mistake 鈥� this is a great moment to back Britain鈥�

This is great moment to back England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.聽

We have an amazing education system that produces some of the best talent in the world.

The largest tech sector in Europe.

Leading positions in some of those great industries of the future鈥�

Artificial Intelligence, Life Sciences, Clean energy, the creative industries.

We鈥檙e a country where businesses thrive 鈥� small and large alike鈥�

With clear regulatory frameworks and protections鈥�

A legal system that sets high standards around the globe鈥�

A location which means we can speak to our colleagues in the Americas or Asia in the same day鈥�

A high ranking in the Global Innovation index, every year鈥�

Our wonderful global language鈥�

Our world-renowned sport and culture鈥β�

This great modern city鈥�

And all around us鈥�

A heritage steeped in commerce and trade鈥�

A set of shared values - centuries-long鈥�

For being a country that is open for business.

You can鈥檛 put a price on any of this.

Now we have our problems 鈥� of course we do.

As I鈥檝e said - our public services need urgent care鈥β�

And our public finances need the tough love of prudence鈥�

Challenges we cannot ignore.聽

Because, we know 鈥� just as every leader here knows鈥�

That those early weeks and months are precious.

And, no matter how many people advise you to ignore it鈥�

That you must run towards the fire to put it out鈥�

Not let it spread further.

So we will fix our public services鈥�

We will stabilise our economy鈥β�

And we will do it quickly.

Because we don鈥檛 want any of those problems associated with our inheritance鈥�

Misting up the shop window of Britain鈥�

Distracting you - from all those assets I just listed.

Assets that may feel more intangible鈥�

But are more valuable鈥�

More enduring鈥�

Deeper in the bones of this nation.

And which are ready to be unlocked鈥�

If we take firm and decisive action on policy - which we can and we will鈥�

To give you total confidence that this is the moment to back Britain.聽聽

So let me quickly run through four crucial areas in our pitch for Britain.

I know - it鈥檚 a kind of CEO heresy to have a list of four not three鈥�

So I apologise!

But please indulge me.

First 鈥� stability.

We have a golden opportunity to use our mandate鈥�

To end the culture of chop and change鈥�

The policy churn鈥�

The sticking plaster politics鈥�

That makes it so hard for investors to assess the value of any proposition.

Now, you may think 鈥� well every government says that鈥�

But the stability that comes with a large majority in our system鈥�

That is a unique advantage.

And we have the determination鈥�

The focus on clear long-term ends鈥�

A mission-led mindset that thinks in years鈥�

Not the days or hours of the news grid鈥�

Needed to unlock that potential.聽

And don鈥檛 doubt that.

Second 鈥� strategy.

We are building a more strategic architecture for growth.聽

A way for investors to have a much steadier hand on the tiller.

That鈥檚 why we鈥檝e announced a new National Wealth Fund鈥�

And switched on Great British Energy鈥�

Which will accelerate investment in clean power and future technologies.

Like Carbon Capture and Storage, for example鈥�

Which we just backed - alongside BP, Equinor and Eni

And which shows the hard-headed approach we will bring to industrial policy.

A partnership 鈥� sharing the risk with the private sector鈥�

Ambitious 鈥� absolutely.聽

But also unsentimental.

Guided by the market鈥�

Focused, at all times鈥�

On the real potential for comparative advantage in this country.

You know - this is the point I would always make about our Modern Industrial Strategy.聽

In this country, there has been a long rather arcane political debate about 鈥減icking winners鈥�.

Well, we鈥檙e not in the business of individual picking winners.

But we are in the business of building on our strengths.

Mowing the grass on the pitch鈥�

Making sure the changing rooms are clean and comfortable鈥�

That the training ground is good.

So that when our businesses compete鈥�

They are match fit鈥�

That, to put it simply鈥�

We give the businesses of this country the best conditions to succeed.

I don鈥檛 know why that鈥檚 sometimes controversial in this country鈥�

Industrial policy seems fairly commonplace elsewhere around the world.

But it is fundamental to the way we see our job on growth鈥�

And our relationship with a room like this.

Third 鈥� Britain鈥檚 global standing.

We鈥檙e determined to improve it.

Determined 鈥� to repair鈥�

Britain鈥檚 brand as an open, outward-looking, confident, trading nation.

Look 鈥� I see this as a diplomatic necessity鈥�

And I think it鈥檚 clear how much priority I have given it in the first 100 days of government.

All around the world鈥�

Whether it鈥檚 countries, or investors鈥�

People want to know that Britain can be a stable, trusted, rule-abiding partner.

As we always have been鈥�

But that somehow, during the whole circus that followed Brexit鈥β�

The last Government made a few people less sure about.聽

Needlessly insulting our closest allies鈥�

And of course a few choice Anglo-Saxon phrases for business.聽

Well 鈥� no more.

We have turned the page on that 鈥� decisively鈥�

And we will use that reset for growth.聽

Finally fourth - regulation

Now, I don鈥檛 see regulation as good or bad.

That seems simplistic to me.

Some regulation is life-saving鈥�

We have seen that in recent weeks here, with the report on the tragedy of Grenfell Tower.

But across our public sector鈥�

I would say the previous Government hid behind regulators.

Deferred decisions to them because it was either too weak or indecisive鈥�

Or simply not committed enough to growth.聽

Planning is a very real example of that鈥�

Or 鈥� for our friends from across the pond鈥�

鈥楶ermitting鈥� is a really clear example of that鈥β�

The global language鈥�

But anyway 鈥� the key test for me on regulation鈥�

Is of course 鈥� growth.聽

Is this going to make our economy more dynamic?

Is this going to inhibit or unlock investment?

Is it something that enables the builders not the blockers?

Now 鈥� I know some people may be wondering about our labour market policies introduced last week.

Let me be clear 鈥� they are pro-growth.

Workers with more security at work鈥�

With higher wages鈥�

That is a better growth model for this country.

It will lead to more dynamism in our labour market.

And seriously - we have to think differently about this鈥�

A nation鈥檚 position in the world is changing all the time鈥�

As must its growth model.聽

So while I know this is a room full of businesses who take investing in their human capital seriously鈥�

When I look at the British economy as a whole鈥�

It does seem as if sometimes, we are more comfortable hiring people to work in low paid, insecure contracts鈥�

Than we are investing in the new technology that delivers for workers, for productivity and for our country.

And so we鈥檝e got to break out of that trap.

But we鈥檝e also got to look at regulation 鈥� across the piece.聽

And where it is needlessly holding back the investment we need to take our country forward鈥�

Where it is stopping us building the homes鈥�

The data centres, the warehouses, grid connectors, roads,聽 trainlines, you name it鈥�

Then mark my words 鈥� we will get rid of it.

Take the East Anglia 2 wind farm.

A 拢4 billion investment.

One Gigawatt of clean energy.

An important project 鈥� absolutely.

But also the sort of thing a country as committed to clean energy as we are鈥�

Needs to replicate again and again.

Now regulators demanded over four thousand planning documents for that project鈥�

Not 4000 pages 鈥� 4000 documents.

And then six weeks after finally receiving planning consent鈥�

It was held up for a further two years by judicial review.

I mean 鈥� as an investor鈥�

When you see this inertia鈥�

You just don鈥檛 bother do you?

And that 鈥� in a nutshell鈥�

Is the biggest supply-side problem we have in our country.

So it鈥檚 time to upgrade the regulatory regime鈥�

Make it fit for the modern age..

Harness every opportunity available to Britain.

We will rip out the bureaucracy that blocks investment鈥�

We will march through the institutions鈥�

And we will make sure that every regulator in this country鈥�

Especially our economic and competition regulators鈥�

Takes growth as seriously as this room does.

And look 鈥� tell us about your frustrations on this.聽

Speak to my team鈥�

Speak to me, to Rachel, to Jonny, to Ed鈥�

And our new Minister for Investment, Poppy.聽

Any leader knows the importance of a good team 鈥� and we鈥檝e got one here.

We are united behind growth鈥�

Our door is open鈥�

And the work of change has already begun.

We鈥檙e reforming the planning system鈥�

The onshore wind ban has gone鈥β�

New projects in solar, wind, tidal energy鈥�

Carbon Capture and Storage鈥�

Tax relief for the creative industries鈥�

Investment from the world鈥檚 leading companies鈥�

Blackstone, Amazon鈥�

A new partnership with Cyrus One to build data centres in Didcot鈥�

Finally grasping the nettle on airport expansion鈥�

A new 拢1 billion commitment from Manchester Airport Group to expand Stansted鈥�

Opening up new routes to work and holiday destinations鈥�

The first of tens of billions worth of inward investment deals we will sign today.

Because we are determined to lead the way on growth.聽

Determined to get Britain building鈥�

Determined to get our economy moving鈥�

Through the shock and awe of investment.

That鈥檚 the message to take home today.

When the big decisions are made鈥�

When you go back to your board rooms and ask鈥�

Where does our money go鈥�

Where do our jobs go鈥�

Where does our investment in a better future go?

Let me offer you a new answer鈥�

It鈥檚 time to back Britain.

Thank you.