Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Decline..... and fall? The UK economy | Battle of Ideas Festival speeches
#UKEconomy
#economicdebate
#battleofideas
These introductory speeches, filmed by WORLDwrite volunteers at the Battle of Ideas Festival 2025 as part of the Battle for the Economy strand, explore whether the UK is facing genuine economic decline after a year of Labour government, including rising debt, inflation, unemployment and welfare pressures, alongside a stuttering broader economy marked by high energy costs, falling vacancies and renewed fears of stagflation. With global uncertainty from US trade tariffs and Middle East conflict adding to long-standing weaknesses rooted in the 2008 financial crisis and Covid, the panel asks whether the UK is in serious trouble or simply talking itself down, and what, if anything, Labour can do to restart growth. Speakers include Rob Lyons, Jon Moynihan, Dr Lawrence Newport, Professor Vicky Pryce and Karl Williams, chaired by Timandra Harkness, with the Q&A to follow in Part 2.
The speakers are:
Rob Lyons - science and technology director, Academy of Ideas; convenor, AoI Economy Forum; author, Panic on a Plate
Jon Moynihan - businessman; former chair, Vote Leave; Conservative peer; author, Return to Growth: How to Fix the Economy
Dr Lawrence Newport - director, Looking for Growth
Professor Vicky Pryce - chief economic adviser and board member, Centre for Economics and Business Research; author, How to be a Successful Economist
Karl Williams- research director, Centre for Policy Studies
The chair is:
Timandra Harkness - journalist, writer and broadcaster; author, Technology is Not the Problem and Big Data: does size matter?; presenter, Radio 4's FutureProofing and How to Disagree
WORLDwrite is a volunteer-run citizen TV channel that stands up for free speech – no ifs or buts. We film hard-hitting political debates, including panels from the Battle of Ideas festival, tackling taboo topics and defending ordinary people against contempt and censorship.
We train hundreds of young adults every year to shoot the arguments that matter, producing fearless films on politics, democracy, freedom, and global equality.
This is Citizen TV that punches above its weight.
Subscribe for unapologetic documentaries, debate and dissent.
Do support our Christmas challenge at justgiving.com/campaign/worldwritesingathon
Decline..... and fall? The UK economy | Battle of Ideas Festival speeches
#UKEconomy
#economicdebate
#battleofideas
These introductory speeches, filmed by WORLDwrite volunteers at the Battle of Ideas Festival 2025 as part of the Battle for the Economy strand, explore whether the UK is facing genuine economic decline after a year of Labour government, including rising debt, inflation, unemployment and welfare pressures, alongside a stuttering broader economy marked by high energy costs, falling vacancies and renewed fears of stagflation. With global uncertainty from US trade tariffs and Middle East conflict adding to long-standing weaknesses rooted in the 2008 financial crisis and Covid, the panel asks whether the UK is in serious trouble or simply talking itself down, and what, if anything, Labour can do to restart growth. Speakers include Rob Lyons, Jon Moynihan, Dr Lawrence Newport, Professor Vicky Pryce and Karl Williams, chaired by Timandra Harkness, with the Q&A to follow in Part 2.
The speakers are:
Rob Lyons - science and technology director, Academy of Ideas; convenor, AoI Economy Forum; author, Panic on a Plate
Jon Moynihan - businessman; former chair, Vote Leave; Conservative peer; author, Return to Growth: How to Fix the Economy
Dr Lawrence Newport - director, Looking for Growth
Professor Vicky Pryce - chief economic adviser and board member, Centre for Economics and Business Research; author, How to be a Successful Economist
Karl Williams- research director, Centre for Policy Studies
The chair is:
Timandra Harkness - journalist, writer and broadcaster; author, Technology is Not the Problem and Big Data: does size matter?; presenter, Radio 4's FutureProofing and How to Disagree
WORLDwrite is a volunteer-run citizen TV channel that stands up for free speech – no ifs or buts. We film hard-hitting political debates, including panels from the Battle of Ideas festival, tackling taboo topics and defending ordinary people against contempt and censorship.
We train hundreds of young adults every year to shoot the arguments that matter, producing fearless films on politics, democracy, freedom, and global equality.
This is Citizen TV that punches above its weight.
Subscribe for unapologetic documentaries, debate and dissent.
Do support our Christmas challenge at justgiving.com/campaign/worldwritesingathon
