GovWire

My Lord Mayor, my Late Lord Mayor, honoured guests. It is a real privilege to be with you this evening here in this wonderful setting. And I have to say the double fanfare introduction you have just heard has given me a few ideas for this weeks PMQs for some changes. And the Speaker says no!

My Lord Mayor it has also been a wonderful opportunity to catch up on common issues for our economy and country. I have to say singing me your favourite anti-Arsenal chant as I was about to get up is not reflective of the progress that I thought we might be making here.

Now a few weeks ago I stood in this very hall. To urge international businesses to back Britain. And Im pleased to say that they responded.

They delivered a record-breaking 63 billion of new investments into our country.This shows that our work to put the economy on a sound footing is paying off. It shows yet again, why our global relationships matter so much to this country. And it also shows the vital role that you all play so Id like to start by saying to all of you: thank you for helping to make that happen for our country.

My Lord Mayor, the tradition on this occasion is to speak on the subject of international affairs. Which is good because, frankly there is a lot to talk about. Like never before in our lifetimes, global problems have become local. Geopolitics is on our doorstep, shaping our lives in ways that nobody asked for. Conflicts overseas undermine our security, stir up violence and extremism on our streets and drive up the cost of living.

Meanwhile climate change hits economic growth, leaves us exposed to catastrophic flooding and both of these forces drive unsustainable levels of migration. It all manifests in a feeling amongst very many people that the system isnt working for them. That its time to take back control of our lives, our borders, our livelihoods.

And I hear that. People want action and they want change. So we will not dismiss those concerns. We will answer them. And we will do it by acting at home, absolutely, and also by using our strength abroad. Because in this new era we need to do things differently.

There was a sense in the years of the Great Moderation that while there would always be conflicts, democratic values were in the ascendency. And the disruptive nature of foreign policy the real nature of foreign policy could be contained, or at least managed.

Well, from that twilight of naivety we have emerged now into the harsh light of day. Determined to fight harder on the world stage for our national interests and ready to dig deeper to defend them.

I think of the Attlee government in 1945. Their ambition for the people of this country was unmatched. They were determined to win the peace, to create the National Health Service, build homes, national parks, a country fit for heroes.

And in doing so they knew they also needed to look out the world. Thats why they created NATO the greatest alliance in history. Tempered by the times that they lived through. They were hard-headed and patriotic.

And they saw that maintaining our strength abroad gave us the foundation to succeed at home.That is as true today as it was then.

So I want to be clear at the outset. Against the backdrop of these dangerous times. The idea that we must choose between our allies. That somehow were with either AmericaorEurope is plain wrong. I reject it utterly.Attlee did not choose between allies.Churchill did not choose. The national interest demands that we work with both.

Our relationship with the United States has been the cornerstone of our security and our prosperity for over a century. And we will never turn away from that. We call it the special relationship for a reason. It is written not in some dry, dusty treaty, but in the ink of shared sacrifice. In memorials in villages, towns and cities up and down the country. In Normandy, Flanders and around the world. Right here in the Guildhall are etched the names of 112 killed in the First World War and 55 in the Second. And if you havent had a chance, they are just near the entrance to the Hall, take the opportunity before you leave, to just go and glance at those names inscribed on the memorial on the wall. They were fighting alongside the US. Like we still do today for the same causes.

So this is not about sentimentality. It is about hard-headed realism. Time and again the best hope for the world and the surest way to serve our mutual national interest has come from our two nations working together. It still does. The fabric of our nations has been woven together so that our prosperity today our leadership in tech, in AI and more are intertwined.

And our security is even more closely intertwined at every level of our military, our intelligence, our industry, and R&D. And thats why, when President Trump graciously hosted me for dinner in Trump Tower, I told him that we will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come.

And we will rebuild our ties with Europe too. Because Im sorry to say the shocking legacy this government inherited in so many areas from the nations finances to the state of the NHS extends beyond our shores.

They turned their back on the world. Took vital relationships for granted. Neglected some allies and spurned others. Our reputation as a trusted, stable, dependable partner was replaced too often with an image of disarray governed by short term political concerns, veering from one extreme to another. On tackling climate change, on relations with China or even inour commitment to fundamental values like the rule of Law. Demonising international courts which this country helped to create as foreign. None of this was aimed at seriously trying to solve the problems we face. And added together, itactively harmed the national interest.

In a more competitive and dangerous world, we cant take anything for granted. We need to work even harder at staying ahead. Thats what the British people deserve and its what they expect of this government.

And so we are focused on the real problems. Determined to rebuild and get back on the front foot. Not reactive but strategic, using our foreign policy not in the service of politics or ideology but putting it back into the service of the British people.

My Lord Mayor, there is still a huge amount of goodwill towards the UK around the world. People see our incredible strengths. They want to work with us. Weve already made real progress towards renewing Britains standing on the international stage. And we have been welcomed back with open arms. Partners are pleased to see us reconnecting. Confident, outward looking, responsible. Committed to longstanding values like stability, international law, the UN Charter and ready to lead.

And Ive seen how that is affecting investor confidence in our country as well reflected in that International Investment Summit.

And we have an opportunity now to capitalise on this progress. To take back control by fixing the international foundations that underpin everything we do here at home.

That starts with our first mission. The number one test of this government economic growth. I spoke about the 63 billion of investment that was pledged in October. Numbers like that are almost too big to grasp but they translate into real change. New jobs in our communities. New port infrastructure in London and Lincolnshire. Clean power production in Teesside, Bristol, Suffolk and more. Developing new data centres across the UK and advancing new innovations in pharmaceuticals, battery technology and Artificial Intelligence. So when I talk about international investment this is what I mean: better lives, more opportunities, more vibrant high streets. More chances for British people to enjoy life. And we are stronger when the economy is growing. We are stronger when we are cutting our dependence on volatile fossil fuel prices by building our clean energy infrastructure.

And we are stronger when we lead in critical frontier technologies. And we are determined to do all that. We have taken the difficult but vital steps in the Budget and now we are creating a climate for growth to make the UK the best place to invest, the best country to trade with, the best place to create and grow a business. Thats why we are looking outwards. Deepening trade with our allies. Restarting FTA talks with India. We are building ties in the Gulf, the Pacific and beyond and claiming our place as a leader in some of the great industries of the future. And unlocking growth, investment and pride in our economy once again.

Second, My Lord Mayor, we must alsostrengthen our security as the bedrock on which the economy sits and the ultimate guarantor of everything we hold dear.

There is no greater responsibility for this government.You know there are moments which shape our world view. As a young man, I remember watching the fall of the Berlin Wall. It had a profound impact on me.I felt how it was to witness a continent uniting behind freedom. I didnt think I would ever see tanks crossing a European border again.

I remember as well, much more recently all too clearly, walking the streets of Bucha, just outside Kyiv to bear witness to the true horror of Russias invasion.I met people in those streets who had to pick up the bodies of their friends, their family members, civilians killed shot in the head, very often handcuffed, put into trolleys to be taken away for burial by their family members. A horrific reminder that Ukraine is on the frontline of freedom.

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