LONDON, April 24 — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will host a conference for business leaders today where he will pledge to work with companies in the hope of reviving the economy and turning around his party’s fortunes before an election expected next year.
The conference called “Business Connect” is part of Sunak’s attempts to rebuild the governing Conservative Party’s relations with business, which were damaged during the economic turmoil of the premierships of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.
Sunak has made reviving the economy one of his five key priorities, after Britain’s gross domestic product only regained its pre-pandemic size in February.
International Monetary Fund projections published this month showed Britain bottom of the world’s major economies in terms of expected growth in 2023, with a forecast that the economy will shrink by 0.3 per cent.
Sunak, a former investment banker, along with finance minister Jeremy Hunt and business minister Kemi Badenoch will speak at a series of events today to more than 200 executives representing sectors including technology and manufacturing.
Today, Sunak’s office said he will underline his commitment to improving the conditions for businesses to grow, recognising the government cannot achieve its economic priorities alone.
“We are bringing together some of the UK’s biggest companies and investors for meaningful dialogue — and I’m a prime minister passionate about working with business to unlock opportunity and progress,” Sunak said in a statement.
In what his office called his first ever LinkedIn Live event, business leaders will this morning also have the opportunity to ask Sunak questions about business policy.
The prime minister will unveil an innovation category at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards this evening, hosted by the finance minister at Downing Street. — Reuters
