Made in Britain

Manufacturing made up about a third of Britain's economy in the 1950s; today it is close to a tenth. We did not stop needing things. We simply began buying them from elsewhere, along with the supply-chain risks the pandemic so vividly exposed.

A serious industrial strategy would favour domestic production in energy, defence, steel and pharmaceuticals, invest in vocational training, and make Britain once again a place where skilled, well-paid manual work is a respected career rather than a fallback.

Japan is often cited as an example. It has kept a strong domestic manufacturing base and high-skill jobs while relying far less on large-scale immigration than Britain. Its model is not perfect, but it shows that other choices are available.

Fairness in tax is part of the same bargain. HMRC estimated the tax gap at around £39.8 billion for 2022-23. Every loophole closed and every offshore arrangement exposed is money that need not be taken from ordinary earners. Politicians found taking bribes or