Britain | They will come and build it

Sir Keir Starmer’s elevator pitch for investment

In an interview with The Economist, the prime minister sets out his stall

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Photograph: Getty Images

Investor summits follow a standard recipe. First come the speeches. The 200-odd executives who made it to an international investment summit in London on October 14th heard from Sir Keir Starmer, the prime minister, that after almost a decade of political turmoil in Britain, stability has returned. Labour’s landslide majority on July 4th means that the government’s decisions can be “measured in years, not months”, Sir Keir told The Economist in an interview. Then comes the glitz. Delegates were whisked to St Paul’s Cathedral, to be greeted by Charles III and serenaded by Sir Elton John, a musician.

Explore more

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Elevator pitch”

From the October 19th 2024 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from Britain

Crew members during the commissioning of HMS Prince of Wales

Has the Royal Navy become too timid?

A new paper examines how its culture has changed

A pedestrian walks across the town square in Stevenage

A plan to reorganise local government in England runs into opposition

Turkeys vote against Christmas


David Lammy, Britain’s foreign secretary

David Lammy’s plan to shake up Britain’s Foreign Office

Diplomats will be tasked with growing the economy and cutting migration


Britain’s government has spooked markets and riled businesses

Tax rises were inevitable. Such a shaky start was not

Labour’s credibility trap

Who can believe Rachel Reeves?