The Chancellor of the Exchequer speaks at LSE

The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP, joined Spain’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Business, Carlos Cuerpo Caballero, at LSE last week to discuss policies for balanced growth with an invited LSE audience.

The two distinguished LSE alumni, who were MSc Economics classmates in 2003-2004, were joined by chair Dr Anna Valero, Distinguished Policy Fellow at LSE’s Centre for Economic Performance and newly appointed Industrial Strategy adviser to the Chancellor.

The event began with a brief reflection on their time at LSE and the experiences gained from their studies, as well as what advice they would give to their younger selves, such as the need to challenge conventional wisdom.

As part of a ranging conversation, the ministers discussed the drivers and challenges around balanced growth. This included the need to evenly distribute growth geographically and across society, fostering resilience in the economy, reducing inequality and the importance of stability alongside reform.

During the audience Q&A, the speakers addressed the role of gender as part of a growth strategy, regulatory burdens on companies, as well as structural reforms and taxation.