Mismanaged Decline distils the key forces that have shaped the UK economy—from the industrial revolution to today—into a sharp, non-partisan reality check on what governments can and cannot achieve through policy. Drawing on extensive front-line experience, the authors expose the limits of political promises and the enduring impact of globalisation, deindustrialisation, Brexit, Covid, geopolitical shocks, AI and climate change, all of which have made sustainable growth, fiscal stability and effective reform far harder to deliver. They challenge the inevitability of the UK’s low investment, weak productivity and repeated policy missteps, arguing that only honest, evidence-driven decision-making—not populist shortcuts or illusions of quick resets—can rebuild resilience and restore economic performance.
In an era of mounting uncertainty, Mismanaged Decline offers a pragmatic blueprint for a stronger, more adaptable UK economy. The book is available now, via Biteback and Amazon.
About the authors and speakers:
Professor Vicky Pryce is Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) , a Visiting Professor at King’s College, University of London, a Fellow of the Royal Economic Society and of the Academy of Social Sciences,. She is also Chair of the think tank RadixBigTent and of the Economic Advisory Council of the British Chambers of Commerce. She was formerly Joint Head of the UK Government Economic Service after a series of senior positions in banking, consulting and the energy sector.
Professor Andy Ross is both an academic and practitioner economist. He is a former Deputy Director in the Government Economic Service (GES) and was the Head of Professional Development for the GES, and later for the Society of Professional Economists. Andy is a Founding Fellow of the Royal Economic Society, Fellow of the Society of Professional Economists and of the Academy of Social Science. He is a Visiting Professor at Birkbeck, University of London
Phil Aldrick is an award-winning economics journalist. As a Senior Reporter at Bloomberg and former Economics Editor at The Times, he has provided expert commentary on the biggest economic stories of the last two decades.
The event will be held at Birkbeck, CLO B01 Birkbeck Clore Management Centre, Torrington Square, London, WC1E 7JL.
The discussion will start at 6.15pm (doors open from 6pm) and be followed by networking drinks.
Members must pre-register well in advance. They can do so via the SPE office.
We are grateful to Birkbeck, University of London for generously hosting this event.