Caudwell Strong Britain: Public Report launch

On behalf of the Council on Geostrategy and John Caudwell, we are pleased to invite you to a public panel event at the Palace of Westminster to launch the latest Caudwell Strong Britain Report: Making Britain a more attractive destination for Foreign Direct Investment.

The event will include a panel discussion exploring the Report’s findings, alongside a broader debate on the United Kingdom’s inward investment strategy. Speakers will include the Report’s author, Dr Mann Virdee, Senior Research Fellow at the Council on Geostrategy, as well as parliamentarians and experts from across the political spectrum.

Event Details

Date: Monday, 15th September
Time: 18:30 – 19:30
Venue: Palace of Westminster
Limited spaces available – secure your spot now!

Tickets

This event has now reached capacity. If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please contact: [email protected].

Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The Council on Geostrategy reserves the right to withdraw registrations.

Opening remarks

John Caudwell

Philanthropist, business leader and Phones 4U founder

John Caudwell is a philanthropist and business leader, and the founder of Phones 4U. Since selling the company in 2006, his primary focus has been charitable and philanthropic work, and he has founded three charities. He is passionate about tackling climate change and growing the British economy by reaching Net Zero targets.

Panellists

Sophie Church (Chair)

Senior Reporter, The House magazine

Sophie Church is a Senior Reporter for Parliament’s The House magazine, having been appointed to the position in April 2025 after writing for the magazine since 2022. She worked as a freelance journalist prior to this, writing for publications including The Independent, The Evening Standard and The i Paper. She holds a BA from the University of York in English Literature and Related Studies, having graduated in 2016.

Lord Fox

Member, House of Lords

Lord Fox is a Member of the House of Lords, having been made a Life Peer in 2014. He is Liberal Democrats Lords Spokesperson (Business and Industry); a position he has held since February 2023. He served on the Science and Technology Committee and the Economic Affairs Committee, and is now a member of the International Agreements Committee. He is also a UK representative on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and a Vice President of the German-British Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
 

Lord Harrington

Member, House of Lords

Lord Harrington of Watford is a Member of the House of Lords, having joined it in 2022. He is the author of the ‘Harrington Review of Foreign Direct Investment’, published in 2023. First elected to Parliament to represent Watford in 2010, he held a number of positions in government, including Minister of State (Home Office) and Minister of State (Department for Housing, Levelling Up and Communities) between March and September 2022.

Richard Tice MP

Member, House of Commons

Richard Tice is the Member of Parliament for Boston and Skegness, having been elected in the 2024 general election. He served as Leader of Reform UK between 2021 and 2024, and currently serves as Deputy Leader. Prior to his career in politics, he worked in property management, holding leadership positions in multiple companies. He holds a BA from the University of Salford in Construction Economics and Quantity Surveying.

Dr Mann Virdee

Senior Research Fellow, Council on Geostrategy

Dr Mann Virdee is a Senior Research Fellow at the Council on Geostrategy. Previously, he was a researcher in science and emerging technologies at RAND Europe. Mann has also worked for the UK Parliament and the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF. He holds a PhD from the University of Birmingham, an MSc from King’s College, London, and a BSc from Queen Mary University of London.

Caudwell Strong Britain

This event marks the second year of the Caudwell Strong Britain programme at the Council on Geostrategy. It builds on the 2024 Report ‘British science and technology in 2024: Implications for “Net Zero”’, also authored by Dr Virdee, which examined how Britain can harness the green economy to become a Net Zero superpower.

The Caudwell Strong Britain programme explores how the United Kingdom can develop a greener, more competitive and resilient science and technology base, unlocking the nation’s potential for sustainable prosperity and enhanced national security. It focuses on key policy areas including infrastructure, skills, education and the wider innovation ecosystem.

More Information

For more information, questions or concerns, please contact [email protected].