Thomas Griffin: Beyond the Golden Triangle - unlocking Britain's growth clusters

Thomas Griffin, identified as Global Ambassador for the Conservative Policy Forum and Zurich Representative for Conservatives Abroad, argues that Britain’s productivity challenge is largely regional rather than driven by shortages of capital, talent, or innovation. He cites 2023 figures showing London produced nearly 29% more output per hour than the UK average, while the South East was about 8% above average; he says other regions were below that benchmark. Griffin contrasts that with 2019–2023, saying the North West increased productivity faster than any other region and contributed the most to national growth, while London’s output per hour fell. He rejects a “golden triangle” approach focused on London, Oxford, and Cambridge. Instead, he highlights offshore wind and aerospace cluster examples outside the triangle, referencing Siemens Gamesa’s blade factory in Hull’s Alexandra Dock and Ørsted’s Grimsby operations hub, and contends that shared infrastructure like grid capacity and port connectivity limits growth. The text also notes aerospace’s importance in Lancashire.