How the UK and US can boost economic prosperity

I’m in Washington today for discussions with President Obama about how the United Kingdom and United States of America can keep working together to advance our economic prosperity and protect our national security.

I will be meeting with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde to discuss the global economic outlook for 2015 before meeting with President Obama.

Over the last few years, our governments have worked closely to restore economic growth, improve our living standards and make sure families get the help they needed. Yet we know that progress and prosperity are never guaranteed. As we meet today at the White House, we reaffirm our belief that our ability to defend our freedoms is rooted in our economic strength, and the values that we cherish – freedom of expression, the rule of law, and strong democratic institutions.

We must do all we can to bolster our economies against another global economic downturn. So we’re working to help families stake their claim to a better future and buy their first home. We’re supporting small businesses, expanding apprenticeships, improving education for all, and backing increases in the minimum wage.

With UK exports to the US increasing by over £6 billion in just one year and US companies employing a million people across the UK, our trade relationship remains one of the strongest in the world. US and UK companies will announce trade and investment deals worth more than £1.1 billion today. The £1.1 billion of deals will deliver concrete benefits for hard-working families, with 1,700 new jobs created around the UK stretching from Bristol to the North Sea. This is a clear vote of confidence in the UK and our long-term economic plan which is helping to safeguard our economy for the future.

The US is the UK’s biggest trade partner with exports to the US worth nearly £90 billion in 2013 – more than any other country in the EU. The US is the biggest investor in the UK and our trade relationship with the US continues to grow with trade increasing by 5.5% to £140.5 billion in 2013.

This article is published in collaboration with LinkedIn. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.

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Author: David Cameron is the United Kingdom Prime Minister. 

 Image: U.S. President Barack Obama smiles as he talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron (L) at the G7 summit in Brussels June 5, 2014. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque