Make Britain Rich Again

The Builder's Case for British Renewal

Matt Clifford's thesis: Britain "created the modern world" -from Newton's laws to Turing's code, parliamentary democracy to the Industrial Revolution. This wasn't accident; it was permissionlessness: no licenses needed to invent or build. Seventeen years of zero growth (costing £16,000 per person annually) isn't inevitable -it's a choice. The path forward: back builders in tech, science, and statecraft to achieve 3% growth and triple Britain's prosperity by 2065.

The Growth Math

"Stagnation is a choice we've been making for nearly twenty years." - Matt Clifford, LFG 2025

17 years of zero growth
£16,000 per person cost annually
30% of potential output lost output
3% target = 3x richer UK by 2065
MC

Matt Clifford

Co-founder, Entrepreneurs First | Chair, ARIA

Matt Clifford is a force multiplier for UK ambition. At 40, with dual CBEs, he embodies the "permissionless" ethos he preaches: bet on talent early, fund the improbable, reject stagnation as inevitable. His work isn't abstract theory -it's a blueprint for tripling GDP through innovation.

Co-founder & CEO, Entrepreneurs First (2011-present)Chair, Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA)AI Adviser to UK Prime Ministers (2023-present)CBE for Services to Business (2023)CBE for Services to AI (2024)

"Stagnation is a choice -and it's one we've been making for nearly twenty years."

- LFG Make or Break Speech, Oct 2025

Watch the Speech

"Make or Break" - 1M+ views at LFG's O2 Indigo Theatre (Oct 2025)

Permissionlessness

The mother of greatness. No licenses needed to invent, build, or disrupt.

Back Talent Early

Bet on people before they have ideas or teams. Founder 'edge' matters more than business plans.

Embrace Risk

Fund the improbable. ARIA's explicit mandate for high-risk breakthroughs over safe incrementalism.

Builder Empowerment

What would a serious British regime do? Respect, treasure, empower builders. Remove blockers fast.

Pragmatic Optimism

Britain is saveable and worth saving. 1% vs 3% growth = 3x richer UK by 2065.

Related Policy Domains

The Builder's Alliance

Cummings identifies who must change the system; Clifford shows how builders do it. The Third Force page answers "Why disruption?" - this page answers "What do we build?"

Explore Political Realignment Analysis →

Further Reading

video

LFG 'Make or Break' Speech

by Matt Clifford

The rallying cry: 17 years of stagnation, permissionlessness as solution, backing builders

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policy

AI Opportunities Action Plan

by Matt Clifford (for UK Government)

50 recommendations for AI-driven growth -sovereign AI, NHS transformation, £2B boost

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book

How to Be a Founder

by Matt Clifford & Alice Bentinck

EF's methodology: spot edge, back talent pre-idea, scale entrepreneurship as skill

website

Entrepreneurs First

by Organization

500+ startups, $13.5B+ value -proof the builder thesis works

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website

ARIA

by Organization

£1.4B for high-risk breakthroughs -permissionless R&D in practice

View ↗
website

Looking For Growth

by Organization

The growth movement -events, policy, and advocacy for British renewal

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Back the Builders

"Britain is a great country that's saveable and worth saving... We just need to back our builders."

Explore the Ecosystem

Discover 50+ civic tech projects, connect with builders, and find ways to contribute.

Browse Britain Builders →