Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash says: 'Globalisation is dead - it's time to put Britain first'

In just a few short months, global instability, a war in Europe, and trade wars sparked by the White House have reshaped the international order.

The assumptions of the past three decades no longer hold. And while many are understandably upset - particularly about what this means for global trade - we must stop yearning for a world that no longer exists and start dealing with the one we're living in.

That begins with a simple but powerful idea: we must put Britain first.

What does that mean in practical terms?

It means reindustrialising our heartland communities - places like the North East that have borne the brunt of deindustrialisation.

It means protecting British companies, even if that requires tariffs or trade barriers, from being undercut by foreign firms operating under different rules.

It means acknowledging that training construction workers here at home offers more long-term value than relying on imported labour.

Yes, that means economic migration must come down.

Take British Steel. It sits at the heart of a foundational industry - vital to our infrastructure, our economy, and our national security. And yet, it’s owned by China - a country that dumps 100 million tonnes of cheap, dirty steel into the global market every year. The result? Britain imports 68% of the steel we use. That is simply unacceptable.

If we want to shield British industry from global turmoil, we must begin by making those industries truly British again.

My prescription for British Steel is clear: nationalise it. Rebuild it. Protect it. Introduce trade barriers to defend it from unfair imports. Invest in bringing steel production back to industrial communities like Teesside. And ensure that every penny of public procurement - from defence to infrastructure - is spent on British steel, made by British workers.

Things cannot carry on as they are. We have a moral and patriotic duty to act in the national interest - and in the national interest alone. That’s why reallocating foreign aid spending towards our defence, while difficult, is the right choice. These are hard decisions, but they are necessary ones.

In uncertain times, we must put Britain first.