Exile Economics: Ben Chu in Conversation with Stephanie Flanders

The world is turning inward. Globalisation – once seen as the key to prosperity – is now in retreat, undermined by economic shocks, geopolitical tensions, and the pursuit of national self-sufficiency. Governments are moving away from interdependence, prioritizing domestic industries and supply chains over international cooperation. But does this shift create security, or does it fuel instability and division?

Economics journalist Ben Chu, former Economics Editor of The Independent and now at BBC Newsnight, joins Stephanie Flanders, Senior Executive Editor for Economics at Bloomberg and former Economics Editor at the BBC, to argue that this race for self-sufficiency could have unintended consequences. By tracing the flow of commodities—silicon, steel, soybeans, and solar panels—he reveals how deeply connected nations remain and the dangers of severing those ties.

Ben Chu is a seasoned journalist, broadcaster, and speaker specializing in economics and current affairs. He is the Policy and Analysis Correspondent at BBC Verify, where he investigates key policy issues and economic…