The Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) will today (Thursday March 26) rally businesses to respond to rising geopolitical instability by deepening trade rather than retreating.
Commenting on the first trade data release of 2026 by the Office for National Statistics, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce said:
The latest British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) economic forecast suggests slow growth in 2026, higher inflation due to the Middle East crisis, and rising unemployment as the labour market softens.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has warned that removing the UK’s tariff exemption for low value imports could risk pushing up prices, harming small businesses and reducing trade intensity.