
Intelligence Squared Is it Game Over for Keir Starmer? Martin Wolf for The Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook 2026 (Part Two)
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Feb 16, 2026 Martin Wolf, FT chief economics commentator and bestselling author, offers a big-picture take on 2026’s economic pressures. He discusses populism’s lasting growth costs, deindustrialisation and trust, AI’s boom-or-bust potential, fiscal strain from ageing and debt, and geopolitical shocks from US-China rivalry and Middle East conflict.
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Act Decisively To Restore Confidence
- Politicians must present clear, credible policy plans that make people feel represented and secure.
- Quick, effective policy responses (like leaving gold in the 1930s) can prevent political collapse and extremism.
Four Global Takeaways From Davos
- Davos signalled four big themes: Trump's disruptive phenomenon, fearful and profit-seeking business elites, the AI boom, and Mark Carney's pushback.
- Each theme reshapes global politics, markets, and policy choices going forward.
Stability Breeds Hidden Fragility
- Periods of high public certainty often hide mounting risks because overconfidence drives risk-taking.
- Minsky's lesson: stability breeds fragility, so declared certainty usually signals hidden instability.




