The recent surge in oil prices following escalating conflict in the Middle East is a reminder of how quickly global events can affect the UK economy.

For Prosper UK, it reinforces a wider point about the importance of economic resilience. In an interconnected global economy, geopolitical instability does not stay confined to distant regions. It feeds directly into energy markets, supply chains and ultimately the cost of living for households and businesses here in Britain.

Energy markets are particularly sensitive to geopolitical risk. When supply routes are threatened or production is disrupted, prices can move sharply in a matter of days. Those movements rarely remain confined to the energy sector itself. Instead, they ripple through the wider economy.

Higher fuel costs are felt almost immediately in sectors such as aviation, freight and logistics. Airlines face rising jet fuel prices, while transport companies see operating costs increase. Manufacturing businesses, particularly those that rely on energy-intensive processes, can face higher production costs and greater uncertainty when pricing new contracts.

Retail supply chains are also affected. Rising transport costs and disruption to shipping routes can increase costs across the supply chain, putting further pressure on prices for consumers.

For an economy already experiencing weak growth and fragile confidence, those pressures matter.

One of the reasons Prosper UK places such emphasis on economic growth is precisely because it strengthens the country’s ability to absorb shocks like these. When businesses are investing, productivity is rising and the economy is expanding, countries are better placed to weather periods of global volatility.

By contrast, when growth is already sluggish, external shocks can have a much greater impact. Businesses may delay investment decisions when costs become uncertain. Consumers facing rising energy bills and higher prices elsewhere tend to cut back on spending. Over time, that combination can weigh on economic activity.

None of this means geopolitical shocks can be avoided. But it does underline the importance of building a stronger and more resilient economy at home.

That means creating the conditions for businesses to invest and grow, supporting innovation and productivity, and maintaining a stable and credible policy environment. These are the foundations that allow economies to adapt when global conditions change.

This is why Prosper UK was established: to promote a more serious and sustained focus on economic growth in British politics.

The movement brings together business leaders, policymakers and supporters who believe that restoring growth must be the central priority for the country. By engaging with businesses and communities across the UK, Prosper UK aims to help develop practical policies that strengthen the economy, raise living standards and make Britain more resilient in an uncertain world.

Global events will always create economic pressures that no country can fully control. But Britain can ensure that its economy is strong enough to withstand them.

In a volatile world, economic resilience is not an abstract goal. It is a practical necessity.