Adam Smith 300: Ed Balls and Larry Summers set for event in Kirkcaldy

Kirkcaldy’s celebrations for Adam Smith’s tercentenary step up a gear next week with the first big names arriving in town.
Allan Crow
By Allan Crow
Published 2nd May 2023, 14:42 BST
Updated 2nd May 2023, 15:13 BST
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Former American Treasury Secretary Larry Summers will be joined at St Bryce Kirk by Ed Balls, former Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Stephanie Flanders, ex-BBC economics editor on Friday, May 12. Their discussion is the curtain-raiser to a weekend-long event planned for early June which will bring more big names and a number of academics to the Lang Toun where Smith’s views were shaped.

The landmark 300th anniversary of his birth will also see events at the University of Glasgow - where he was a student and a scholar - as well as Panmure House in Edinburgh, where he lived for 12 years.

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But Kirkcaldy - his place of birth - is at the forefront of the celebrations. It has already Sir Michael Marmot, the author of a number of major international studies on health inequalities, to town for a lecture, and there are a number of events to come, including a garden party in Smith’s own garden at 1 Adam Smith Close.

Larry Summers and Ed Balls are in Kirkcaldy this month for the Adam Smith tercentenary celebrations (Pics: Ian Forsyth & Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)Larry Summers and Ed Balls are in Kirkcaldy this month for the Adam Smith tercentenary celebrations (Pics: Ian Forsyth & Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Larry Summers and Ed Balls are in Kirkcaldy this month for the Adam Smith tercentenary celebrations (Pics: Ian Forsyth & Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Mr Summers, who served in the Obama and Clinton administrations, will speak about what is happening to the economy and what are the jobs prospects and standing of living prospects for the coming year and decade.

Last week, he said that America should embrace more cooperation and complained about the EU's reluctance to do so, even favouring a "more aggressive economic nationalism, which he says" will not serve the country's long-term interest.

Ed Balls was Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, and is a former chief economic adviser to the UK Treasury, and UK Education Secretary.

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He and Ms Flanders - now head of Bloomberg Economics - will be introduced by Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister and Kirkcaldy MP.

Mr Brown said: “To attract Larry Summers to give a lecture in the Tercentenary year is a great achievement of the Adam Smith Global Foundation.We are delighted he will appear with Ed Balls and Stephanie Flanders, who are so knowledgeable about the economy, living standards, and employment prospects.”

Tickets are free, and anyone who wishes to attend and ask questions is welcome.Tickets via www.adamsmithglobalfoundation.com

Related topics:American