Mandarin and Arabic key languages needed to make Brexit a success

Mandarin and Arabic will be of key importance to the UK’S future prosperity after Brexit, according to a new report.

The nation will need the two languages, as well as European tongues including Spanish, French and German, in order to be “a major international trading partner beyond Europe”, it says.

But the British Council report warns that currently, the UK is facing a “languages deficit” and more must be done to upgrade the country’s skills.

The study identifies Spanish as the top language the UK will need once it leaves the EU, followed by Mandarin Chinese, French, Arabic and German based on a range of economic, geopolitical, cultural and educational factors.

Mandarin has moved up in importance since 2013, the last time the analysis was conducted to find the languages the UK needed most, taking second place, compared to fourth four years ago, while Arabic dropped slightly from second to fourth.

“Brexit has given urgency to the UK’S quest to be a major international trading partner beyond Europe, while at the same time highlighting the importance of our continuing interconnectedness with our European neighbours,” it says.

“Among the skills and capabilities the UK will need, an understanding of other cultures and languages will continue to be important for successful international relationships at all levels.

“Both within and beyond Europe, we will need to reach out beyond English, not only to maintain and improve our economic position but to build trust, deepen international influence and cultural relationships, and to keep our country safe.”

The report says it is a concern that just over one in three Britons say they are able to hold a conversation in another language.