Exactly sixteen years on from my 2009 article on the UK’s economic imbalance, I reflect on how services continue to dominate GDP, while manufacturing still punches above its weight in R&D. I was right about the R&D gap — but missed the rise of intangible capital and startup-led innovation. Cybersecurity emerged as both a strategic asset and an innovation driver. Government efforts have been patchy, and real balance remains elusive. The future lies in resilience, not symmetry.