United Kingdom

It would likely be unpopular for a government that has cut welfare services and introduced new taxes on UK businesses, but it also risks undermining wider attempts to regulate big tech. 

Only Europe can begin to fill the void left by the US’s withdrawal from its post-war global economic leadership role. The EU and UK should make this goal a shared priority.

Now that Washington is potentially an unreliable ally, the UK needs to revisit its nuclear strategy. But going alone is costly, and partnering with France poses its own risks.

The E3 and Tehran have no better option than re-engaging. Failing to do so risks movement towards a weaponized nuclear programme, military escalation, or both.

Anxieties over US threats to stop protecting the continent are prompting various proposals to reinforce Europe’s deterrence posture – but many of these have serious flaws.

Finland, Sweden and their neighbours have much to teach the UK about ‘total defence’ and building societal resilience to Russian ‘grey zone’ warfare, writes Robin Potter.

Emergency programmes are already in disarray, while in the long term, revisionist powers like China will seize chances to build influence.

Washington hosted a week of relatively friendly talks. But discussions of European security were not productive.

Simon Fraser, Gerard Baker, Marion Messmer and Sebastien Maillard join the podcast to discuss Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron’s meetings with Donald Trump.

The UK must lead on Ukraine’s defence with clear spending commitments – and invest in European collaboration. 

Europe will still hope to make good use of its cards in any peace negotiations Trump plans with Moscow. But now it must decide how to pay for its own defence.

The UK must be allowed to contribute to building a European – not EU – defence industrial base to ensure Europe is less reliant on the US for its defence.

While engaging with China’s leaders can be beneficial, it must be underpinned by a clear strategy to counter covert influence and manage the risks of economic and technological dependencies.

James Landale, Anand Menon and Olivia O’Sullivan join the podcast to review UK foreign policy under the Labour government so far – and look at the challenges ahead.

The time the prime minister is spending abroad is justified but voters must be convinced of the links between domestic and international concerns.

The budget marks the lowest amount in decades the country has spent on development, and it is struggling to fund other international priorities too.

Donald Trump’s election victory will bring immediate costs for US allies, says Bronwen Maddox, and will remake the map of American partnership.

An internship at Chatham House offers an invaluable learning experience through a six-month placement in one of our teams.

Patrick Wintour and Ranil Dissanayake join the podcast ahead of the UK Budget to discuss the high debt facing G7 economies and its impact on foreign, defence and development policies.

The UK decision was welcomed by India and the US, and shows a capacity for fresh thinking. But the transfer of sovereignty must be handled carefully.

Secretary Blinken joined Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox in conversation with an invited audience.

The synthetic opioid fentanyl has become one of America’s biggest killers. Now even stronger ‘nitazenes’ have begun to emerge from China’s huge chemical industry, prompting fears of a global health crisis. Danny Vincent talks to those on either side of the front line.

Other countries are doing better jobs of mending fences in Africa and Asia. But the new government has an opportunity to improve post-colonial relations with historical tact and diplomatic generosity, writes Samir Puri.

In July, artist Freddie Yauner sent each of Britain’s new intake of 650 MPs a limited edition of his ‘What colour is disaster?’. Why? Because art has a crucial role to play in the climate transition, he tells Mike Higgins.

Anne Applebaum joins the podcast to discuss the threat posed to democracy by a network of authoritarian governments around the world.

A series of international affairs events are being held at the UK Labour and Conservative Party conferences this autumn.

While problems with procurement and recruitment may be being addressed, appointing external reviewers to the Strategic Defence Review is a creative way to overcome inter-service rivalry and build on deep experience.

The country’s nuclear energy industry has languished. The new government’s plans to revive it provide important opportunities, but cybersecurity needs bolstering.

A ‘reset’ in British foreign policy should extend to reinvigorating the UK’s commitment to international courts and institutions.

The summit is not only a chance for the new UK government to build relationships with European leaders, but a key opportunity for European countries to make progress on shared political and security challenges.

Whichever party wins the general election, limited resources will prevent an expansive foreign agenda. ‘Realistic ambition’ should be the guiding principle, with a focus on adapting to risks around the US and China, improving relations with the EU, and strengthening the UK’s role in international governance and development.

As climate change and the trade of water-intensive goods exacerbate global water scarcity, how can importers of commodity products improve the sustainable use of water at sites of production?

Cutting aviation carbon emissions is vital for achieving net zero, but near-term, scalable decarbonization options are limited. This paper explores the possibility of reducing demand for flights to help keep the sector on track for net zero.

Sustainable finance taxonomies could help incentivize additional investment for circular economy initiatives. The EU’s taxonomy offers lessons on how to leverage taxonomies to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

This paper assesses plans for investment in a sustainable economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, and examines how such efforts could transform international development cooperation.

The Trade and Technology Council (TTC) has become the main platform for US–EU trade and tech cooperation. But the US and the EU must turn ambitions into tangible outcomes if the TTC is to tackle significant global issues.

Europe and the US recognize that their policies and strategies on the Indo-Pacific need to be more coherent. Existing structures such as the G7 and the Quad could become key forums for enhanced cooperation.

How increasing economic and political inequality and the ‘depoliticization’ of economic policymaking, through technocratic management insulated from national-level parliamentary scrutiny, have contributed to the crisis of democracy in Europe.

Although the UK is less exposed to the direct effects of the war in Ukraine than other European countries, the indirect and longer-term impact will be significant.

In 2021 G7 leaders pledged to build back a better world. They now need to redouble their efforts to make sure that this ambition is fulfilled.

To help sustain the unity of response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UK needs to rebuild its relationship with the EU, expand the role of the G7, and deploy its trade and development policies more strategically.

To forge an effective Russia policy post-Brexit, the UK needs a clear, coherent Russia strategy based on a realistic assessment of its own power and influence.

Specialist international engagement roles within the British armed forces may prove crucial to achieving the objectives of the UK’s Integrated Review.

Efforts to understand the rise of populist parties and movements in Europe need to take into account the diverse contexts in which anti-establishment protest has flourished.

The UK’s current approach to anti-kleptocracy damages its rule of law, its standing as an opponent of international corruption and the integrity of important domestic institutions.

A new paper assesses the impacts of the pandemic on UK food and nutrition security, as the country establishes its post-Brexit priorities for trade and agriculture.

The use of forest biomass for energy is growing rapidly, but existing EU and UK policies ignore its contribution to increased carbon emissions.

This paper offers a public policy ‘toolkit’ for governments in the US and Europe to support firms in securing resilient and sustainable supply chains

The EU and the UK need to take the lead in addressing long-standing concerns over lack of transparency and accountability in the use of armed drones, write Jessica Dorsey and Nilza Amaral.

The post-Brexit context makes the E3 more difficult as a format for cooperation between France, Germany and the UK. The three countries are more likely to be able to develop a shared strategic agenda by identifying specific problems which they need to solve together.

China’s expansion into the Indo-Pacific is meeting growing resistance from a range of countries that are looking to further their own interests in the region.

A proposed blueprint for Britain’s future foreign policy argues that the country can remain internationally influential post-Brexit by acting as the broker of solutions to global challenges.

This paper presents scenarios in which performance enhancement of military personnel would be ethically permissible, given the unique nature of warfare.

This paper explores the origins of the E3 format of diplomatic coordination between France, Germany and the UK, and its possible future development.

The COVID-19 crisis could lead to a wider rethink of Europe’s political economy. This paper explores what such a model might look like, and what it would mean for the governance of the European Union.

Many middle powers have been warning of the dangers inherent in the decline of the liberal international order. The time has come for these countries to translate their warnings into concerted action.

This report makes the case that a stronger relationship between the UK and Japan could advance each country’s ability to address shared global concerns.

Brexit, for better or worse, means a major structural change in how people in the UK think about the food they eat. There is an opportunity to reformulate food policy for the better, but this could be easily squandered if not managed carefully.

Turkey’s experience shows the challenges facing a non-member state in a formal customs arrangement with the EU. Post-Brexit Britain should seek a more intimate arrangement with the EU.

The UK government’s words and deeds are still not synchronized. That is a recipe for trouble.