01 Nov BFPG’s October Review
Yesterday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered the first budget of the new Government, and the Labour Party’s first budget for more than 14 years, introducing sweeping financial reforms. There were several major announcements on foreign policy including:
– A £2.9 billion increase in defence spending, and the path to reaching the target of spending 2.5% GDP on defence to be outlined at a ‘future fiscal event’.
– £3 billion per year in military assistance for Ukraine to counter Russia for ‘as long as it takes’.
– An increase in funding for the BBC World Service to enable it to deliver essential foreign language services and globally trusted media.
– A £1.6 billion cut to the aid budget – the budget commits to spending 0.5% GNI on overseas development aid but does not renew the former Government’s £2.5 billion top up to compensate for domestic aid spending on housing asylum seekers.
There will be significant concerns about what this means for international development, but elsewhere on foreign policy, and within the context of some tough spending decisions, this was a relatively positive budget. We’ve analysed all the announcements and what it means for UK foreign policy here.
Elsewhere, BFPG has been busy this month with Diplomatic Hour events, briefings on our Annual Survey, and attending a number of conferences. Looking ahead, the US election next week could be a defining event in global politics, with major ramifications for the UK and it’s allies. We’ll have plenty of analsysis of that in the coming days and weeks so stay tuned for that.
October Analysis
The Pact for the Future: What does it mean for young people?
Following the 79th United Nations General Assembly, BFPG Associate Fellow Aryan Sanghrajka explores the newly agreed Pact for the Future and discusses the implications it has for the UK, and in particular, for young people. READ HERE
Protecting Soft Power in a Time of Cuts
BFPG Director Evie Aspinall explores the danger of short-sighted soft power cuts, in a world when our allies and rivals are substantially scaling up their soft power investment. READ HERE
UK-Africa Strategy: A Vital Cog in UK Foreign Policy
BFPG Associate Fellow Mohamed Cassimjee explores the importance of a comprehensive, considered and timely new UK-Africa Strategy, looking at what its key focus areas should be. READ HERE
Autumn Budget 2024: Implications for UK Foreign Policy
In the wake of this week’s Autumn Budget, BFPG Director Evie Aspinall assesses what Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ financial plan means for the UK’s foreign policy – across the arms of defence, development and soft power. READ HERE
Diplomatic Hour
Diplomatic Hour continues at pace, and October saw BFPG welcome the Ambassador of Azerbaijan, Mr Elin Suleymanov, for a private roundtable focused on Azerbaijan’s role in the world and region, particularly its role as host of COP29. The session focused on the challenges and opportunities facing Azerbaijan and its partners in the lead up to COP29, and provided attendees with valuable insight into what to expect from the conference.
Earlier this week, we were also fortunate to host the Ambassador of Ireland, Mr Martin Fraser, for a public event on Ireland’s foreign policy, and the past, present and future of UK-Irish relations, as we ‘reset’ ties between our nations. We thank both Ambassadors for their time, and all guests who have attended and been involved in the Diplomatic Hour series this month, for supporting the series and its success.
Heads of Mission Briefing
BFPG was privileged to host a number of Heads of Mission and their deputies from around the world, for a roundtable briefing on our 2024 Annual Survey of UK Public Opinion on Foreign Policy. The session explored the full breadth of the survey, with a particular focus on public perspectives on the Foreign Secretary’s plans for ‘progressive realism’. We thank all who attended and participated for such an interesting and insightful session. This was the latest in a wide range of briefings BFPG has been doing with embassies, civil servants and civil society on our annual survey findings. You can read the full survey here and do get in touch if you would like a briefing.
Elsewhere at BFPG
Earlier this week, Director Evie Aspinall spoke on a panel at Progressive Britain’s Defence In Review Conference, considering what a collective approach to warfighting looks like in Europe. Evie also spoke on a panel for the Conservative Environment Network at the beginning of the month, alongside Shadow Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell, on the impacts of climate change on irregular migration. The panel recieved coverage in the Mirror – you can read it here.
Meanwhile BFPG Senior Advisor, David Landsman, and Senior Research Fellow, Dr Rebecca Harding, represented BFPG at the British-Greek Symposium, discussing the future of supply chains, and how Greece can reinvent its role in supplying Europe, having contributed a concept paper to support the discussion
