01 Nov BFPG’s October 2025 Review
Global hopes have been pinned to a ceasefire in the Middle East this October, which sadly already looks very precarious, while President Trump has continued to flip-flop on Russia, leaving the future of Ukraine increasingly uncertain.
For the UK, there have been some big foreign policy wins this month, from the Prime Minister’s trip to India, to hosting the Berlin Process Summit of Western Balkans leaders. Much of this though has been overshadowed by the collapse of the Chinese spying case here in the UK, which has thrown up questions not only about the case itself, but about the UK’s relationship with China and the UK’s espionage laws.
And for BFPG, it has been a month focused on two of our key areas of interest – soft power and public opinion. Our new paper on science and soft power, detailed below, has been a particular highlight and I hope it is a useful addition to thinking about how the UK can be more creative in its foreign policy deployment in an increasingly turbulent global environment.
Science and Soft Power: Building a New Narrative for the UK’s Role in the World
The British Foreign Policy Group’s latest report, ‘Science and Soft Power: Building a New Narrative for the UK’s Role in the World’, explores how the UK’s world-leading scientific expertise can strengthen the UK’s global influence in an era of growing geopolitical competition.
Drawing on input from a series of expert roundtables with leaders from across the science and foreign policy sectors, held in partnership with the Wellcome Trust, the report argues that the UK’s scientific ecosystem makes a key contribution to the UK’s international ambitions, by helping to foster trust and deepen international partnerships.
As the UK looks to define its role in a fast changing world, the report identifies opportunities to better leverage the UK’s scientific expertise – from AI and technology to life sciences and global health – and, in turn, opportunities for authentic UK leadership in the world.
October Activities
October had a firm focus on public opinion on foreign policy here at BFPG as we continue to circulate the key findings from our 2025 annual public opinion survey.
BFPG Senior Research and Programmes Manager, Eliza Keogh, published a blog exploring Britons’ increasingly self-interested approach to foreign policy, what is driving it and what it means for UK foreign policy. Read it here.
Meanwhile, BFPG Director Evie Aspinall spoke on a panel hosted by Queen Mary University’s Mile End Institute earlier this week, discussing the domestic implications here in the UK of the conflict in Ukraine, and the challenges that poses to maintaing public support for Ukraine.
BFPG has also delivered a number of briefings on the survey this month, including to leaders from the UK’s international development sector, MPs and a range of government departments. To organise a briefing or to chat about our research, email us at hello@bfpg.co.uk.
