On Friday 9^th March, the British Foreign Policy Group co-hosted the event, “Life in Wales After Brexit” in partnership with the University of South Wales’ Global Choices programme and Capital Law  at the University of South Wales’ Cardiff Campus.

This event was the 4^th in the BFPG’s National Engagement Programme, a nationwide series of events which aim to generate greater public discussion about the UK’s international position and choices.

A panel of speakers from across the UK together was joined by a diverse audience to address particular issues around Brexit and Cardiff and Wales’s international prosperity, influence, and security and why/how that affects us in the UK.

An initial lecture given by Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, former British Ambassador to the EU, and architect of Article 50, looking at the risks that Brexit posed to the UK and his thoughts on how to mitigate them.

This was then followed by a panel of local and national figures including Ian Price, Director at CBI Wales, Liane Saunders, Strategy Director, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Ellen Jones: President of NUS Wales and Steve Thomas, Chief Executive of the Wales Local Government Association,who all discussed the implications of Brexit in Wales and what aspects of Wales’ international engagements could be improved on to make for a more prosperous post-Brexit Wales.

One of the areas in which the panel agreed more could be done was around Welsh soft power. Liane mentioned how “Wales has huge creativity and imagination- it’s known for its arts as well as sciences. This won’t disappear with Brexit” but Ian Price highlighted how “Wales has a brand but we aren’t the best at promoting it”.

The BFPG look forward to continuing the series of university events across the UK, to provide the platform for important discussions on the UK’s foreign policy choices and how they impact us all.