Fascinating research now out from @bestforbritain.org on trust in UK partners. Particularly striking is change in net trust in the US among Conservative (40%) and Labour (37%) voters over the last year. Only Reform voters seem unphased by current US direction. www.bestforbritain.org/uk_trading_p...

At lunchtime today, we'll be exploring the policy implications of supporting Ukraine until the end, inspired by @ldfreedman.bsky.social's "Hennessy Lecture". You can book your place to hear @evieaspinall.bsky.social, @patporter76.bsky.social, @elkeschwarz.bsky.social and @drjamesstrong.bsky.social🔽

Delighted to release our latest report for BFPG, 'Science and Soft Power: Building a New Narrative for the UK's Role in the World'. It outlines the role of science in achieving the UK's international ambitions and opportunities to better leverage this. bfpg.co.uk/2025/10/scie...

We'll be joined by @evieaspinall.bsky.social (Director, the British Foreign Policy Group) @patporter76.bsky.social (Chair of International Security & Strategy, Birmingham) @elkeschwarz.bsky.social (Professor of Political Theory, QMUL) @drjamesstrong.bsky.social (Reader in British Politics, QMUL)

As Poland reels from the incursion of Russian drones on its territory, I spoke to the Metro about what the attack means for the UK and NATO. metro.co.uk/2025/09/10/m...

My latest for Progressive Britain is on the challenges of building public support for increasing defence spending and why we need a national conversation around national security. www.progressivebritain.org/the-defence-...

Passionate about foreign policy? Eager to shape the debate on UK foreign policy? I have just the job for you! We're hiring a new Senior Researcher, a brilliant role at the heart of the foreign policy debate in Westminster. Deadline 4th September. bfpg.co.uk/2025/08/job-...

Great to speak to the Metro yesterday about the implications of the meeting between Trump and Putin (and increasingly unlikely but maybe Zelensky) for the war in Ukraine. Thoughts here - metro.co.uk/2025/08/07/h...

Great thread from Evie here that drives home the massive impact Trump’s actions have had on British public opinion.

As Starmer and Trump prepare to meet in Scotland, what does the public think of it all? My latest for BFPG explores - bfpg.co.uk/2025/07/a-pr.... Key stats from our new public opinion survey in the thread below.

New survey: Brits think that the UK's new aid budget is too low. One of many interesting findings in the BFPG survey.

It was really good to attend this report launch yesterday. Lots of rich insight into the British public’s approach to foreign policy. The shift in focus to the EU relationship is particularly notable but other key insights below…

Delighted to release BFPG’s 2025 Annual Public Opinion Survey. The survey highlights a watershed moment in UK foreign policy, as Britons turn their back on the ‘Special Relationship’ and pivot dramatically back to Europe. Here are 10 key findings. Full report here - bfpg.co.uk/2025/07/2025...

Language coming from the Government is very careful - not condemning the US' actions (and endorsing their aims) but making clear the UK did not participate and instead supported a diplomatic solution. An attempt to diplomatically put distance between UK and US responses, without upsetting Trump.

The bombing on Iranian nuclear sites by Trump puts heed to Trump's attempts to paint himself as a global peacemaker. Iran having nuclear weapons would be bad but bombing Iranian nuclear sites is hardly going to make Iran less keen to develop nuclear weapons in the future...

Looking forward to giving evidence to the House of Lords International Relations and Development Committee this morning on the future of the UK-US relationship. Tune in from 11.30am - committees.parliament.uk/event/24377/...

NEW: After almost a year of waiting, the Strategic Defence Review is out. Want the highlights? @evieaspinall.bsky.social explores the 10 key takeaways from the Review. bfpg.co.uk/2025/06/10-k...

Full strategic defence review finally out. Will be trawling through all 130 pages so you don't have to - will have a full summary of the key takeways out in the morning. www.gov.uk/government/p...

Finding the debate about the Defence Review today very frustrating. With the review still not out in full, there's lots of big claims being made by people who have read the headlines and by the time the detail comes out everyone will have moved on. Terrible for public scrutiny.

UK-EU Summit, Key Takeaways. A 🧵.

It's time for the long-awaited UK-EU Summit, negotiations were still ongoing last night but what can we expect to see? (1/4)

Fascinating new report on the soft power impact of the media. E.g. BBC users are 27% more likely to favour democracy than non-users. Meanwhile, 71% of CGTN consumers view China favourably and 58% of RT consumers view Russia favourably. Well worth a read. www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/...

ICYMI: Watch the recording of our latest UKTBC Evidence Session with; 👉 @evieaspinall.bsky.social 👉 Miguel Berger (@germanambuk.bsky.social) 👉 Philip Rycroft www.tradeandbusiness.uk/evidence/wha...

Looking forward to speaking at the Progressive Britain conference tomorrow on 'Britain and the New World Order'. Final chance to get tickets - www.tickettailor.com/events/progr... .

Picking an American Pope could be an incredibly powerful counterbalance to Trump's influence in the US. The importance of that should not be understated.

There will be lots of discomfort in parts of the UK about the UK-US trade deal, especially given public perceptions of Trump and concerns about beef, BUT this is what diplomacy is - sometimes sucking it up and putting on a brave face, picking fights only when it makes sense to, for the greater good.

Delighted to today release the latest report of the UK Soft Power Group, which BFPG proudly co-convenes alongside the British Council. Even in 'hard power' times, UK soft power is critically important and the report explores how best to harness it. bfpg.co.uk/2025/05/stre...

After 100 days of Trump, my latest for BFPG explores why the UK is right to pursue a constructive relationship with Trump, even if it is unpalatable. bfpg.co.uk/2025/04/afte...

“Across the world you’re seeing nations looking for stable partnerships. There are new opportunities for both the UK and the EU to be finding other partners, and there will always be trade-offs and balances for us to be thinking about." - @evieaspinall.bsky.social

‘In a very difficult global context, it is essential that the NSS is clear-eyed about the global environment, and outlines a very clear set of priorities for 🇬🇧 foreign and security policy,’ writes @evieaspinall.bsky.social, @bfpg.bsky.social #BigAsk #BritainsWorld

🚨 LIVE: Our evidence session on the UK-EU relationship reset is on now. Our panel of experts are discussing likely outcomes of the summit, including: 👉 @evieaspinall.bsky.social 👉 Miguel Berger @germanambuk.bsky.social 👉 Philip Rycroft Watch 👇 www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy4-...

After a few weeks travelling for work and then a much needed holiday, I've now finally caught up on all my emails and am (just about) ready to get fully back stuck in with the world of geopolitics. Open to media requests, coffees and the like as we navigate these unprecedented times...

We are now seeing time and time again that traditional diplomacy doesn't work with Trump. He doesn't care about traditional alliances. He cares about his ego and he cares about getting what he thinks is a good deal.

I've written and rewritten articles on the US/Ukraine situation, and the UK's response to it, at least 5 times in the last week. The situation is so fast moving there is little time for nuanced reflection.

Next time someone tells me the public don't care about foreign policy, without any understanding of the nuances, I'm going to show them this.

Spoke to AP News about Starmer's aims for his trip to the US and the prospects for the UK acting as a bridge between the US and Europe. Write up in a few places including this for France24. www.france24.com/en/live-news...

The biggest challenge is no gov will want to have to defend increasing aid spending. As we've seen over the last few years, aid is very easy to cut, much harder to increase. Hard to see how UK aid will be restored to 0.7%, as promised in Labour's manifesto, in the next decade.

Cutting aid to fund defence is a decision based as much on public opinion as anything else. Government too scared of public backlash of cutting domestic spending to fund defence.

A 0.2% GDP increase in the defence budget won't appease Trump. But a 0.2% cut in aid spending will decimate the UK's development work.

At the ASEAN Future Forum today. Overriding feeling here is that the US has abandoned the multilateral system, and therefore multilateralism is dead. West is increasingly not seen as credible here and instead they are prioritising regional strength to protect themselves.

After a wonderful few days in Jakarta thinking about digital security, a privilege to now be in Hanoi representing the UK at the ASEAN Future Forum this week. 🇬🇧 is a proud ASEAN dialogue partner + given the current geopolitical environment, it's a particularly timely summit.

It's remarkable how many of Ukraine's so called allies are sitting quiet. Keeping their head down so as not to draw Trump's ire might reap short term rewards but will be to the detriment of not only Ukrainian security but to global security, prosperity and international law.

With every word that comes out of Trump's mouth I despair a little more about the future of Ukraine.

Great to speak to Bloomberg Radio just now on US-Russia talks. As Trump parrots Putin's lines, a settlement in Ukraine's interests looks increasingly unlikely and I fail to see how Europe will unite (and commit the £££) that's urgently needed for Ukraine at this moment.

We have to grin and bear the next 4 years of Trump but that doesn't mean we can't also reprioritise and strengthen our alliances elsewhere. We are seeing time and time again that the US right now isn't a reliable partner. We need to hedge our bets.

There can be no negotiation over Ukraine without Ukraine. There can be no negotiation over Ukraine without Ukraine. There can be no negotiation over Ukraine without Ukraine. There can be no negotiation over Ukraine without Ukraine.

Would massively appreciate any travel tips for Jakarta, Singapore and Vietnam!

While Keir Starmer is in Brussels discussing defence in an 'informal retreat' with European leaders, have a read back of @evieaspinall.bsky.social's blog where she makes the case for domestic defence spending 👇 ukandeu.ac.uk/making-the-d...

Devastating news of more cuts to BBC World Service jobs. The world service is one of the biggest soft power assets the UK has and is essential to the global fight against disinformation. It's consistently undervalued with huge implications for the UK's position in the world.

😬 "Donald Trump is overwhelmingly unpopular, even among a lot of Reform voters" The BFPG's @evieaspinall.bsky.social shares the British opinion on Trump and reveals the part of the UK where he is most popular... 😮