Absolutely love the computer faces being pulled in the first 30 seconds

This is really one of the most sobre, level-headed and honest discussions of British foreign policy post-Brexit. The greatest strategic challenge for British foreign policy is whether London can figure out a viable sustainable policy that will adapt Britain to the changing superpower relationships between China, the EU and the US. Rory is quite right in his emphasis on the lack of realist, power-oriented thinking in British foreign policy discourse. English nationalism will undermine British foreign policy interests if it is found on anti-EU and increasingly anti-China ideologies. A binary world view is detrimental to British foreign policy interests and does not reflect the reality of the world even in ethical terms.

Rory needs to be in charge ! We need to fundamentally change the approach and relationship with foreign aid / development fund. It sounds like what little we can contribute (albeit hundreds of millions) makes very little difference and it’s impossible to see any tangible benefits even after decades of grants. Without boots on the ground hundreds on millions get swallowed up but overall it’s nothing more than a drop in the ocean and doesn’t result in us having any helpful influence overseas. Of all the money pumped into these countries how much just directly goes into the pockets of the politicians and their connected companies.

I just spent 5 hours listening to discutions from Rory. I am surprised I have never heard about him before. Good stuff.

The conservatives are all the poorer for losing this man.

Simply amazing

What a shame for us that rational and sensible people like Rory walk away from politics!! We need him to be in office and help to sort our current mess out ? Very interesting

Rory Stewart

The problem of British Foreign Policy originates in our history rather than Geography. We could have concerned ourselves [and should concern ourselves] with a recognition that we are part of a European archipelago and thus concentrate, and trying to develop, a European archipelagic relationship and perspective: namely Iceland, The Faroes, and Greenland because mainland, and archipelagic perspectives are different. The significance of Britain in a European context is transformed by the recent intention to join NATO of Finland and Sweden. Whilst a global perspective cannot be ignored or neglected none the less our global perspective should now be through the perspective and context of Europe. To recover our significance we need to re-join the EU because we cannot separate the EU and NATO [even less so now than hitherto]

Superb

He's a bit overly optimistic considering the speed of climate destabilisation. He still thinks the whole consumerism thing is sustainable. What are Nepal, Ladakh & Afghanistan going to do when the glaciers are done melting, because they're vanishing at an alarming rate & he sees to be ignoring that horrific fact.

All these worthies in attendance and all their beknighted expertise amounts to very little if discussions over policy won't face the real domestic and foreign affairs challenges. For the most part the problem isn't intransigent Africans or ungrateful Afghans, nor is it a contest of liberal democracies versus authoritarians. As it stands, to plagirise Boris Johnson, unless the discussion is able to see and debate reality, these international institutions will be like swots (nerds) playing rugger buggers. At rugby.