Three pillars for a sustainable trade policy after Brexit
In January, for the first time in nearly 50 years, the UK will ‘take back control’ of its trade policy from the EU. During and since the referendum campaign, Brexit-supporting…
Articles, Briefings and Essays
The views expressed in the articles are those of each respective author and do not necessarily reflect the views or position of the Foreign Policy Centre.
The ethics of offensive cyber operations
Turn off the lights in Moscow? This is just one of the possible uses of offensive cyber operations (OCOs) briefed to the press by senior British defence sources.[1] Put simply,…
Downgrading DFID – How will Britain’s Overseas Development Aid Agenda change now DFID is part of the FCO?
For the last 23 years, since the birth of the Blair government, a key aspect of British foreign policy, and indeed Britain’s global reputation, has been its overseas development aid…
Projecting the UK’s values abroad: Conclusions and recommendations
The Government’s roadmap for 2020 has not quite unfolded the way they might have initially hoped, with a global pandemic liable to disrupt even the best laid plans. The current…
FPC Briefing: The social foundations of stable illiberal-populist rule: lessons from Hungary
Relying on the author's recent book, this briefing examines the foundations of Hungary's stable illiberal rule. Two seemingly contradictory tendencies are crucial for the stability of illiberalism in the country.…
The Safety of Journalists, a Matter of International Human Rights Standards and Soft Law
Let’s be clear: violence against journalists can stop. It ends with accountability. If States fulfill their duty to protect journalists; if States meet their international commitments, journalists will be able…
Political unrest in Kyrgyzstan: between old and new hopes
Since October 4th, Kyrgyzstan has been shaken by a wave of unprecedented protests triggered by rigged parliamentary elections.[1] The country plunged in political turmoil with various divided political forces…
Understanding the Romanian Diaspora: Diaspora mobilisation during COVID-19
The incipient phase – A crisis unfolding ‘I call on Romanians in the diaspora (…) – my beloved, do not come home for the holidays this year’. The appeal was…
Protecting the UK’s ability to defend its values: Executive Summary
The ‘Protecting the UK’s ability to protect its values’ publication brings together a range of different expert perspectives that recognise the need to build on the UK’s existing international capacities…
Protecting the UK’s ability to defend its values: Introduction
This second publication in the FPC’s new ‘Finding Britain’s role in a changing world’ series examines the UK’s current capabilities and strengths both inside and outside government to deliver an…