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    Foreign Policy Priorities for the United Kingdom

    13:00, 23 Mar 2010
    RUSI, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2ET
    Link to map: multimap

    PLACES AVAILABLE: Members only

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    About the event:

    Mike Gapes imageA lecture by Mike Gapes MP, Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee, House of Commons.

    UK foreign policy is at a crossroads. We face too many commitments and not enough resources, against a backdrop of major political, economic and institutional challenges. In his lecture, Mike Gapes will summarise the lessons and conclusions for UK foreign policy of recent years, drawing on the reports which the Foreign Affairs Committee has produced on the Middle East, Asia and the United States; as well as on global human rights issues and the foreign policy aspects of the Lisbon Treaty. 

    Mike Gapes will discuss the impact of severe budgetary pressures, increasing costs of security, the ending of the overseas pricing mechanism and imminent real cuts at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). He will contrast this with the increasing budget and influence of the Department for International Development and the huge costs of military operations, closure of embassies and high commissions and the marginalisation of the FCO by further centralisation of decision making and Downing Street focus. 

    In an era of new organisations, such as the G20, he will reaffirm the need to work effectively internationally whilst also trying to maintain the UK role in the UN, NATO and the Commonwealth. It is clear that the next government of the United Kingdom will need to ensure that there is a comprehensive foreign policy led review of all aspects of defence, security and development policy which gives full weight to the key role of diplomacy and soft power. 

    An optional £10 sandwich lunch shall be available from 1215.

    This event is open to all RUSI members. To become a member, please click here.

    To attend this event, please register online using the "Book your place" button above. If you have any queries please contact Sabrina Downey, Events Director, at sabrinad@rusi.org or call +44 (0)20 7747 2622.

    Event manager: Sabrina Downey

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