Beyond Britannia: Reshaping UK Foreign Policy: Or the Foreign Policy the UK Should Have Hardcover – 3 Nov. 2023

Presents a compelling and positive argument that Britain’s future foreign policy should emphasise areas where the UK has longstanding competitive advantage, including as an enduring soft-power superpower in science, culture and innovation, reinforced by recalibrated hard-power. I am not sure I am entirely persuaded by the arguments on UN Security Council reform (I can’t see how changing the status quo would benefit the UK, other than the argument found elsewhere in the text that it is better to pre-empt diplomatic issues before they reach crisis point: therefore it may be better to engineer reform now on terms more favourable to us than at the point when it is unavoidable), and I am not entirely convinced that the UK could pursue nuclear disarmament in a way that is not unilateral. But these are important issues that we can no longer shy away from debating. This book is a practical antidote to mindless boosterism and head-in-the-sand nonsense that says that to merely confront reality is to “talk Britain down.”

This is a modern diplomat working in the real world with a wealth of experience representing Britain's interests in a global environment. He draws conclusions that those who voted for Brexit or live still in an empire long gone will find challenging but it is worth the effort if such people can do so. In reality most people have moved on in both of those areas. He tackles in turn each of the main issues we face not least the need to face up to our limitations while maximising those things we do well, in a phrase "British Soft Power" supported by appropriate but properly funded armed forces and a good and intelligent use of our diplomatic service. Central to this is a level of political stability which has recently eluded us given the Conservative Parties qualitative decline although the author does believe the current PM is an improvement on recent incumbents. That said this is a far sighted thesis that goes beyond our current political failures and specifically seeks the next governments understanding of where we need to go. This is a serious contribution which anyone interested in a better future would want to read.