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Foreign Policy

Secret story: inside the delivery suite with the reluctant midwives of Brexit

In-depth interviews with Conservative special advisers and ministers reveal the moments that shaped Britain’s exit from the EU. Matt Ross explores the strategic errors and political calculations that led two […]

Future Brexit measures are storing up disruption, think tank warns

The British government must prepare for future disruption that is being “stored up” over a range of Brexit measures that are still to come into force, a think tank has […]

How the Tories’ new direction left government directionless, and other Brexit stories

Brexiteers have long accused civil servants of hampering the UK’s exit from the EU. But new interviews with leading Tory ministers and advisers paint a very different picture – one […]

First build the foundations: Shaida Badiee on governments’ misplaced aid policies

After nearly two decades running the World Bank’s Development Data Group, Shaida Badiee now works to help developing nations improve their data systems. And she has a clear message for […]

Black comedy of errors: how the UK accidentally left the Single Market, and other Brexit stories

Newly published interviews with key figures involved in Brexit reveal how a lack of expertise led to major mistakes – and suggest that the UK government deliberately built an inexperienced […]

UK spending review delay leaves defence and security in limbo

The UK government’s decision last week to postpone its planned multi-year comprehensive spending review (CSR) has raised concerns about the implications for the Integrated Review (IR) of Security, Defence, Development […]

Construction or demolition? Explaining Boris’s new Brexit battle

UK PM Boris Johnson had been wildly happy about his new EU exit deal; then he introduced a law undermining both it, and the last round of trade negotiations. Speaking […]

Former UK diplomatic chief warns of declining influence overseas

The UK’s global influence is in decline, the former head of the country’s foreign office has argued – with Brexit and an over-controlling Number 10 at the heart of the […]

UK government legal chief quits over Brexit row

The head of the UK government’s legal department has resigned over prime minister Boris Johnson’s attempt to override parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement relating to Northern Ireland. Sir Jonathan […]

UK appoints head of merging foreign and aid departments

Sir Philip Barton has been appointed permanent under-secretary at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Barton will head up the new department, which is to be formed next […]