The UK in a Changing World: A Conversation with Professor John Bew

The UK in a Changing World: A Conversation with Professor John Bew

From Global Security Briefing by The Royal United Services Institute

November 12, 2025 · 53 min · Season 1 · Episode 111

About this episode

Professor John Bew discusses the UK's evolving global role and national security in the context of geopolitical upheaval.

Professor John Bew joins Neil Melvin to reflect on the UK's evolving global role, strategic reviews, and how Britain can navigate an era of geopolitical upheaval. Over the past decade, the United Kingdom has faced a rapidly transforming global environment marked by the rise of revisionist powers, economic disruption and the erosion of the post-Cold War international order. In response, successive governments have launched a series of major strategic reviews to redefine Britain's global role and national security priorities. In this episode of Global Security Briefing, Neil Melvin speaks with Professor John Bew, former Foreign Policy Adviser to the UK Prime Minister. Professor Bew was the penholder on the last three UK national security strategies and was closely involved in the shaping of the most recent NATO Strategic Concept. Now back at King's College London, he reflects on how the UK has adapted to geopolitical change and what lies ahead for its foreign, defence and security policy. The discussion explores: How the global order is shifting and what this means for the UK's strategic posture. Lessons from three major UK national security reviews and their evolution. The UK's…

People in this episode

Host: Neil Melvin

Guest: Professor John Bew

Topics covered

  • UK global role
  • geopolitical change
  • national security
  • strategic reviews
  • UK-US relationship
  • European security
  • Indo-Pacific strategy

Keywords

  • UK
  • geopolitics
  • national security
  • strategic reviews
  • Russia
  • China
  • Brexit
  • NATO
  • Indo-Pacific
  • foreign policy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: King's College London, NATO

Places: United Kingdom, Russia, China, Europe, Indo-Pacific, Brexit

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