About this episode

The episode discusses British foreign policy challenges and opportunities with Sir Robin Niblett, focusing on the Labour Government's strategic priorities and economic constraints.

Professor John Nilsson-Wright talks with Sir Robin Niblett, former Director of the leading British think-tank Chatham House, about the key foreign policy challenges and opportunities facing the Labour Government of Sir Keir Starmer. They discuss the legacy of previous Conservative governments’ foreign policies, key bilateral relationships with the United States, China, and Britain’s European and Indo-Pacific partners, and the perennial challenge of balancing strategic priorities against the economic constraints associated with slow growth and rising national debt. At a pivotal time in domestic politics, following Labour’s poor performance in Britain’s recent local elections, they also consider the Prime Minister’s political future and the prospects for British foreign policy of a change in the Labour leadership or a future transition to a new UK government.

People in this episode

Host: Professor John Nilsson-Wright

Guest: Sir Robin Niblett

Topics covered

• British foreign policy
• Labour Government
• international relations
• economic constraints
• political future

Keywords

• foreign policy
• Labour Government
• Sir Keir Starmer
• Chatham House
• international relations
• economic constraints
• political future

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Chatham House

Places: United States, China, Indo-Pacific, Britain, UK

More episodes of On Geopolitics

• Currents - Conflict & Neuroscience: How The Brain Shapes War And How War Shapes The Brain, with Dr Nick Wright · May 29, 2026 · 41 min
• Explorations - War, Episode 13, with Tang Shiping · May 25, 2026 · 40 min
• Explorations on War - Episode 12, with Ron Hassner · May 11, 2026 · 41 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the On Geopolitics podcast page.