Asymmetric statecraft: Strengthening British power in a more geopolitical era

The Council on Geostrategy, in partnership with Lockheed Martin UK, is delighted to be co-hosting an evening reception entitled ‘Asymmetric statecraft: Strengthening British power in a more geopolitical era’, to mark the launch of our forthcoming Report of the same name.

The fundamental prerequisite of successful statecraft is understanding the sources and levers of British national power. Yet, this question, obvious as it may seem, often remains elusive in contemporary analysis and strategy-making. Here, we develop a new framework for conceptualising how Britain can pursue asymmetric strategies to secure its interests. Specifically, we will look at how the United Kingdom can behave more like an ‘asymmetric actor’ – shocking its rivals into submission – using historical case studies as examples.

The event will bring together key stakeholders to reflect on these findings. It will begin with a conversation with the Report’s authors, followed by an evening reception, featuring an address to promote the Report’s findings.

Evening Address

The Rt. Hon. Lord Spellar

Member of the Advisory Board

Member of the Advisory Board The Rt. Hon. Lord Spellar was Member of Parliament for Warley (1992-2024). He was Vice Chair of the Defence Select Committee from 2020 to 2024, having previously been a member from 2015 to 2019. He was the Shadow Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2010 to 2015. Before that, he was appointed as the Minister for Northern Ireland from 2003 to 2005 and the Minister for Armed Forces from 1999 to 2001.

Speakers

Sam Goodman

Co-founder, New Diplomacy Project

Sam Goodman is Co-Chair of the New Diplomacy Project. He is also Senior Director of Policy at the China Strategic Risks Institute. Previously, he worked as a political adviser to the Labour Party, and as a parliamentary researcher, and has a background in British foreign policy. He is currently a senior research fellow at the Coalition for Global Prosperity and the author of The Imperial Premiership: The Role of the Modern Prime Minister in British Foreign Policymaking from 1964-2015.

James Rogers

Co-President (Research), Council on Geostrategy

James Rogers is Co-President (Research) at the Council on Geostrategy, which he co-founded in 2021. He leads the organisation’s intellectual approach and research projects, and serves as Editor of Britain’s World; its online magazine. He has previously held positions at the Henry Jackson Society, Baltic Defence College, RAND Europe, and the European Union Institute for Security Studies, and his areas of research expertise include Britain’s defence posture, Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific connectivities, nuclear strategy, and national power analysis.

Ben Short

Head, Secretary of State’s Office for Net Assessment and Challenge (SONAC), Ministry of Defence

Ben Short is Head of the Secretary of State’s Office for Net Assessment and Challenge (SONAC). He played a leading role in writing both the 2021 Integrated Review and the 2023 Integrated Review Refresh. Previously, he served as Senior Russia Analyst in the Joint Intelligence Organisation. Throughout his career, he has held positions in the Ministry of Defence, NATO, and Standing Joint Force Headquarters.

For further information about this event, please email Lena Stein, Project Manager, at: [email protected].