Strategic Advantage Cell launch reception

At this pivotal time, the Council on Geostrategy is the first British think tank to establish a dedicated Strategic Advantage Cell to stimulate strategic thinking about the United Kingdom’s national interests in the 21st century. The Cell will be the home for new, specialised defence research projects targeted at specific issues, and will also provide the platform of choice for a new conversation in Westminster and Whitehall (and beyond) covering some of the most innovative – and intractable – questions in British defence and power-projection writ large.

With welcoming remarks from The Rt. Hon. James Heappey MP, Minister of State for Armed Forces, and Luke Pollard MP, Shadow Minister of State for Armed Forces, this invitation-only launch event will be dedicated for 50 guests including senior Whitehall officials, parliamentarians, diplomats, experts and corporate representatives.

Welcoming remarks

The Rt. Hon James Heappey MP

Minister of State for Armed Forces

James Heappey MP is Minister of State for Armed Forces in the Ministry of Defence, having been appointed to the role in July 2022. Heappey previously served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement. He has been the MP for Wells since 2015 and served in the army, where he achieved the rank of Major.

Luke Pollard MP

Shadow Minister of State for Armed Forces

Luke Pollard MP is the Shadow Armed Forces Minister and Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport. Luke is the first MP to be born in Plymouth since Michael Foot represented the city in 1945 and, as the son of a Royal Navy submariner based in Devonport, is proud to champion the British Armed Forces.