The Federal Trust

John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the reemergence of Brexit as a topic of British political discourse. They conclude that this reemergence could be harmful to Reform's electoral prospects, but only if other parties present a coherent alternative to Brexit. SPEAKERS:John Stevens is the Chairman of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.Brendan Donnelly is the former Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the political and economic advantages for the Labour Party of a more overtly pro-European policy. They suggest that a successor to Keir Starmer would be better placed to follow this policy than would the present Prime Minister.SPEAKERS:John Stevens is the Chairman of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.Brendan Donnelly is the former Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens discuss the choice post-Brexit Britain must make between Europe and America. They predict that the UK will opt for Europe in the medium to long term, despite the short term attractions of the “special relationship".SPEAKERS:John Stevens is the Chairman of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.Brendan Donnelly is the former Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

In this episode, John Springford asks whether the economic consequences of Brexit have been as negative as its opponents predicted. He concludes that these predictions were broadly accurate and the fiscal position of the UK is today considerably worse than it would have been without Brexit.Read the Report "The Economic Impact of Brexit, Nine Years On: Was the Consensus Right?" here: https://fedtrust.co.uk/the-economic-impact-of-brexit/SPEAKERS: John Springford is an economist and associate fellow at the Centre for European Reform.John Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.Brendan Donnelly is the former Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

Andrew Blick and Brendan Donnelly discuss the announced "reset" of relations between the UK and EU. They conclude that, given the government's self-imposed "red lines" little more could realistically have been achieved. They doubt however whether the changes envisaged can seriously be regarded as a "reset" of EU/UK relations.SPEAKERS:Andrew Blick is the Director of the Federal Trust. He is Professor of Politics and Contemporary History at King's College London.Brendan Donnelly is the former Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

Andrew Blick and Brendan Donnelly discuss the need for more international national cooperation in face of the environmental and populist challenges facing the whole planet.SPEAKERS:Andrew Blick is the Director of the Federal Trust. He is Professor of Politics and Contemporary History at King's College London.Brendan Donnelly is the former Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens discuss the disruptive nature of Donald Trump's first weeks as American President. They argue however that this disruption could have positive consequences for Europe and for the UK.SPEAKERS:John Stevens is the Chairman of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.Brendan Donnelly is the former Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

In this episode, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the extraordinary dangers and opportunities created for the UK and the EU by the current volatility of American policy-making.SPEAKERS:John Stevens is the Chairman of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.Brendan Donnelly is the former Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the impact of Donald Trump's first month in power on the security of Europe, and in particular its impact on Germany under the Chancellorship of Friedrich Merz.SPEAKERSJohn Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs. Brendan Donnelly is the former Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.ABOUT THE FEDERAL TRUSTThe Federal Trust is a research institute studying regional, national, European and global levels of government. It has always had a particular interest in the European Union and Britain’s place in it. The Federal Trust has no allegiance to any political party. It is registered as a charity for the purposes of education and research.Website: https://fedtrust.co.uk/ X: https://x.com/fedtrust Donate on PayPalSupport us on Patreon

John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly mark the fifth anniversary of Brexit by reviewing the arguments of the referendum campaign in 2016. They conclude that the arguments deployed in favour of Brexit have without exception been disproved by events over the past nine years. SPEAKERSJohn Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.Brendan Donnelly is the former Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens discuss recent policy developments on Europe from the Conservative Party and Liberal Democrat Party. They also discuss and analyse Labour's approach of trying to work with the EU on defence matters, while hoping to collaborate with the USA on trade issues.SPEAKERSJohn Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs. Brendan Donnelly is the former Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

Graham Bishop and Brendan Donnelly discuss the possibilities for a reset of relations in the financial sector between the UK and EU. They conclude that these possibilities are limited, given the commitment of the EU to retaining the greatest possible financial control within the euro area.SPEAKERSBrendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.Graham Bishop is an analyst and commentator on economic affairs (https://www.grahambishop.com/) and a member of the Federal Trust Council. You can read his evidence to the House of Lords here: https://www.grahambishop.com/StaticPage.aspx?SAID=623

John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the likely impact of Donald Trump's reelection on British and European politics. They argue that the Uk will find itself confronted in the short term with difficult choices , but that these difficult choices may ultimately help the UK to rejoin the European Union.SPEAKERSBrendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.John Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.

John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the implications of Donald Trump's reelection as US President. They argue that his Presidency may well usher in a reconfiguration of British politics and facilitate in the medium term the UK's return to the European Union.SPEAKERS Brendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.John Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.

In this episode, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the claim that the EU does not want the UK to return to the Union for many years, if ever. They argue that this claim is misleading and can serve as a pretext for acquiescing in the harm done by Brexit.SPEAKERSBrendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.John Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.

In this new episode of the Federal Trust podcast, Professor John Denham and Glyndwr Jones discuss the present state of the United Kingdom and argue that the new Labour government will only be able to bring about economic growth and better public services by the decentralisation of the UK as a whole and a parallel decentralisation of English governance.SPEAKERS:John Denham is Professorial Fellow at Southampton University and Director of its Centre for English Identity and Politics. He's the former Labour MP for Southampton Itchen (1992 - 2015) and a former government minister. He is Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Southern Policy Centre.Glyndwr Cennydd Jones is an author and commentator on UK Constitutional issues and an advocate for a UK-wide Convention. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Welsh Affairs and his recent booklet ‘A League-Union of the Isles’ is available here as an e-book or as an easily printable pdf file Brendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former MEP.

In this new episode of the Federal Trust podcast, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the possibility of a realignment of the British party system. In particular, they discuss the threat posed to the Conservative Party by Reform, a threat which Brexit has largely created.SPEAKERSBrendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.John Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.

Federal Trust Chair John Stevens argues that Sir Keir Starmer will find it difficult to secure any meaningful "reset" in relations between the EU and UK. Starmer is, according to John Stevens, excessively concerned with appeasing the anti-European element of traditional Labour voters. He should confront rather than try appease such sentiments. SPEAKERSBrendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.John Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.

Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens discuss the prospects and pitfalls for a defence pact between the UK and EU. They argue that if Donald Trump is the next President of the United States, the conclusion of such a pact will be much more difficult. Under a Trump Presidency the UK will be faced with a series of difficult choices between Europe and the USA, not only in the defence field, but in trade and geopolitics as well. SPEAKERSBrendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP. John Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.

John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the implications of the General Election’s results for relations between the UK and the EU. They warn that the Labour Party will not gain much purchase in Brussels by the simple fact of not being the Conservative Party. They conclude that British politics are in flux and that changing political attitudes towards the European Union are at the heart of this volatility. SPEAKERSBrendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.John Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs. ABOUT THE FEDERAL TRUSTThe Federal Trust is a research institute studying regional, national, European and global levels of government. It has always had a particular interest in the European Union and Britain’s place in it. The Federal Trust has no allegiance to any political party. It is registered as a charity for the purposes of education and research.Website: https://fedtrust.co.uk/X: https://twitter.com/fedtrustDonate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=treasurer%40fedtrust.co.uk¤cy_code=GBPSupport our work: https://www.patreon.com/federaltrust#brexit #rejoineu #labourparty #keirstarmer #generalelection2024

In this new podcast episode, Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens discuss the likely evolution of a Labour government’s approach towards the EU. They argue that political pragmatism and economic reality may lead over the next five years to a transformation of Keir Starmer’s current cautious approach towards the EU.

The Brexit debate in the UK remains confused and confusing. In this new Federal Trust podcast, Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens discuss the irony of both Rejoiners and Brexiters discussing the recent proposals from the European Commission to help young people to travel for work and study as if they were a prelude to the restoration of Freedom of Movement. Both Rejoiners and Brexiters are wrong in this assessment.

In this new Federal Trust video, Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens review some recent surprising contributions to the Brexit debate. They suggest that the debate on Brexit continues to evolve, even though leading politicians do their best to suppress it.SPEAKERSJohn Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.Brendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

John Palmer and Brendan Donnelly discuss whether co-operation on defence issues can help an incoming Labour government move closer to the EU on a range of other issues as well. They expect that Labour’s European policy will evolve over its period in office. They warn however that cooperation with the EU may be limited if the Labour Party cannot overcome the traditional distrust of British politicians towards the EU’s institutions.SPEAKERSJohn Palmer was the European Editor of The Guardian and subsequently a Founder/Political Director of the European Policy Centre in Brussels. He is a Board Member of the Federal Trust.Brendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the impact of the Reform Party on British politics. They argue that its threat to the Conservative Party lies in its ability to win over those voters still committed to Brexit who think that Brexit’s failure could have been avoided by a more competent or zealous Conservative government.

John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the crucial American component of the Brexit debate. Many of those arguing for Brexit in 2016 did so because they favoured a closer alignment between the UK and the US. John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly ask how politically and practically feasible such closer alignment might be, particularly under a Trump Presidency.

Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens discuss the effects of Brexit on the internal cohesion of the Conservative Party. They argue that, while the referendum of 2016 was intended to heal Conservative divisions, Brexit has exacerbated divisions within the Party, probably irreparably.SPEAKERSBrendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.John Stevens Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.Website: https://fedtrust.co.uk/Twitter: https://twitter.com/fedtrustDonate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=treasurer%40fedtrust.co.uk&currency_code=GBP Support our work:https://www.patreon.com/federaltrust

In this latest Federal Trust podcast, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the implications of a Trump Presidency for Europe and the United Kingdom. They conclude that if Trump becomes the next American President, then the European Union will be both prepared and able to increase its expenditure on defence. This process of “strategic autonomy” for the European Union is already underway and is likely to gain momentum in the coming years.SPEAKERSBrendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.John Stevens Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.ABOUT THE FEDERAL TRUSTThe Federal Trust is a research institute studying regional, national, European and global levels of government. It has always had a particular interest in the European Union and Britain’s place in it. The Federal Trust has no allegiance to any political party. It is registered as a charity for the purposes of education and research.Website: https://fedtrust.co.uk/Twitter: https://twitter.com/fedtrustDonate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=treasurer%40fedtrust.co.uk&currency_code=GBPSupport our work: https://www.patreon.com/federaltrust

In this new episode of the Federal Trust podcast, Geoff Martin welcomes the restoration of normal political life in Northern Ireland after years of deadlock. The appointment of two women from opposing political traditions as First and Deputy First Minister undoubtedly marks a turning-point in the Province’s history. But Geoff cautions that rifts between and within its political parties could still lead to instability in Northern Ireland.

In this new Federal Trust podcast, Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens discuss the likely course of the British debate on Brexit in 2024. They suggest that the Mayor of London’s new intervention in this debate is both part of his election strategy for the Mayoral elections and a foretaste of debates to come within the Labour Party. These debates are likely to reach a climax in the years following the General Election.SPEAKERSBrendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.John Stevens Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.ABOUT THE FEDERAL TRUSTThe Federal Trust is a research institute studying regional, national, European and global levels of government. It has always had a particular interest in the European Union and Britain’s place in it. The Federal Trust has no allegiance to any political party. It is registered as a charity for the purposes of education and research.Website: https://fedtrust.co.uk/Twitter: https://twitter.com/fedtrustDonate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=treasurer%40fedtrust.co.uk&currency_code=GBPSupport our work: https://www.patreon.com/federaltrust#Brexit #rejoineu #sadiqkhan #sunak

Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens discuss the latest proposals of the British government to reduce net migration into the UK. They conclude that these proposals simply represent the latest instalment in the Conservative Party’s continuing internal divisions over Brexit’s consequences. They will be economically damaging and are unlikely to help the Conservative Party in the next General Election.SPEAKERS:Brendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.John Stevens Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.

In this video, our Chairman John Stevens and Director Brendan Donnelly discuss the dismissal of Suella Braverman and the appointment of David Cameron. Does this represent a new political path for the Conservative Party and Rishi Sunak? Or is it simply the latest throw of the dice for a divided Party that will be reversed before Christmas?SPEAKERS:Brendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.John Stevens Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.