Robert A. Jones '59 Conference Room
148 Hillcrest Road
Middlebury, VT 05753
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Open to the Public

Lecture “Britain Lost Its Empire Years Ago and Is Still Looking for a Role” by Toby Fenwick ’95.

With apologies to Dean Acheson, 54 years after he uttered his memorable line, British international policy is more adrift than ever. Having appeared to make its peace as a leading - if obstinate and challenging - European player in 1973, 2016’s Brexit vote forces Britain and NATO Europe - as well as the EU - to look again at Britain’s role in Euro-Atlantic security and economic policy. Moreover, it forces the incoming Administration to re-evaluate its balance of effort in Europe, and how the US can most successfully advance its agenda.

In this talk, Toby Fenwick ’95, former head of foreign and defense policy for the liberal thinktank Centreforum, will explore what future UK defense policy will look like, and what challenges it will face if Brexit occurs. This will include the UK’s changing global role, as well as the key procurement challenges faced by an incoming government in 2020.

After graduating from Middlebury, Toby worked in banking strategy in London before joining the UK Treasury. An intelligence officer in the RAF reserve from 1995 - 2009, he subsequently worked for the UK National Audit Office, was Head of Anti-Corruption for UK Aid in South Sudan, and continues to work on foreign policy issues for the Liberal Democrats. He holds graduate degrees in government and international relations from the LSE, and law degrees from Birkbeck and University College London; he is currently working on a part-time research Masters at Cambridge focusing on secession of states.

Sponsored by:
Rohatyn Center for Global Affairs

Contact Organizer

Tate, Charlotte
tate@middlebury.edu
(802) 443-5795