Small Island Or Global Britain?

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

At The Top Table

20210607

As?Britain?prepares to?host the leaders of the?richest democracies in the world at the?G7 summit, Nick Robinson?begins a?week-long?series??exploring Britain's place in the world.

Over five programmes, Nick considers our hard, soft and economic power, our influence and alliances, whether we?are we just a Small Island or whether we can be, in Boris Johnson's phrase, Global?Britain???

1. At the Top Table

With guests including the former Prime Ministers of Australia and Denmark, Nick explores Britain's place at the diplomatic Top Table'. He considers the value of Britain's position in global institutions like the G7 and the UN Security Council and asks whether, as other countries grow wealthier and demand a seat, that position is increasingly weakened. Nick asks what a suitable role for Britain on the international stage could be - perhaps a convener of countries, and a connector of rivals, embodied in Britain's role as host of COP26 later this year. This programme includes data from a new Ipsos Mori poll on public attitudes to Britain's place in the world.

A Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

Nick Robinson considers our place in the world in the run up to the G7 summit in Cornwall.

Rule The Waves?

20210608

As?Britain?prepares to?host the leaders of the?richest democracies in the world at the?G7 summit, Nick Robinson?begins a?week-long?series??exploring Britain's place in the world.

2. Rule the Waves?

From the flight deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, and in the aftermath of the Government's overhaul of defence in March's Integrated Review, Nick asks if Britain is now a pocket superpower'. Does HMS Queen Elizabeth, soon to embark for the South China Sea, embody a commitment to symbolism, as opposed to a practical ability, or willingness to engage on the international stage?

Joined by the current Chief of the Defence Staff, a former Foreign Secretary and a former Director of the CIA, Nick looks at what threats Britain faces and asks whether shrinking of the army in the Integrated Review is the nail in the coffin for Britain's ability to operate alone overseas. Are we still a credible ally to our most important defensive partner, the United States? What price must we pay to retain our place at the top table of the global system? Ultimately, Nick asks if all this matters - did David Cameron's historic defeat in the Commons over intervention in Libya mark the end of Britain's willingness to engage in conflicts overseas at all?

A Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

Nick Robinson considers our place in the world in the run up to the G7 summit in Cornwall.

Brand Britain

20210609

As?Britain?prepares to?host the leaders of the?richest democracies in the world at the?G7 summit, Nick Robinson?begins a?week-long?series??exploring Britain's place in the world.

3. Brand Britain

Swapping the Beatles, Bond and Beckham for the Premier League, Nick examines the strength of Britain's soft power through the lens of one of our most powerful international brands. He explores the confluence of factors that made the Premier League the premier league, and considers what the recent European Super League fiasco means. In addition, with the writer of the hit ITV series Victoria, Daisy Goodwin, Nick considers which British TV shows do, and do not, sell abroad and asks if Brand Britain is being diluted by a Netflix-induced pressure to make popular culture more palatable to many different countries at once. Finally, the programme questions whether Britain is too complacent about one of our largest soft power assets, higher education.

A Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

Nick Robinson considers our place in the world in the run up to the G7 summit in Cornwall.

This Trading Nation

20210610

As?Britain?prepares to?host the leaders of the?richest democracies in the world at the?G7 summit, Nick Robinson?begins a?week-long?series??exploring Britain's place in the world.

4. This Trading Nation

Nick explores the future of British trade - what will Britain will be selling in the future, and who will be buying it? He asks whether the vaccine success story where, according to those involved, Britain was able to move at speed, show flexibility, and encourage innovation, is demonstrative of the potential advantages for a new, nimble Britain outside the world's biggest trading bloc. Is the vaccine-recipe of world-class academics, innovative finance and flexible regulation one that can be replicated elsewhere?

Nick looks to FinTech, an industry worth £11 billion to the UK economy, and hears from the founder of Starling Bank about what is needed to make the magic' of FinTech happen. Finally, with both an Indian and Australian trade deal being talked up by the Government, Nick asks a former Australian Prime Minister and a former President of Coca Cola UK, what we can hope for from our trading relationships with these countries.

A Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

Nick Robinson considers our place in the world in the run up to the G7 summit in Cornwall.

Old Friends, New Friends.

20210611

As?Britain?prepares to?host the leaders of the?richest democracies in the world at the?G7 summit, Nick Robinson?begins a?week-long?series??exploring Britain's place in the world.

5. Old Friends, New Friends

We need friends, allies and partners to get things done in the world. Nick explores Britain's alliances - new and old. Joined by the current Foreign Secretary, a former Australian Prime Minister, and a former Prime Minister of Denmark, among others, Nick explores how Britain can respond to shift of power and wealth to the East and the threat posed by China to the rules-based international order.

Do growing economies that are committed to the same rules, laws and institutions as us, such as Australia and India, need our friendship as much as we want theirs? Is there a case for a new partnership for Britain inside a new club of the global elite, the D10? How has the decision to cut foreign aid affected our standing overseas?

A Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

Nick Robinson considers our place in the world in the run up to the G7 summit in Cornwall.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	At The Top Table	20210607	As?Britain?prepares to?host the leaders of the?richest democracies in the world at the?G7 summit, Nick Robinson?begins a?week-long?series??exploring Britain's place in the world. Over five programmes, Nick considers our hard, soft and economic power, our influence and alliances, whether we?are we just a Small Island or whether we can be, in Boris Johnson's phrase, Global?Britain??? 1. At the Top Table With guests including the former Prime Ministers of Australia and Denmark, Nick explores Britain's place at the diplomatic Top Table'. He considers the value of Britain's position in global institutions like the G7 and the UN Security Council and asks whether, as other countries grow wealthier and demand a seat, that position is increasingly weakened. Nick asks what a suitable role for Britain on the international stage could be - perhaps a convener of countries, and a connector of rivals, embodied in Britain's role as host of COP26 later this year. This programme includes data from a new Ipsos Mori poll on public attitudes to Britain's place in the world. A Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4 Nick Robinson considers our place in the world in the run up to the G7 summit in Cornwall.
02	Rule The Waves?	20210608	As?Britain?prepares to?host the leaders of the?richest democracies in the world at the?G7 summit, Nick Robinson?begins a?week-long?series??exploring Britain's place in the world. Over five programmes, Nick considers our hard, soft and economic power, our influence and alliances, whether we?are we just a Small Island or whether we can be, in Boris Johnson's phrase, Global?Britain??? 2. Rule the Waves? From the flight deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, and in the aftermath of the Government's overhaul of defence in March's Integrated Review, Nick asks if Britain is now a pocket superpower'. Does HMS Queen Elizabeth, soon to embark for the South China Sea, embody a commitment to symbolism, as opposed to a practical ability, or willingness to engage on the international stage? Joined by the current Chief of the Defence Staff, a former Foreign Secretary and a former Director of the CIA, Nick looks at what threats Britain faces and asks whether shrinking of the army in the Integrated Review is the nail in the coffin for Britain's ability to operate alone overseas. Are we still a credible ally to our most important defensive partner, the United States? What price must we pay to retain our place at the top table of the global system? Ultimately, Nick asks if all this matters - did David Cameron's historic defeat in the Commons over intervention in Libya mark the end of Britain's willingness to engage in conflicts overseas at all? A Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4 Nick Robinson considers our place in the world in the run up to the G7 summit in Cornwall.
03	Brand Britain	20210609	As?Britain?prepares to?host the leaders of the?richest democracies in the world at the?G7 summit, Nick Robinson?begins a?week-long?series??exploring Britain's place in the world. Over five programmes, Nick considers our hard, soft and economic power, our influence and alliances, whether we?are we just a Small Island or whether we can be, in Boris Johnson's phrase, Global?Britain??? 3. Brand Britain Swapping the Beatles, Bond and Beckham for the Premier League, Nick examines the strength of Britain's soft power through the lens of one of our most powerful international brands. He explores the confluence of factors that made the Premier League the premier league, and considers what the recent European Super League fiasco means. In addition, with the writer of the hit ITV series Victoria, Daisy Goodwin, Nick considers which British TV shows do, and do not, sell abroad and asks if Brand Britain is being diluted by a Netflix-induced pressure to make popular culture more palatable to many different countries at once. Finally, the programme questions whether Britain is too complacent about one of our largest soft power assets, higher education. A Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4 Nick Robinson considers our place in the world in the run up to the G7 summit in Cornwall.
04	This Trading Nation	20210610	As?Britain?prepares to?host the leaders of the?richest democracies in the world at the?G7 summit, Nick Robinson?begins a?week-long?series??exploring Britain's place in the world. Over five programmes, Nick considers our hard, soft and economic power, our influence and alliances, whether we?are we just a Small Island or whether we can be, in Boris Johnson's phrase, Global?Britain??? 4. This Trading Nation Nick explores the future of British trade - what will Britain will be selling in the future, and who will be buying it? He asks whether the vaccine success story where, according to those involved, Britain was able to move at speed, show flexibility, and encourage innovation, is demonstrative of the potential advantages for a new, nimble Britain outside the world's biggest trading bloc. Is the vaccine-recipe of world-class academics, innovative finance and flexible regulation one that can be replicated elsewhere? Nick looks to FinTech, an industry worth £11 billion to the UK economy, and hears from the founder of Starling Bank about what is needed to make the magic' of FinTech happen. Finally, with both an Indian and Australian trade deal being talked up by the Government, Nick asks a former Australian Prime Minister and a former President of Coca Cola UK, what we can hope for from our trading relationships with these countries. A Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4 Nick Robinson considers our place in the world in the run up to the G7 summit in Cornwall.
05	Old Friends, New Friends.	20210611	As?Britain?prepares to?host the leaders of the?richest democracies in the world at the?G7 summit, Nick Robinson?begins a?week-long?series??exploring Britain's place in the world. Over five programmes, Nick considers our hard, soft and economic power, our influence and alliances, whether we?are we just a Small Island or whether we can be, in Boris Johnson's phrase, Global?Britain??? 5. Old Friends, New Friends We need friends, allies and partners to get things done in the world. Nick explores Britain's alliances - new and old. Joined by the current Foreign Secretary, a former Australian Prime Minister, and a former Prime Minister of Denmark, among others, Nick explores how Britain can respond to shift of power and wealth to the East and the threat posed by China to the rules-based international order. Do growing economies that are committed to the same rules, laws and institutions as us, such as Australia and India, need our friendship as much as we want theirs? Is there a case for a new partnership for Britain inside a new club of the global elite, the D10? How has the decision to cut foreign aid affected our standing overseas? A Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4 Nick Robinson considers our place in the world in the run up to the G7 summit in Cornwall.