Research, ideas, and leadership for a more secure, peaceful world

Past Event
Seminar

Hard Choices: What Britain Does Next

RSVP Required Open to the Public

Please join the Future of Diplomacy Project and the Project on Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship for a conversation with Lord Peter Ricketts, former Fisher Family Fellow (2018-19), UK Ambassador to France (2012-2016), and UK National Security Adviser (2010-2012), on his new book Hard Choices: What Britain Does Next about the difficult decisions facing all Western countries - and Britain in particular - as they adapt to a more complex and fractured international order. Faculty Chair Nicholas Burns will moderate this discussion.

Date: Time: - Location: Online
Book cover of Hard Choices

About the author

Lord Peter Ricketts was a Fisher Family Fellow (in residence in April 2018) and a life peer in the House of Lords in the United Kingdom. Lord Peter has spent 40 years as a member of the Diplomatic Service. His final post was Ambassador in Paris (2012-2016). Before that he was the UK’s first National Security Adviser (2010-2012), and in that role was the coordinator of the 2010 National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review. He was Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Head of the Diplomatic Service (2006-2010). In addition, he worked in senior roles on politico-military issues and crisis management, including spells as the FCO Political Director (2001-2003) and Permanent Representative to NATO (2003-2006). He is a cross-bench (non-political) member of the House of Lords, and a Visiting Professor at King's College London. He continues to be heavily involved in public policy with an emphasis on foreign policy, security and defence.

About the book

Hard Choices: What Britain Does Next 

By Peter Ricketts

Published 13 May 2021 

A groundbreaking exploration of the difficult decisions Britain faces outside the EU in a fast-changing world.

After decades of peace and prosperity, the international order put in place after World War II is rapidly coming to an end. Disastrous foreign wars, global recession, the meteoric rise of China and India and the COVID pandemic have undermined the power of the West's international institutions and unleashed the forces of nationalism and protectionism.

In this lucid and groundbreaking analysis, one of Britain's most experienced senior diplomats highlights the key dilemmas Britain faces, from trade to security, arguing that international co-operation and solidarity are the surest ways to prosper in a world more dangerous than ever.