Liam Walpole and Megan return to discuss the latest defence and security policy development in UK politics.

In the second of a two-part podcast series on security  in Africa's Sahel region, Abigail Watson is joined by Anna Schmauder, Brema Ely Dicko and Zoe Gorman to discuss the local and regional contexts of security. 

Delina Goxho and Flore Berger discuss international intervention in the Sahel. 

On November 26 Remote Warfare Programme launched a new report on the roll-out of the UK’s Fusion Doctrine.

You can find the report here.

On the basis of field research in Kenya and Mali, interviews with officials from the British Ministry Of Defence, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department For International Development, as well as roundtables with experts from a wide variety of backgrounds, the report argues that as Fusion Doctrine is rolled out it presents an important opportunity to improve our offer to African partners in the Sahel and East Africa.

An expert panel discussed the report's findings. 

Ulrike Franke of ECFR joins the podcast to discuss drones, artificial intelligence and the future of technology in warfare. 

Music by Bensound. 

About the discussants

Dr. Ulrike Franke is a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and part of ECFR’s New European Security Initiative. Her areas of focus include German and European security and defence, the future of warfare, and the impact of new technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence. 

Abigail Watson is Senior Research Officer at the Remote Warfare Programme.

Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen is Research and Advocacy Officer, Remote Warfare Programme. 

Liam Walpole is joined by three guests to discuss defence and foreign policy from the perspective of those who work as researchers for MPs in the House of Commons. The topics covered include where each of the main UK party leaders stand on defence and security, the conflicts between global vs. ethical foreign policy, budgeting for UK foreign policy and whether there is enough accountability in defence policy.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Music credit: Bensound.

About the discussants

Liam Walpole is a Senior Policy Officer at the Remote Warfare Programme.

Roddy McGlynn is Researcher for SNP Foreign Affairs team Before joining the SNP Westminster Group, Roddy studied International Relations at the University of St Andrews, during which time he spent a summer interning at the UN in Bonn, working on climate security and climate-driven migration.  He has also worked with civil society and refugee groups in Berlin and Mexico City. In Westminster, he works on foreign affairs for SNP central research, covering the Foreign Office, the Department for International Trade, the Department for International Development and the Ministry of Defence.

However, he is not be speaking on behalf of the party or the Westminster Group but as someone working in Parliament with an interest in foreign affairs.

Edward Tebbutt is a Parliamentary Researcher for Crispin Blunt MP. He has a BA in Arabic and Middle East Studies from the University of Exeter and an MSc in Security Studies from University College London. He has worked in parliament for two years dealing with policy issues and a particular focus on defence and foreign affairs.

He will not be speaking on behalf of the Conservative Party or as a representative of Crispin Blunt MP but as someone with an interest in defence and foreign affairs and a background working in Parliament. He is not a member of any political party.

Sam Goodman is a trustee of the British Foreign Policy Group and the author of the Imperial Premiership: The Role of the Modern Prime Minister in Foreign Policy Making, 1964-2015 (Manchester University Press: 2015).  He recently published a report titled ‘Running Out of Credit? The Decline of the Foreign Office and the Case for Sustained Funding’ which highlighted the Foreign Office’s historic underfunding and cuts to the UK’s diplomatic network. He is currently working as a political adviser to Peter Dowd MP the current Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury and has previously worked for a variety of Labour Members of Parliament including: Julie Cooper MP, Sir Mark Hendrick MP, Michael Dugher MP, and Rt. Hon Jack Straw MP. Sam has also spent time working in the US House of Representatives for Congressman Bobby L Rush (D-IL) from Illinois’s 1st Congressional District.

Sam will be speaking in today’s podcast in an independent capacity, utilising academic expertise and his parliamentary experience of foreign policy.

Abigail Watson and Liam Walpole are joined by Jamie Gaskarth from the University of Birmingham to discuss the accountability of the more secretive elements of the UK security services such as intelligence and special forces. 

Music by Bensound 

Image credit: Matt Hecht/Flickr. 

About the discussants

Liam Walpole is a Senior Policy Officer at the Remote Warfare Programme.

Abigail Watson is Senior Research Officer at the Remote Warfare Programme.

 Jamie Gaskarth is Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the University of Birmingham. 

 The Remote Warfare Programme's Liam Walpole and Abigail Watson discuss the latest developments in UK defence and security policy.

In July, Boris Johnson's won the Tory leadership race which saw him become Prime Minister of Britain. The two discuss the implications of Johnson's premiership for UK defence and security. They also examine the recent announcement by the Ministry of Defence that 250 British troops will be deployed to Mali next year to join what has been called the world’s deadliest peacekeeping operation, MINUSMA.   

Music by Bensound

Image credit: Number 10/Flickr. 

The Remote Warfare Programme's Liam Walpole is joined by the Strategic Peacebuilding Programme's Marwa Baabbad to discuss the UK's policy towards Yemen and the impact of its security partnership with Saudi Arabia on the country.   

Music by Bensound

Image credit: Flickr 

The Remote Warfare Programme's Liam Walpole and Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen discuss the latest developments in UK defence and security policy.

This month the two discuss the increasing tension between Iran and the United States, the recent UK court ruling on arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the implications of the Conservative leadership contest for UK defence.