The UK Labour Party’s Foreign and Defense Priorities: A Conversation With David Lammy and John Healey

Following his previous visit to the Wilson Center in October 2022, Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey will be joined by Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy for an in-person conversation on September 22nd from 9am to 10am, moderated by Robin Quinville, Director of the Global Europe Program. With a UK General Election expected next year, this discussion will provide unique insight into the Labour Party's approach to foreign and defense policymaking, shared global challenges, and emphasize how US-UK cooperation will remain a top priority.

Key Quotes: 

David Lammy MP, UK Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

• "We’re in the United States because the relationship between the UK and the US is so central frankly, to the rules-based order that we all enjoy and we want to stress that there are huge points of continuity going forward."

• "We have been very clear that we will not be reentering the single market and the customs union [after Brexit], but we want to be strong and working with European partners therefore we have suggested a security pact with our EU partners."

• "There is a bipartisan position right across the political establishment in the UK that we have to stand with the Ukrainian people for as long as it takes and that we have to repel Putin in his imperial ambitions."

John Healey MP, UK Shadow Secretary of State for Defense

• "The commitment of the current government for a better-balanced way has now made it to the Indo-Pacific, so we’ll build on that commitment to the Indo-Pacific, and in particular, we are totally committed to our part in making the AUKUS strategic arrangement work well."

• "We need to reboot, and I’ve started to do some of the early discussions with the French on how you would reboot the Lancaster House agreement."

• "Both [David Lammy] and I have talked about the need for a security and defense cooperation structure with the European Union and potentially we would like to get to the point where we could strike some kind of pact or agreement."