Today, 24 January 2025, the cross-party House of Lords International
Relations and Defence Committee has launched a call for
written evidence for its latest inquiry into the United Kingdom's
future relationship with the United States.
The UK and US have shared a strong and enduring partnership
rooted in diplomatic, military, and intelligence cooperation for
over a century. Yet, shifting political dynamics and broader US
policy trends raise crucial questions about how this relationship
might evolve, demanding strategic foresight from the UK
Government. This inquiry will seek to identify new opportunities
for collaboration, address potential sources of tension, and
explore how the UK can shape its relationship with the US to
safeguard UK interests in the years ahead.
Read the full call for evidence and
find out how to make a submission. The deadline for the
submission of written evidence is 5:00pm on 14 March
2025.
, who chairs the
International Relations and Defence Committee said:
“The US has been the UK's principal ally for over a century,
and the relationship has weathered international crises,
diverging interests and political shifts on both sides of the
Atlantic. However, we must not take this ‘special relationship'
for granted.
“Our new inquiry will assess the current state of the
transatlantic relationship, explore short and long-term trends in
US and UK policy, and identify opportunities for co-operation and
potential friction points.
“We will make evidence-based recommendations to the UK
Government to ensure that, in the years to come, our relationship
with the US continues to flourish and develops to the benefit of
both our nations.”
The Committee is seeking evidence on a range of questions
including:
-
What are the benefits and
challenges of a close UK-US relationship and how, if at all,
does the UK-US relationship differ from relationships the UK
and the US have with other Western allies?
- How will a second Trump term affect the US' perception of the
UK as an important ally?
- How will US market access, broader trade policy and/or
regulatory practices likely evolve under President Trump and
beyond? How would these impact the UK? What are the most viable
and effective options for the UK to co-operate with the US in the
economic sphere?
- What are the likely priority areas for US foreign policy in
the long term, and what future friction points (e.g. China) do
you foresee? How should the UK respond?
- How would you assess the UK-US defence and
intelligence-sharing relationship, including strengths,
weaknesses and areas where the UK may be currently overly
dependent on the US?
- What is your assessment of the likely future US attitude to
continued co-operation with the UK over nuclear weapons and
technology, including AI?
For the full list of questions on which the Committee is seeking
written evidence, please refer to the call for evidence.
