Lords Committee to question Minister on the current and long-term prospects of the UK-US relationship

Tomorrow, Wednesday 19 November, Stephen Doughty MP, Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories, will give evidence to the the House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee as part of its ongoing inquiry examining the UK's future relationship with the US.

The session will examine key dimensions of the transatlantic relationship, including foreign policy strategy, defence and intelligence cooperation, and economic ties. It will also look ahead to consider the long-term prospects for a stable and effective partnership.

The session will start at 2.00pm and will be available to watch live or on demand at Parliament TV or attend in person in Committee Room 3, Palace of Westminster.

Questions will include:

• How would you characterise the current state of the UK–US relationship, and how does the Government define its success? To what extent does the Government still consider the term “special relationship” a useful framing for UK–US ties in today's international environment?

• Would you agree that different threat perceptions in relation to China and Russia are leading to a divergence in UK and US strategic priorities, and that this could lead to a rift in the relationship? What does this mean for the UK approach?

• How confident are you that the US will remain interested in and committed to the defence of Europe? How should the UK Government respond to US retrenchment? And what are the implications for NATO's cohesion and credibility, particularly if subsequent US administrations continue to take a more transactional or isolationist approach?

• What are the key current and future UK economic interests that depend on a strong relationship with the US, and how is the Government positioning itself to safeguard those interests as US economic policy becomes more protectionist?

• How do you evaluate the long-term prospects of the UK-US relationship, and what in your view are the key measures necessary now to ensure that the partnership continues to be as effective and trusted in the future as it has been historically?