Can Britain be great again?

Can Britain be great again?

Author: Chatham House June 13, 2025 Duration: 30:17

Is Britain chasing faded glory or forging a credible future? As the government lays out its latest spending review, Bronwen Maddox is joined by Jeremy Hunt and Samir Puri to ask whether bold talk of growth, defence and science hides a deeper strategic driftor a real path back to global influence.

Read our latest:

Europe could win the battle for the future of digital money

History suggests Trump's snapped back sanctions won't deliver change in Venezuela

Why peacebuilding fails and what to do about it

Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Amanda Nunn. 'Independent Thinking' is an Indio Media production for Chatham House.

Read the Summer issue of The World Today 

Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧 

Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧

Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.


Hosted by Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox, Independent Thinking brings the institute’s private deliberations into the public ear. This isn’t a rehearsed lecture series, but a direct channel into candid, high-level discussions typically held behind closed doors. Maddox guides conversations with a carefully selected mix of leading policymakers, frontline journalists, and Chatham House’s own deep bench of experts, focusing on the international political issues that are shaping headlines and rewriting global strategies. The tone is analytical yet accessible, privileging substance and nuance over soundbites. Each episode feels like a privileged seat at a crucial roundtable, where complex topics-from shifting alliances and economic sanctions to climate diplomacy and conflict-are unpacked with clarity and intellectual rigor. Listeners gain a clearer understanding of the forces driving world events, hearing diverse perspectives clash and converge in real time. For anyone looking to move beyond the superficial news cycle and engage with the substantive arguments defining our geopolitics, this podcast offers an essential and thoughtful resource. It’s where informed opinion meets the pressing questions of our moment, fostering a deeper kind of political literacy.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Independent Thinking
Podcast Episodes
After Paris: Are the US and UK leaving Europe behind on AI? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:04
Sixty countries signed a declaration on 'inclusive' artificial intelligence at a global summit in Paris this week, but the UK and US refused. What was agreed at the summit, why did London and Washington decline to sign a…
How dangerous are Trump's trade threats? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:22
President Trump has threatened to put tariffs on Mexico and Canada and imposed them on China, fuelling fears of a looming global trade war. With the European Union likely next in his sights – what is the US president try…
Can Donald Trump end the war in Ukraine? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:54
President Trump wants a peace deal in Ukraine and has signalled he's willing to put pressure on Vladimir Putin to achieve it. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also appears more open to a deal – if there is a guarantee for Ukraine's s…
What did we learn from Donald Trump's first days? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:11
Donald Trump has signed a wave of executive orders in his first days as America's 47th President. The panel discuss the president's changes to US foreign policy and their potential impact on America and the world. Guest…
Will the Israel-Hamas ceasefire hold? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:27
A fragile ceasefire and hostage deal has been agreed between Israel and Hamas to end 15 months of war and suffering. Chatham House experts discuss the timing of the deal, whether it can hold and what comes next. Bronwen…
What will be the flashpoints of 2025? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:53
From the devastating wars in Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza to Donald Trump's threats over Greenland and the Panama Canal, what are the places to watch this year? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Gideon Rachman, the FT's chief forei…
What next for Syria and the Middle East after Assad? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:48
Does Bashar al-Assad's removal offer a renewed chance for peace in Syria, or is his fall the start of a new phase of conflict in the Middle East? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Gideon Rachman, the FT's chief foreign affairs…
Is Europe falling apart? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:29
Europe is contending with a stagnating economy, political dysfunction in Germany and France, and Russia's relentless attacks on Ukraine, all while it looks to the return of Donald Trump. Will the continent's democracies…
Has COP29 made a difference on climate change? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:25
The panel discuss whether the COP29 climate summit delivered anything meaningful and what Donald Trump's election means for combating climate change. As the world moves closer to crossing the 1.5 degree threshold, Bronwe…