The Northern Ireland Protocol
Roderick CrawfordThe Northern Ireland Protocol: The Origins of the Current Crisis, by Roderick Crawford, is the only existing authoritative chronology of the Brexit negotiations and specifically what went wrong in 2017. It argues that commitments, particularly on the Irish border, in the 2017 Joint Report were “a diplomatic triumph for Ireland and the Commission” but that “failing to secure adequate reciprocal concessions was a staggering failure for the UK.” The paper is the story of how the UK got stuck with a protocol that was determined by a one-sided and flawed interpretation of the Belfast Agreement.
Environmental Affairs – Unleashing Climate Capital
Benedict McAleenanEnvironmental Affairs is Policy Exchange’s quarterly journal, which explores the implications of the growing role of environmental policy. In this edition, Unleashing Climate Capital, our contributors consider policies promoting green investments, including the Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) investment agenda.
How to Improve the Judicial Review and Courts Bill
Richard EkinsThe Lord Chancellor introduced the Judicial Review and Courts Bill to Parliament on 21st July this year. This paper, which draws on submissions to the Independent Review of Administrative Law and the Government Consultation on Judicial Review Reform, sets out a number of amendments that Parliament may wish to consider making to the Bill.
Sanctions and the Economic Crime Bill: the backbench amendments
The House of Commons is today considering the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill. Ministers have tabled nine amendments to the Bill that would amend the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 and are intended to streamline the process of imposing sanctions. In an article published today on the Spectator’s Coffee House blog, I consider the amendments, arguing that while they may do some good they are an indirect, overly general way to address the particular problem of imposing sanctions on particular Russian oligarchs and officials. My article comments briefly on two backbench amendments, commentary which this short post elaborates.
Will we celebrate our Elizabethan architecture?
This year is the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s accession. What defined the architecture of Elizabeth II’s reign and what chance does it have of becoming a revered historic style of the future?
Since the Norman Conquest and with the singular exception of the Middle Ages, the stylistic classification of British architecture has always been inexorably linked to our monarchs or their dynasties: Norman, Tudor, Elizabethan, Jacobean, Stuart, Georgian, Regency, Victorian and Edwardian.
Legislating about sanctions
The UK’s delay in imposing sanctions on Russian oligarchs and officials is verging on national embarrassment. The delay undermines the foreign policy imperative of acting swiftly to punish Russia for its aggression, raising the material and psychological cost to the regime and chipping away at the Russian state’s capacity to maintain its lawless invasion.
‘Superb’ Building Beautiful essay collection features in The Times
“Beauty may have been neglected for years, but now decision-makers are moving in the right direction,” says Clare Foges in The Times. She praises Building Beautiful as “a superb collection of essays published… by the think tank Policy Exchange” and mentions contributions from the celebrated Syrian architect and author Marwa Al-Sabouni and Sir Terry Farrell, whose essay (and Times column) argued for a new generation of mansion blocks.
International Trade Secretary visits Policy Exchange for a keynote speech
Rt Hon Liam Fox MP, Secretary of State for International Trade, visited Policy Exchange to deliver a keynote speech on free trade and the UK’s place in the world after its departure from the EU.
Mark Carney on “Capitalism in America”
Bank of England Governor Mark Carney spoke at a Policy Exchange event with Alan Greenspan, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and Adrian Wooldridge, The Economist’s Bagehot columnist, to launch their new book, Capitalism in America.
Upcoming Events
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Thursday, 30 January, 2020
11:00 - 12:25
Policy Exchange was delighted to welcome Hon Michael R. Pompeo, United States Secretary of State, to speak on “The Future of the Special Relationship” in conversation with Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP, United Kingdom Foreign Secretary, moderated by Dean Godson, Director of Policy Exchange.
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Wednesday, 18 December, 2019
10:00 - 11:00
Policy Exchange welcome the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP for the first major ministerial speech following the General Election. His address coincides with the launch of Policy Exchange’s new Health and Social Care Research unit, led by Senior Fellow Richard Sloggett, former Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
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Monday, 11 March, 2019
18:00 - 19:30
The problem of jihadi brides and ISIL fighters has made discussions about reform of the law of treason a matter of high public importance. Policy Exchange is proud to have led the public conversation about this issue, beginning with publication in July 2018 of a major cross-party report on modernisation of the law.