World, Interrupted

Can Labour deliver a genuinely progressive foreign policy in an increasingly dangerous world? For the last episode of this series, host Zoe Swanwick is joined by Monica Harding MP and IPPR's Laura Chappell, to discuss Britain’s approach to international development, defence, global security, and the future of the rules-based order.They look at whether cuts to international development represents a betrayal to progressive causes, if nuclear reamarment is something to be squeamish about, and what the point of international law is if you don’t have the diplomatic heft to back up your words. Can a values-based foreign policy really deliver on the national priorities demanded by the public while balancing the competing state interests who do not share those principles?

Donald Trump’s return to the White House has raised questions about the future of American democracy and US power. In this episode, Zoe Swanwich speaks to Ryan Henson, CEO of the Coalition for Global Prosperity, and Jackson van Uden, historian and host of the History with Jackson podcast, about Trump’s authoritarian ambitions within the longer history of American politics. They ask how far Trump can push against democratic checks and balances, what his presidency means for the country’s role as a global superpower, and what this means for the UK-US ‘special’ relationship.

China is a rising power and is already shaping the global order, and with it, Britain’s operating environment. To unpack China’s ascent and what it means for British foreign policy, Zoe Swanwick speaks to Isabel Hilton, journalist and China expert, to trace the decades that changed everything: Deng Xiaoping's opening to foreign investment, the special economic zones that supercharged growth, the WTO era that turned China into the world's industrial engine, and the more recent shift toward advanced technologies, renewables, and strategic leverage. Along the way, Isabel explains why China's rise is not just an economic story - it is a story about power, dependency, and the limits of globalisation.

International law is supposed to set the rules for how states behave in war and resolve conflicts, but that framework is under growing pressure. In this week’s episode, Zoe Swanwick speaks to James Cowan, CEO of the HALO Trust and former British Army Officer, and Kirsty Sutherland, a barrister specialised in international criminal law and military law, to examine whether international law is losing its force, how consistently the UK applies the principles it claims to champion, and what obligations Britain has towards those caught up in conflict. As the international order becomes increasingly contested, they ask whether these rules can still constrain states, and what it would take to uphold international law in a multipolar world.

Russia’s confrontation with the West extends far beyond the battlefield in Ukraine. From assassinations and sabotage to espionage, political interference, and disinformation, how has Russia’s shadow war toolkit evolved since the end of the Cold War? In this week’s episode, Zoe Swanwick speaks to Gordon Corera, co-host of the Rest is Classified and former BBC Security Correspondent, about how Britain's relationship with Russia shifted from attempts at cooperation to greater adversary, whether the UK has done enough to respond, and what lessons translate for managing relations with China.