Britain shaped the modern world - now we must defend it, writes Jeremy Hunt

5 June 2025, 09:02 | Updated: 5 June 2025, 09:27

By Jeremy Hunt

When Sir Keir Starmer signed the disastrous Chagos deal last month, we didn’t just agree to give up our sovereign territory.

We also told the world that we were giving up as a great power. The fact that our geopolitical rivals support the deal should tell you everything you need to know about it.

But our opponents should not underestimate us. Britain is still a major player; we just need some more confidence. In my new book Can we be great again? I outline exactly what makes us so great.

During my brief year as Foreign Secretary, I managed to visit more than two dozen countries. What I experienced would surprise the declinists at home. Instead of seeing the UK as a diminished power that should be atoning for its sins, almost everywhere I went, people gave us a lot of respect.

This is because people remember that the UK – together with the US – helped set up the post-war global order. That includes many of the great institutions that have enabled the world to prosper. From human rights to world trade, from health to combatting climate change, the UK has always played a key role.

And the world has indeed prospered. When I was born in 1966, half the world lived in extreme poverty. Now it is less than a tenth. At the same time the global population has nearly tripled.

That was then, but what about now?

Out of 193 countries in the United Nations, the UK still ranks amongst the top ten most influential. If you just count democracies we are in the top five. Not only is the UK a major contributor to global security, but we are also a world leader in global health, a champion of democratic values, and a tech innovator.

Our robust legal system has made us the most popular venue of choice for arbitration and our universities are a top pick for international students. We are also the world’s sixth largest economy and the world’s second largest exporter of services.

It is true, the UK has faltered recently. Since the global financial crisis, it has felt like we have staggered from one issue to the next. The pandemic followed by the energy shock caused by the invasion of Ukraine has certainly put our economy on the back foot.

But we were on the road to recovery. When I became Chancellor, inflation was at 11%. When I left government, it was just above 2%. The economy was just firing up when the election was called. Unfortunately, Labour then went ahead with their disastrous budget, which is now causing all kinds of problems.

Currently, the world as we know it is also under threat. President Trump wants a trade war. Putin is pursuing a real war with Ukraine. China has shown that the route to prosperity is not always through democracy. Is there anything Britain can do?

In support of global trade, we can coordinate with like-minded countries such as Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea – and even the EU – to show the world that protectionism is not the way forward. We must act in solidarity and resist the urge to put up barriers. Free trade is how we will pull more people out of poverty.

In response to the rise in conflict, the UK must continue to show leadership. We must continue to rally support for countries like Ukraine and push for European NATO countries to spend at least 3% of GDP on defence. The recent SDR will require more than the government’s target of 2.5%. The UK already has Europe’s best military, but if we can increase our defence budget even further, the UK can help take more of the burden in NATO from the US. With the upcoming NATO summit, Sir Keir Starmer must be ready to make the case for this. Otherwise, who knows what President Trump will do?

Lastly, China’s rise currently poses a serious challenge to democratic development. Backsliding was already a problem in a lot of countries. For many world leaders, development no longer requires improved transparency or the rule of law as China does not attach such strings to its loans. They see China’s success and have begun to question the narrative that democracy leads to prosperity.

In addition to making more funding available for developing countries, Britain must also continue to promote democratic values. For example, not only do we play an important role in the Media Freedom Coalition, but the government also partners with media charities to support public interest media around the world, including but not limited to projects in Iraq and Nepal.

Sadly, a lot of our good work internationally goes unnoticed domestically. Feel good stories get fewer clicks than rage bait. But let me reassure you, the rest of the world will notice if we give up. We do great things and have great potential. Can we be great again? Yes. We just need the right vision.

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Jeremy Hunt is MP for Godalming and Ash.

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