Coffee House Shots Jeremy Hunt on Trump, Budgets and Welsh whisky
Jun 21, 2025
Jeremy Hunt, Former Chancellor and Foreign Secretary, believes Britain risks losing its global influence. He shares insights from his time during Trump's presidency, emphasizing the importance of both hard and soft power in foreign policy. Hunt humorously discusses his temptation to sip Welsh whisky during Budget presentations and critiques the Treasury's rigid economic strategies. He argues for a shift towards decentralized leadership, reflecting on the UK's need for confidence and proactive engagement on the world stage.
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Britain's Enduring Global Influence
- Britain remains one of the top influential countries globally despite lacking an empire now.
- Retreating into isolation risks making the world more dangerous and wasting Britain's potential.
Prioritizing Hard Power and Defence
- Hard power and defence spending are more critical than just diplomatic schmoozing in today's dangerous world.
- Increasing defence spend to 2.5% of GDP was essential to maintain UK's global influence.
Soft Power's Role in Global Democracy
- The UK wields both hard power and soft power along with a big tech sector, key in global democratic struggles.
- Investing in BBC News worldwide can strengthen Britain's soft power against autocracy.
