Best of the Spectator Coffee House Shots: Jeremy Hunt on Trump, Budgets and Welsh whisky
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Jun 21, 2025 Jeremy Hunt, former Chancellor and Foreign Secretary, discusses Britain’s influential role in the world and its waning confidence. He reflects on his encounters with Donald Trump, highlighting Trump's unique communication style. Hunt advocates for the BBC as a powerful tool for soft diplomacy and shares his intriguing wish to present a Budget with whisky in hand. He emphasizes the importance of local empowerment in economic strategy and critiques the balance needed between military might and soft power to sustain the UK's global position.
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Britain's Lasting Global Influence
- Britain is still one of the world’s most influential nations despite lacking an empire today.
- It ranks top 10 globally in influence on major world issues, often top five, according to experts.
Foreign Office Undervalues Economy
- The Foreign Office excels at diplomacy but often overlooks Britain's economic potential.
- The UK remains the sixth largest economy and will likely maintain that ranking for years.
Prioritize Defence Spending
- The Prime Minister must prioritize defence spending as the key way to project UK power.
- Increasing defence budget to 2.5% of GDP strengthens Britain's role as a security pillar in Europe.
