Alicia Kearns, Conservative MP and chair of the UK’s House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, talks about the threat of authoritarian regimes and upcoming events that may test the West. They discuss the challenges of addressing multiple conflicts simultaneously, the strength of Putin's regime, personal consequences of confronting authoritarian regimes, and the Conservative Party's stance on populism and international norms.
Alicia Kearns emphasizes the need for Western democracies to take the threat of authoritarian regimes seriously and advocates for a stronger response against these regimes that are undermining liberal values and institutions.
Kearns stresses the importance of not averting our eyes from the tragedy unfolding in Gaza and advocates for finding a way to address conflicts in multiple regions simultaneously, highlighting the need for stronger multilateral cooperation, resource allocation, and concrete action.
Deep dives
Amplifying the Threat of Authoritarian Regimes
Alicia Kearns, a member of the UK Parliament, emphasizes the need for Western democracies to take the threat of authoritarian regimes seriously. As the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, she uses her platform to advocate for a stronger response against these regimes that are undermining liberal values and institutions. With upcoming events like elections in Taiwan, Putin's actions in Ukraine, and the US presidential election, Kearns believes Western politicians should be concerned about the future and must not lose focus amidst conflicts like Israel-Gaza.
Balancing Attention to Gaza and Other Global Conflicts
Kearns acknowledges the tragedy unfolding in Gaza and stresses the importance of not averting our eyes from the crisis. She advocates for finding a way to address conflicts in multiple regions simultaneously, highlighting the need for stronger multilateral cooperation, resource allocation, and concrete action. While recognizing the severity of the situation in Gaza, she also urges policymakers to actively engage in addressing other conflicts such as Ukraine to prevent tensions and instability from escalating further.
Challenges in UK Politics and Foreign Policy
Kearns opens up about the complexity and challenges associated with discussing Israel-Palestine-related issues in UK politics. She notes the difficulty of avoiding divisive stances and the need to foster critical friendship rather than taking extreme positions. Kearns criticizes the current Israeli government and its actions, highlighting concerns about its settlements, moral authority, and potential forced displacement of Palestinians. She stresses the importance of maintaining leverage over Israel while striving for a balanced and nuanced approach in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Stephen Sackur talks to Alicia Kearns, Conservative MP and chair of the UK’s House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee. She has long warned of the threat to democracies posed by authoritarian regimes, led by China. With a host of elections looming, is 2024 going to severely test the West?
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