The "Global Britain" concept, a central plank of the UK's post-Brexit foreign policy, is being advanced through specific, multi-faceted policies across trade, defense/security, and soft power.

These initiatives are detailed largely in the government's Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy (2021) and its subsequent Integrated Review Refresh (2023).

1. Trade and Economic Policy

The core of the "Global Britain" trade agenda is to establish the UK as an independent champion of free trade and to expand its economic reach beyond the European Union.

New and Enhanced Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)

The most tangible action is the aggressive pursuit and completion of new FTAs, both continuity deals and new bilateral agreements:

• Continuity FTAs: Immediately post-Brexit, the UK rapidly secured continuity agreements with over 70 countries and territories that were previously covered by EU deals. While these agreements primarily replicate the status quo and do not provide new market access, they were essential for avoiding trade disruption.

• New Bilateral FTAs: The UK has concluded new, distinct bilateral agreements with nations like Australia and New Zealand. These deals, while projected to have a marginal impact on overall UK GDP, are politically significant as proof of the UK's independent trade policy.

• Accession to CPTPP: A major strategic objective has been the UK's application and subsequent successful accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). This is a significant move, as it links the UK to an eleven-nation trade bloc in the Indo-Pacific, reinforcing the UK's strategic "tilt" to the region.

• Ongoing Negotiations: High-profile negotiations continue with significant global partners, notably India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), aiming for enhanced market access, particularly in the UK's strong services sector.

Championing Free Trade and Global Regulation

Beyond specific deals, the UK is using its independent position to shape global economic norms:

• World Trade Organization (WTO): The UK actively participates in and seeks to reform the WTO, advocating for a multilateral, rules-based trading system.

• Services Liberalisation: Recognizing its comparative advantage in the services sector (e.g., financial, legal, and digital), the UK is pushing for greater global liberalisation of trade in services, which is a key focus of its new trade strategy.

• Supply Chain Resilience: The government has prioritised economic security, seeking to diversify critical supply chains to reduce reliance on single states (e.g., China) and build resilience against future shocks.

2. Defense and Security Policy

The defense and security dimension of "Global Britain" is primarily articulated through the Integrated Review and its focus on a "tilt" to the Indo-Pacific and strengthening the Euro-Atlantic region. The goal is to be a credible, problem-solving, and burden-sharing global power.

Strategic Shift: The Indo-Pacific "Tilt"

The UK has explicitly shifted its strategic focus, acknowledging the growing economic and geopolitical importance of the Indo-Pacific region:

• Carrier Strike Group Deployments: The deployment of the HMS Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group to the region in 2021 was a visible demonstration of this commitment, projecting hard power and increasing interoperability with allies like the US and Japan.

• AUKUS Security Pact: The formation of the AUKUS security pact with the United States and Australia is arguably the most significant defense policy move. This partnership will deliver conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, deepening technological and security cooperation between the three nations over decades.

• Reciprocal Access Agreements: The UK has signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with Japan and is deepening cooperation with other regional partners like South Korea and India, facilitating closer defense cooperation, joint training, and deployments.

Defence Modernisation and Increased Investment

The "Global Britain" vision is underpinned by a commitment to modernizing the armed forces and maintaining a credible deterrent:

• Increased Defence Spending: The government has committed to increasing defence spending towards 2.5% of GDP in the longer term, maintaining its position as a leading NATO spender.

• Nuclear Deterrent: The Integrated Review confirmed a decision to increase the ceiling on the UK's nuclear warhead stockpile, reversing a decades-long trend of gradual reduction, to ensure the deterrent remains credible in a more competitive environment.

• Next-Generation Capabilities: Significant investment is being directed towards new domains of conflict:

  • Cyber: Establishment of the National Cyber Force for offensive and defensive operations.

  • Space: Creation of a new Space Command.

  • Future Combat Air System (FCAS): Investment in the development of next-generation fighter aircraft technology.

• Enhanced European Security: Despite leaving the EU, the UK remains unequivocally committed to NATO, treating the Euro-Atlantic as its neighborhood of primary importance. Policies include increasing troop and capability contributions to NATO deployments and taking a leading role in the military response to threats, notably Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

3. Soft Power and Global Influence

The UK aims to maintain its status as a "soft power superpower," leveraging its culture, values, education, and development capabilities to build lasting international relationships and shape the global order.

Development, Diplomacy, and Values

Specific policy actions have both enhanced and challenged the UK's soft power standing:

• Creation of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO): The merger of the Foreign Office (diplomacy) and the Department for International Development (aid) into a single department was a structural change intended to align the UK's diplomatic, development, and security tools, making its overseas influence more "integrated" and strategic.

• Development Aid Commitment: A key policy challenge and focus has been the commitment to return to spending 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) on Official Development Assistance (ODA) "when the fiscal situation allows," after a temporary reduction to 0.5% due to fiscal pressures. While the cut generated criticism, the stated intent is to restore the funding, underlining the long-term importance of development.

• Cultural Diplomacy: The work of institutions like the British Council and the BBC World Service remains a vital arm of soft power, promoting education, culture, and the English language globally.

• Multilateral Leadership: The UK seeks to lead by example and through institutions:

  • Climate Change: Hosting COP26 and maintaining a leading role in global climate diplomacy.

  • Human Rights: Using tools like the Magnitsky Sanctions regime to target individuals and entities responsible for serious human rights violations globally, reinforcing the UK's commitment to democratic values.

  • Commonwealth: Strengthening ties and cooperation with the Commonwealth nations, leveraging historical and cultural links for modern political, economic, and security cooperation.

Science and Technology Advantage

The Integrated Review positions science and technology as a core pillar of "Global Britain," a source of both prosperity and strategic advantage:

• S&T Superpower Ambition: The goal is to be a Science and Technology Superpower by 2030, committing investment to cutting-edge areas like AI, quantum computing, and life sciences.

• Talent Attraction: Policies include an increasingly flexible immigration system—including the Global Talent visa—designed to attract leading scientists, researchers, and innovators to the UK to boost its strategic capabilities.

In summary, the "Global Britain" vision is translating into concrete policies and measurable outputs, particularly in the three core areas: securing major trade deals like CPTPP accession, enacting a major defense shift to the Indo-Pacific through AUKUS and Carrier deployments, and strategically adjusting soft power through FCDO integration and targeted international development and science initiatives.