Unpacking Europe: UK defence policy and role in NATO in the Burnham government

Armida van Rij, Lord Robertson
30 July 2026

On this week’s Unpacking Europe podcast, Armida van Rij sat down with Lord Robertson, former NATO Secretary General and co-lead of the 2024 UK Strategic Defence Review, to discuss priorities for UK defence for the new Burnham government.

They took a detailed look at current challenges for UK defence, the UK's future role in NATO as the alliance undergoes a major transformation, and offered advice to the new UK government for navigating big political and societal questions to maintain security in Europe. 

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