With European nations now spending more on defence than America for the first time since the Second World War, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin explored how the end of the peace dividend is creating new dilemmas for the political class and what this means for the Whitehall machine.

In his first speech since stepping down as head of the armed forces, Admiral Sir Tony, who served four successive prime ministers, reflected on the advent of a third nuclear age, the race to artificial super intelligence and the requirement for grand national strategy to meet the demands of a new more dangerous era.

Following his speech, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

Navigating a Contested Age: Chiefly Reflections of Admiral Sir Tony Radakin

This event is part of the Institute for Government's Conservative Party Conference 2025 fringe programme.

Speakers:

David Simmonds MP, Shadow Minister for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Dr Tom Arnold, Research Associate at the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place
Cllr Abi Brown OBE, Deputy Leader of the Local Government Association Conservative Group
Helen Gbormittah, Regional Director, North West at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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This event is part of the Institute for Government's Conservative Party Conference 2025 fringe programme.

Speakers:

Richard Fuller MP, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government
Ryan Shorthouse, Executive Chair at Bright Blue
Trinh Tu, Managing Director, Public Affairs at Ipsos UK

This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.



What is the Conservative route to fiscal sustainability?

This event is part of the Institute for Government's Conservative Party Conference 2025 fringe programme.

Speakers:

Rt Hon Jesse Norman MP, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Caroline Elsom, Head of Reshaping The State at Onward
Eve Norridge, Head of Research at Onward
Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government
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This event is part of the Institute for Government's Conservative Party Conference 2025 fringe programme.

Speakers:

Baroness Barran MBE, Shadow Minister for Education
Dr Kieran Mullan MP, Shadow Minister for Justice
Cllr Abi Brown OBE, Deputy Leader of the Local Government Association Conservative Group

This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.


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This event is part of the Institute for Government's Conservative Party Conference 2025 fringe programme.

Speakers:

Mayor Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester
Cllr Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Economic Growth and Prosperity at Essex County Council

This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.


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This event is part of the Institute for Government's Conservative Party Conference 2025 fringe programme.

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Rt Hon Lord Willetts, Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office and former Minister for Universities and Science
Helen Bower-Easton CBE, Director of Communications at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
Professor Nigel Brandon OBE, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Professor of Sustainable Development in Energy at Imperial College London
Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

This event was held in partnership with Imperial College London.

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Navigating a Contested Age: Chiefly Reflections of Admiral Sir Tony Radakin

Institute for Government

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