UKICE Annual Conference 2024

Join us in Westminster for the UK in a Changing Europe annual conference. Because most of the political parties aren’t, we will be reflecting on the future of the UK and its relationship with the European Union. Eight years on from the decision to leave the EU and just two weeks out from the general election, we are assembling expert panels of leading academics, policymakers and journalists to discuss the changing economic, political and social landscapes of both the UK and Europe.

It will include a keynote speech from Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College London and an introduction to UK in a Changing Europe’s latest report on UK-EU relations from UKICE Director Anand Menon.

Conference agenda
9:00 – 9:30 Arrival and refreshments

9:30 – 10:10 UK-EU relations: what are the prospects?

Anand Menon - UK in a Changing Europe

10:15 – 11:15 Panel 1: Northern Ireland

Following a deal with the UK government, the DUP returned to power-sharing in Northern Ireland in February 2024 after two years without a fully functioning Executive. In that time, post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland were amended by the Windsor Framework, unfreezing the UK-EU relationship. But what do the public in Northern Ireland think about the arrangements now? David Phinnemore and Katy Hayward will present their latest polling, which has been tracking attitudes since 2021. The panel will discuss the findings and consider what’s next for politics in Northern Ireland.

Chair: Jill Rutter - UK in a Changing Europe

Panellists:

• Martin Fraser - Irish Ambassador to Great Britain
• Katy Hayward - Queen's University Belfast
• David Phinnemore - Queen's University Belfast

11:15 - 11:45 Tea break

11:45 – 12:45 Panel 2: The state of UK-EU relations
UK-EU relations are simultaneously in a state of stability and flux. The last eighteen months have seen a significant normalisation of relations, with the UK and EU able to start working constructively on a range of issues. But elections on both sides of the Channel could shake up that dynamic, as could a range of global events such as the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, new waves of migration to Europe, and the forthcoming American elections. The panel will discuss where the UK-EU relationship stands today, and where it could be headed next.

Chair: Anand Menon - UK in a Changing Europe

Panellists:

• Catherine Barnard - UK in a Changing Europe
• Hussein Kassim - University of East Anglia
• Sir Julian King - Former EU Commissioner and former UK Ambassador to France
  

12:45 – 13:45 Lunch

13:45 – 14:45 Panel 3: The Future of Europe
Against the backdrop of the European Parliament elections on 6-9 June, our panel will reflect on the outcome and the challenges that European leaders and institutions will face in the next few years. How can Europe prepare to defend itself given the prospect of a more isolationist US? Will the EU accept new members in the coming years and are EU reforms required first? And how will Europeans adapt to and mitigate climate change in a difficult economic context?

Chair: Peter Foster - FT
Panellists:

• Simon Usherwood - UK in a Changing Europe
• Loukas Tsoukalis - ELIAMEP
  

14:45 – 15:15 Tea break

15:15 – 16:15 Panel 4: The Future of UK
With an election on the horizon, our panel reflects on the challenges that an incoming government will face as it enters office. What will the state of the UK economy be, and what does this mean for public spending? What are the major public policy challenges set to confront the Prime Minister? And in a time of global instability, what will (and should) the UK’s place in the world order be? Join our panel to find out.

Chair: Adam Boulton - Broadcaster

Panellists:

• Rachel Wolf - Public First

• Robert Ford – UK in a Changing Europe
• Polly Mackenzie - University of the Arts London

16:15 – 17:00 Keynote

Sir Lawrence Freedman - King's College London

Further panellists to be announced shortly. Please note the above details are subject to change.

Host or Publisher UK in a Changing Europe