The 1946 Forum
Security, prosperity, leadership
Parliamentary Chair:
The Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP
In the aftermath of the Second World War, Sir Winston Churchill delivered his assessment of the rebalancing of power and advocated for robust international institutions to uphold the values the Allies had defended. It was in 1946 at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri that he delivered the ‘Sinews of Peace’ speech and the ‘special relationship’ was born.
Inspired by this seminal speech, we created the 1946 Forum. This cross-party forum works to strengthen the transatlantic relationship by promoting security, prosperity and leadership in international development in the wider context of foreign policy, security and national interest.
Today the UK and US face the most volatile geopolitical challenges since the Cold War, with a more competitive and aggressive China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea to contend with, as well as ‘problems without passports’ such as climate change, pandemics and migration. The influence of authoritarian states is seeping into global decision-making. Migration is rising. Democracies are suffering from lack of trust in politicians and institutions.
The transatlantic alliance should be at the forefront of tackling these development, diplomatic and defence challenges.
Together we can realise this vision of a strengthened transatlantic alliance with our geostrategic and shared values at its heart.
Our Work
As part of CGP’s long-term goal to counter the negative discourse in the UK among the public, media and parliamentarians surrounding the UK’s commitment to international development, as a key tool in UK foreign policy alongside our defence and diplomatic efforts, the 1946 Forum aims to champion this integrated approach to foreign policy.
Considering the cost of living crisis, political volatility in the West and declining trust in governments and international institutions, this is a crucial moment to bring together a network of diverse cross-party legislators from both sides of the Atlantic to make the case for smart investments in development and security, and to promote the role for the UK, US and their allies in boosting freedom and prosperity.
Transatlantic Visits
Over the past two years since its inception, the 1946 Forum has hosted 4 bipartisan MP delegations to Washington DC, a number of private roundtable events at the Churchill War Rooms in London and in venues in DC, launched an essay collection with policymakers from the UK and US with a foreword from Kurt Volker, former US Ambassador to NATO, and engaged with high-level stakeholders including Members of Congress, former National Security Advisers, current and former British Ambassadors to the US, the World Bank, think tank experts and NGO representatives.
Events
1946 Forum events bring together influential political leaders and thinkers from across Westminster and include a speaker of relevance to the transatlantic relationship or pressing issues in foreign policy. Dinners are held in the Churchill War Rooms, HMS Belfast or OWO to reflect the significance of the ‘Sinews of Peace’ speech and as a sympathetic background to the themes that are covered. As agreed, the topics explored during these events focus on the intersections between development and broader shared US and UK foreign policy objectives.
