Ernest Bevin Lecture
EBL 2025 With Keynote Speech from General The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL
The Coalition for Global Prosperity was delighted to hold its inaugural Ernest Bevin Lecture on Tuesday 25th November at The Royal Society.
The event was spearheaded by a thought-provoking keynote speech: “The Cost of Complacency: Security in a World on the Brink” delivered by General The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL.
The rules-based and western-centric global order that has been foundational to the UK's safety, security and prosperity for eighty years is collapsing. From the return of great power competition and the advent of a third nuclear age to the re-emergence of global health crises and the proliferation of transnational crime and terrorism, the world Britain must navigate today is increasingly uncertain and dangerous - and our position within it ever-more precarious.
Imbued with the spirit of the great Ernest Bevin, this event attempted to answer the question of how Britain can best prepare itself for these challenges.
Keynote Speaker
General The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL
General The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL was a soldier for nearly forty years and served as Commander of NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and Commander-in-Chief of UK Land Command, before concluding his career as Chief of the General Staff - the professional head of the British Army. Upon retiring in 2009, Lord Dannatt was appointed Constable of the Tower of London and advised David Cameron on defence matters in the run-up to the 2010 General Election. He helped co-found Help for Heroes in 2007, joined the House of Lords as a Crossbench Peer in 2011 and, alongside authoring numerous books including his autobiography, 'Leading from the Front', is a prominent media commentator on defence and security matters.
“In managing this increasingly volatile and unpredictable global environment, I believe Britain needs three things: formidable political leadership; a highly-trained and well-funded Armed Forces; and hard-earned and hard-headed soft power.”
General The Lord Dannatt spoke passionately about the need to be active in securing Britain’s prosperity and security, calling on the government to take tough but necessary decisions.
He stressed the importance of the 3Ds - defence, development and diplomacy - in these efforts. In order for Britain to stand up to the rising threats it must leverage every tool at its disposal.
Check out our highlights reel to hear the reflections of General The Lord Dannatt and CGP’s CEO Ryan Henson.
“Defence and development are not competing priorities; they are interdependent pillars in any coherent national security strategy. The idea that we must weaken one, to strengthen the other is not just deeply misguided but dangerous.”
About the Ernest Bevin Lecture
The Coalition for Global Prosperity's Ernest Bevin Lecture is a new annual lecture series which commemorates the achievements of The Rt Hon Ernest Bevin, former wartime Minister for Labour and the Foreign Secretary who spearheaded the formation of NATO, and the contributions he made to Britain's national security and prosperity. This year's inaugural lecture was delivered by General The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL, former Chief of the General Staff and one of Britain's most prominent senior military figures.