Crossbench Peer | IISS Chair | Strategic Adviser | Former Cabinet Secretary and National Security Adviser |
London
Joined November 2010
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Mark Sedwill retweeted
We cannot let these attacks wipe out Ukraine's educational resources. That is why The Sunday Times is incredibly proud to partner with @Book_Aid for the our Get Ukraine Reading appeal.
They are working on the ground to get brand-new books back into the hands of students and restock the libraries whose shelves were destroyed.
Every £2 donated sends another brand-new book to a Ukrainian child or library.
Please consider supporting the appeal and sharing this thread to help us rebuild what has been lost:
bookaid.org/support-us/the-s…
Mark Sedwill retweeted
As we prepare for AFF26 in Oslo next month, @StephenWatson39 discusses the format and likely impact of the Forum with AFF Chair, @marksedwill
Mark Sedwill retweeted
Could Taiwan be a flash point for future tension between the US and China?
Xi Jinping has urged President Trump to take the "correct position" on the self-governing island which Beijing claims as its own.
But the US is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.
Mark Sedwill, former National Security Adviser, tells #R4Today that China is likely to continue to exert pressure.
Mark Sedwill retweeted
We’re delighted to welcome the @FinancialTimes as our Media Partner for AFF26.
The FT will help shape and amplify the Forum’s content programme, with a special edition of the Political Fix podcast, hosted by @LOS_Fisher, also to be recorded on board HMS Prince of Wales.
Mark Sedwill retweeted
As we count down to AFF26 in Oslo, Lord @marksedwill reflects on our ties with Norway and the importance of taking AFF to the High-North.
Mark Sedwill retweeted
A pleasure for me to introduce Gen David Petraeus to deliver the @LordSpeaker's lecture.
At this critical time in our history, the future isn't something that simply happens to us; it's shaped by choices, alliances, leadership. David understands that very well.
My thoughts:
Mark Sedwill retweeted
Former @CIA director and 4-star US Army General David Petraeus delivered a compelling @LordSpeaker's lecture @UKHouseofLords on defence & national security.
His military leadership & experience at the very highest levels of 🇺🇸 intelligence offer important lessons for us all.
Mark Sedwill retweeted
Britain’s next leader is right that much of Labour’s agenda can be driven “more agile governance closer to communities”, writes Mark Sedwill, a former cabinet secretary. “But conventional devolution of powers and budgets will not cut it” econ.st/4xX02gp
Illustration: Dan Williams
Mark Sedwill retweeted
I see the current defence investment plans "falling well short of what is required", former defence secretary John Healey tells the Commons
bbc.in/4vMiAxN
Mark Sedwill retweeted
He’s right
This week the most advanced AI model on the planet got switched off by a foreign government. British researchers were studying it. British companies were testing it. British hospitals were piloting it. Not any more.
This isn't an AI story. It's the story of every industry we used to lead.
Britain has some of the best AI talent in the world. DeepMind was built here. Our AI Safety Institute writes the rules other countries follow. We have the researchers, the universities, the standards.
What we don't have is the power stations to run the data centres, the planning system to build them, or the industrial base to make the chips. So the work happens here and the value lands somewhere else. We invent. Others build. Others decide. Then we read about it on Saturday morning.
Same story as the kit our soldiers don't have. Same story as the factories we used to.
I spent nine months in government making this argument inside the room. I'll make it louder from outside.
Mark Sedwill retweeted
I think we are all pointing in the same direction . Integrated force not balanced forces. Redundancy in order to confront what is coming up (quantum , a resort to exotics like bio and chemical and genetic) it would be good to get round a table and discuss everything , such as carrier strike,CASD, reserve forces . Get it across something CAN be done as well as needs to be done.
The ‘Balanced Force’ was taken apart here, in 2022 (👇). Healey bought into the idea of a joint MSHQ to direct the creation of an ‘Integrated Force’. It made Labour’s manifesto. Landslide=mandate. Yet the institutional inertia of ‘UK Defence’ resists it.
policyexchange.org.uk/wp-con…
Mark Sedwill retweeted
Congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi on becoming India’s longest-serving elected Prime Minister.
A remarkable milestone in the world’s largest democracy and good for the UK-India partnership which will continue to go from strength to strength.
Mark Sedwill retweeted
Within hours of being announced as the nominee to be the U.S. Director of the CIA, I received a hand-delivered message on MI6 stationery congratulating me on my nomination. It was signed simply "C" in green ink. Legendary. I shared it with my son and even he thought I was now cool!
More than that, this note, from Sir Alex Younger, Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service of the United Kingdom, confirmed what I already believed: the work that the CIA and MI6 did together mattered, that the partnership was critical, and that two leaders focused on the mission could save lives and provide tools for our nations to deter our adversaries.
Alex's passing this week brought back so many memories of our time in service together. He flew to Langley to see me the day I was confirmed. We brought our two senior teams together in the UK to plan and coordinate and build in the first several weeks of my time on duty: making clear to them all that this relationship was more than special - it was critical for the security of our two countries.
Alex was a remarkable intelligence partner. When we needed help, it wasn't "let me see;" it was "this matters to you and America we'll get it done." And he and his team always did. I think he knew we would do the same for him and his team and his nation. Many Americans are alive today because of his leadership of MI6, I never knew how to thank him enough.
Alex became a friend as well. In the years since we both left office we would see each other from time to time. He was always so kind, so thoughtful, so smart. His deep love of his country was surpassed only by his deep commitment and love of his family. Decent and proper - and funny as hell - Alex was "C." As espionage requires, he was quiet, not attention seeking. He knew what evil was and he was ruthless in his efforts to crush it with every legal tool at his command. And he knew who his friends were and committed himself to supporting them.
I miss Sir Alex Younger. He was a role model for me and a man with whom every minute I spent was valued and savored. Blessings to you Alex. Praying for you and for your family. Well done and may you rest in peace in His hands.
Mark Sedwill retweeted
Further to Blair. Literally every honest sensible person in all the main parties privately agrees with all these propositions:
- welfare spending is too high and is throwing good people on the scrapheap
- defence spending is too low
- the triple lock is unsustainable
- without cheap energy we cannot exploit the AI revolution
- we should be investing in EVERY form of energy: renewables, nuclear and the North Sea
- migration needs to be controlled to boost social cohesion and because the boats look like a huge failure of the state
- any new relationship with the EU will be imposed on us until we are stronger and cannot involve the closeness some desire without freedom of movement
- we are deeply embedded with America in ways which the public does not understand and cannot be told and however joyous it makes us feel to hate Trump, disengagement at the deep state level is not only wholly unrealistic but also undesirable
- Whitehall needs a total overhaul so specific project expertise and political appointees can be brought in quickly
Blair basically says all that.
The one thing he doesn’t say and which the same group of people agree on is this and it’s something Blair left behind:
- judges and quangos have too much power, are unaccountable and without redressing the balance in favour of parliament it is very difficult to do anything big fast
- the bare minimum that needs to change in this regard is to reform judicial review and planning law so we can put building and economic growth ahead of newts and NIMBYs
None of that above really ought to be up for discussion. It is all common sense but not one of our politicians will publicly say all of it
Whatever you think of Blair, engage with what he’s saying not how he makes you feel. The bare minimum we should expect from any leader is that they have an analysis of the current situation and a plan to deal with it which is as coherent and realistic as his intervention. Pretty well every critique I’ve read so far has failed to meet this requirement.
Over to Andy and Keir and Kemi and Nigel and Zack and all the others
Mark Sedwill retweeted
Following Sir Olly's evidence, the Foreign Affairs Committee has today requested that Cat Little, Ian Collard, Sir Philip Barton and Morgan McSweeney attend and give evidence.
Cat Little will give evidence tomorrow at 9am.
Morgan McSweeney will attend Tuesday.
Mark Sedwill retweeted
Exclusive
Sir Keir Starmer should retract his accusations against Sir Olly Robbins and reinstate him, former cabinet secretary Lord Sedwill says
In a letter to The Times he points out that the PM appointed Mandelson against official advice, without conducting security vetting and was 'well aware' of the issues surrounding Mandelson, including his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein
'In his evidence to the foreign affairs committee, Sir Olly Robbins displayed the calm integrity and intelligence which have characterised his distinguished career of public service
'The prime minister appointed Peter Mandelson against official advice, announced that appointment without security vetting having been completed and claims that he would have changed his mind had he been told that the vetting process had raised the concerns about Mandelson’s previous conduct of which he was already well aware.
'As Robbins explained yesterday, the question for him was not whether to tell the prime minister what he already knew, but whether those issues could be mitigated enough to allow Mandelson access to the secret intelligence necessary to do his job. He made the professional judgment that they could
'Unwisely as it turned out, he shouldered his responsibilities rather than shunting them
'The prime minister should retract his accusations against Olly Robbins and reinstate him to the job the country needs him to do of getting the diplomatic service into shape for the second quarter of the 21st century.
Mark Sedwill retweeted
“President Trump is clearly particularly exercised by the enriched uranium and that could be the most difficult factor in this.”
Lord Mark Sedwill, former British diplomat and National Security Advisor, gives us his analysis of the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the US.
Mark Sedwill retweeted
President Trump has criticised western allies and called on them to 'build up the courage' to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Former national security adviser Lord Sedwill says the Gulf countries do not agree with the comments, but do want other nations to help get the route open.