Whither Brexit:
Rupture? Rapprochement? Rejoin?

 Thursday 27 October 2022, 6:30 - 7:45 pm
The Lounge at the NLC

The National Liberal Club European Forum is pleased to convene a panel of leading experts to address how Brexit might evolve under Prime Minister Truss. With public support for Brexit declining, how will proposals to change the Northern Ireland Protocol and divergence from the EU acquis Communautaire be progressed? How might these and other developments increase trade tensions with the European Union (EU)? Or will pragmatism prevail over political expediency? How do European institutions and capitals view developments in the UK?  How may Labour’s thinking on a ‘Better Brexit’ evolve? Or might the prospects for closer integration with, perhaps even rejoining, the EU improve?

The agenda for this hybrid event is as follows:

18.30: Introduction by chair: Nick Hopkinson, Vice Chair, NLC European Forum and former Director, Wilton Park, Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office

18.35-19.05: 10 minute introductions by panellists:

Peter Foster, Public Policy Editor, Financial Times
Irina von Wiese, Expert on European Studies
Tony Connelly, Europe Editor, Radio & Television Ireland (RTÉ)

19.05-19:45: Comments and questions from participants and responses from panellists  

Followed by drinks and dinner (if reserved directly) in the clubhouse

The Kingdom of Morocco, its Past and Present

 Tuesday 5 April 2022, 7 - 8 pm
Lady Violet Room at the NLC (and virtually)

As part of a series of events in advance of our visit to Morocco in 2023, the NLC European Forum is pleased to present an evening led by Professor Amira Bennison to discuss the Kingdom of Morocco, its rich and varied history and culture, including Jewish culture, past and present.

The Chair of the evening is His Honour Richard Harper with concluding Remarks by Humaira Patel.

Amira K. Bennison is Professor in the History and Culture of the Maghrib, and is Director of Studies in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Magdalene College, Cambridge University.
"Amira K. Bennison became interested in the Middle East and North Africa while studying for her BA Hons in History and Arabic and Cambridge. After graduating, she went to live in Cairo for a year before studying for a Masters at Harvard University and a PhD at the SOAS. Her PhD, based on a year’s archival research in Morocco, looked at the impact of the French conquest of Algiers in 1830 on notions of political legitimacy in neighbouring Morocco. This involved an exploration of the significance of jihād in political legitimation in the western Maghrib published as Jihād and its Interpretations in Pre-colonial Morocco. She went on to the University of Manchester as a Leverhulme research fellow before moving to the University of Cambridge in 1997. Her work has continued to explore political legitimacy but has expanded to encompass Islamic Spain as well as the Maghrib, and to consider urban planning, ceremonial and rhetoric alongside jihād. Dr. Bennison has appeared in several TV programmes about the history of the Middle East and North Africa including ‘Europe’s Lost Civilisation’; ‘The Thirties in Colour’, ‘Islamic Science’; and "The Ottomans". She is also a regular contributor to Radio 4’s ‘In Our Time’ with Melvyn Bragg and other radio programmes on Islamic history".

After the event drinks are available in the Bar and dinner is available in the dining room (please book directly with the NLC Dining Room).

Missed the event? No Problem!
Once available, the talk will be published on our Media Gallery Page.

The National Liberal Club (NLC) European Forum is pleased to announce a panel of leading parliamentarians and experts to address key challenges facing Europe and the prospects for the European Union (EU)’s Future of Europe conference. While the UK remains preoccupied with the downsides of Brexit, the EU is looking to its future.

The Conference on the Future of Europe, launched in early 2021 by the European Parliament, Council and European Commission, features a major consultation of citizens, both inside and outside the EU. Due to reach conclusions in Spring 2022, the Conference has been addressing key challenges and priorities such as climate change, health, the economy, social justice, the EU’s role in the world, rule of law and security, digital transformation, democracy, migration, education and culture.   

The lineup for the event, held in conjunction with LDEG, is as follows:

Event Chair: Nick Hopkinson, Vice Chair, NLC Europe Forum and  former Director, Wilton Park, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Panelists for Prospects for the Future of Europe conference:
Senator Timmy Dooley, President, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
Sir Graham Watson, former President, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

Panelist for The UK and Priorities for the Future of Europe conference
David Chalmers, Chair, Liberal Democrat European Group (LDEG)

Presentations will be followed by a Q and A session with the audience.

A vote of thanks and concluding remarks will be given by Irina von Wiese, lawyer, lecturer in law and former Liberal Democrat member of the European Parliament.

The event will be followed by drinks and dinner in the clubhouse.  Please make your own arrangements if wishing to stay for dinner in the dinning room. This can be done by contacting the NLC directly.

Were you unable to attend? No Problem!
Once available, the talk will be published on our Media Gallery Page.