Nomination Statements for Run-Off Vote
Deadline 24th July, 10am
Josh Arnold-Forster
Currently employed as a political consultant, I previously worked on defence and security policy for the Labour Front Bench (1988-94) and spent a year (2005-06) as an MoD SPAD. In addition, I’ve deployed on several OSCE Electoral Monitoring Missions and contributed to various security studies.
My experience has shown me how much socialist and progressive foreign and security policies can achieve. We recognise our moral responsibilities to others, and we also need to radically strengthen
global and UK national security policy. Tory failure and appeasement has helped generate one of the worst security situations since WW2. We need to reverse the cuts in FCDO and MoD civilian and
military personnel and set a target date for restoring aid to 0.7% of GDI.
Labour should commit to a decade long plan to continue support both for Ukraine and for those in the Global South suffering from the impact of wheat and energy inflation. The IMF and Word Bank
need fundamental reform so that they decrease rather than increase inequality.
We must be ready to respond to whatever foreign policy challenges the next Tory leader presents. One method should be for LFPG to develop our links with similar organisations in Europe and elsewhere. Understanding their perspective of the increasing challenges we face will significantly enhance our own policy development.
The foreign policy making process could and should be democratised. The relevant Select Committees should be provided with some budgetary powers and all their Members should be elected by secret ballot.
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James Jennion
I would like to join the LFPG Committee as it would combine my passion for progressive Labour values with my expertise in foreign affairs. I support LFPG by participating in the Russia Working Group and recently became Convenor of the China Working Group, and have been a Labour Member for six years.
LFPG’s focus on multilateral institutions and strategic relationships are areas I am keen to help develop. I am currently working for a UN-affiliated organisation and worked extensively on UN-level solutions to the atrocities in Xinjiang during my time advising the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC). I am due to begin a part-time PhD on UK-Asia relations, so would be keen to support LFPG’s work to cohere a strong China and Indo-Pacific policy for Labour.
I strive to advance equality through my work in foreign policy. Soon after starting on FAC, I founded Out of London, a mentoring scheme working to make foreign affairs careers more accessible. I have published many articles on human rights diplomacy, appearing in US outlets such as The Diplomat – a key theme being the need for human-centred, progressive diplomacy.
Having worked on some of the most pressing foreign affairs questions – from my work on Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Taiwan with FAC and Ukraine with UNICEF UK – I have a solid base of expertise and experience to bring as a member of the LFPG Committee. Above all, I can bring energy, enthusiasm, and collegiality that will help drive forward Labour’s progressive vision for UK foreign policy.