Podcast Summary: "Britain in a Changing World" – LSE: Public Lectures and Events

Date: November 18, 2025
Speaker: Sir John Major
Host: Simon Glendinning, Head of the European Institute, LSE

Overview

This Morris Fraser Annual Lecture, presented by the LSE’s European Institute, features Sir John Major (former UK Prime Minister) reflecting on Britain’s position in a rapidly changing world. Major offers a candid assessment of global challenges, the retreat of democracy, the rise of populism, Britain’s economic and political predicament post-Brexit, and offers a call for renewed ambition and substance in national policy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tribute to Morris Fraser and Introduction

[00:16–08:01]

• Host Simon Glendinning gives a heartfelt tribute to Morris Fraser, former LSE professor and distinguished servant in UK-European relations, emphasizing the value of principled and civil disagreement in democratic life.
• Humorous nods to personal disagreements (cricket) set an affable tone and underscore the importance of constructive debate.

2. Sir John Major’s Address: Britain and Global Change

[08:01–46:58]

a. The Erosion of the World Order

• Globalization retreating: “Globalization has retreated. Free trade has given way to protection. Tariff barriers have risen.” [09:35]
• Postwar stability fragmented: The rules-based international system is “crumbling dangerously,” with no consensus leader emerging.
• Rise of transactional politics: “The moral principles of politics are losing out to transactional relationships.” [10:24]

b. Retreat of Democracy, Rise of Populism

• Democratic decline: “For nearly two decades now, democracy has been retreating and autocracy has been advancing.” [11:05]
• Socio-economic disillusion: Since the 2007 financial crisis, many see “little or no improvement in their living standards... For many, hope has become anxiety. All of this has added to the disillusion with democracy.” [11:44]
• Harsh political discourse: “The very language of politics has changed. It’s harsher, more aggressive, more focused on the battles of politics than the welfare of nations.” [13:05]
• Populism’s danger: “A form [of populism] that builds its support by condemning others. Its target could be migrants or minority religions... anyone who is different in any way can be scapegoated.” [13:43]
• On antisemitism and broader threats: “Antisemitism is the best warning sign of a wider threat to a free and tolerant society.” [Quote of Jonathan Sacks, 14:57]
• Populism attacking institutions: Even the judiciary “attacked as if it were a subversive body...” [15:44]

c. Russia’s War in Ukraine

• Condemnation of Putin: “Only one man is responsible for this slaughter... they are victims of mass murder. And when the fighting is done, this should not be forgiven.” [17:26]
• Necessity of justice: “If justice has any meaning, then Putin in due time will be brought face to face with it.” [18:40]
• Western support analysis: Allies have given “enough for Ukraine to fight on... but not quite enough for Ukraine to drive Russia back and end the conflict.” [19:23]
• Three scenarios for the war:
  1. Stalemate if support is tepid
  2. Compromise if support weakens—“a shameful outcome”
  3. Ukraine advances if Western support increases—only option for “future peace” [20:13]
• Not anti-Russian: “This conflict is not against the Russian people. It is against Putin and his regime and the way they behave.” [21:44]

d. China’s Rise and the West

• On Chinese power: “There seems almost no limit to Xi Jinping’s power or tenure of office... She is very much aware that China is America’s only superpower rival.” [23:25]
• China’s diplomacy: “Xi is presenting China as the champion of multilateralism, in sharp contrast to President Trump’s arbitrary increase in tariffs…” [24:47]
• Western weakness a risk: “China will resent criticism, but she may respect it. She will certainly scorn weakness.” [27:10]
• Democracy vs. authoritarianism: China’s stance on speech—“That restriction is the very antithesis of democracy.” [28:18]

e. Brexit: An “Act of Collective Folly”

• A withering assessment: “In an act of collective folly, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. Across the world, our enemies celebrated and our friends despaired.” [29:00]
• On the referendum: “We left Europe on a minority vote of 37%... after a campaign packed with misinformation and misjudgment… it left our country poorer, weaker...” [29:30]
• No Brexit domino effect: “None [other countries] have [followed]. All saw only too clearly that Brexit was packed with disadvantages.” [30:39]
• Britain’s diminished role: “Today we know we are neither [EU leader nor the US’s first ally], and so does the world.” [31:37]
• Rejoining not simple: “We cannot suddenly knock on the door and say... we’d like to rejoin." [33:03]
• Public opinion shift: "Well over half the British electorate now believes it was a mistake to leave..." [33:54]
• Parliamentary timidity: "Both government and opposition are so wretchedly timid in their policy ambitions...” [34:18]
• Economic loss: “Brexit is a flop... It is losing our country 100 billion pounds of trade every year...” [35:22]
• Prospects for improved relations: Foresees steps like “youth mobility schemes and integration into the electricity market,” and expresses hope for appetite to rejoin the Customs Union or Single Market. [38:18–38:45]

f. Public Debt and Tax

• Debt burden: "The cost of servicing our public debt is now over £100 billion a year.” [40:04]
• Rich versus average taxpayer: “It misleads, cheats the nation to pretend the rich can bear all the burden... Last year, the top 1% paid... 29% of the total tax take.” [41:03–41:26]
• Global context: “60% of the world faces debt to GDP levels of over 100%, including most of the world’s largest economies.” [41:56]

g. Immigration

• Unsolvable with a silver bullet: “No one should blithely assume that this is a short-term problem that will easily go away... there is no silver bullet.” [42:28]
• Unsustainable scale: "To state the blindingly obvious, this is socially unsustainable on a small island.” [42:54]
• Root causes: “Cutting aid and investment to poor countries… is very short-sighted policy... it will accelerate demand... to migrate..." [43:50]
• Call for European cooperation: “...a long-term solution to be successful is likely to include a pan-European effort. All of Europe faces this problem...” [43:17]

h. Populism’s Threat and Remedies

• No longer fringe: "Populism is no longer a fringe problem of a few outlandish politicians. It's now mainstream and professional. We should recognize the threat it poses to democracy.” [44:33]
• Defenses:
  1. “Policies to remove deeply felt grievances and regain political support.”
  2. “Expose the dangers of... policies and the unworkability of its suggested solutions.”—warns against personal attacks, which “offer populists the oxygen of public support.” [44:56–45:33]
• Warning: “If [populism] flourishes, democracy declines. Democracy has a lot to lose. The established political parties need to defeat populism and not copy it. The sooner they raise their game, the better.” [45:45]

3. Major’s Closing Reflections: Hope and National Ambition

[45:55–46:58]

• On facing the future: “My worry, to put it bluntly, is simply the future seems to be secondary to the frustrations of today. But it shouldn't be.” [46:10]
• On Britain’s enduring strengths: "I believe in our four nations, in our history, our values, our natural sense of fairness and justice, our essential kindliness and tolerance as a nation..." [46:35]
• Call for substance: “To do so, we must abandon the cacophony of spin, sound bite and empty noise that so often substitutes for political debate... It is time... to turn our back on complacency, on pessimism, on cynicism, on short termism…” [46:48]
• Inspirational close: “It is my fervent hope that together we can work towards that outcome.” [46:57]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the State of Democracy:
  • “For nearly two decades now, democracy has been retreating and autocracy has been advancing.” (Sir John Major, 11:05)
• On Populism:
  • “Venom directed at one source can be directed at others as well... Populists use it against all authority and so-called elites.” (14:40)
  • “If the law loses its authority, the bully walks tall and the lawless walk free.” (15:50)
• On Brexit:
  • “In an act of collective folly, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union... it left our country poorer, weaker and divorced from the richest free trade market that history has ever seen.” (Sir John Major, 29:01)
  • “Brexit is a flop. It will not leap up from its deathbed. It is losing our country 100 billion pounds of trade every year...” (Sir John Major, 35:23)
• On Populist Solutions:
  • “Populism is a dead end. I offer two antidotes to its appeal. The most effective... is policies to remove deeply felt grievances... The second defense... is to expose the dangers of its policies and the unworkability of its suggested solutions.” (44:56–45:23)
• On the Future:
  • “We must look to the future without a fear of change or timidity of action...” (46:37)
  • “We have faced much more difficult times than now, and we have come through them. The choices and challenges of today may be more complex, but they are less stark than those we have faced before. They can be overcome, and they must be.” (46:50)
  • “It is time beyond time to turn our back on complacency, on pessimism, on cynicism, on short termism, on the second rate... and raise our ambitions to bring substance to the fore in politics, pride back into our nation and hope back into the lives of our citizens.” (46:55)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Tribute & Introduction: 00:16–08:01
• Major’s Lecture Opening/World Order: 08:01–10:24
• Democracy & Populism: 10:24–15:44
• Russia/Ukraine: 16:30–22:00
• China/US Relations: 22:30–28:18
• Brexit: 29:01–38:45
• Debt & Economy: 40:04–41:56
• Immigration: 42:28–43:50
• Populism & Remedies: 44:33–45:45
• Closing Reflections: 45:55–46:58

Takeaway

Sir John Major delivers a sober yet hopeful analysis of Britain’s challenges, urging political courage, prudence, and renewed ambition. He stresses the necessity of strong alliances, especially with Europe, pragmatic and humane policies on immigration, and the defense of liberal democracy against populism and authoritarianism.

This summary highlights the major insights and memorable moments of Sir John Major’s 2025 LSE lecture, capturing both the intellectual rigor and earnest tone of the discussion for listeners and readers who may have missed the full episode.