As UK representative, I want to make our alliance with the US great again

President-elect Donald Trump's return to power on January 20th is one of the most anticipated presidencies of modern times, and is likely to be one of the most consequential. Both friends and foes of the United States are watching their relationship with the United States closely and considering it seriously.

The “America First” vision of Mr. Trump, who won the election, foresees a strong America that is respected around the world and seeks peace through strength. America's allies need to listen to the message sent by the American people and adjust their partnership to stand up for the common interests that unite us, working with the United States.

Smart people among America's allies will be observing the comprehensive nature of President Trump's victory in the November election. In terms of numbers alone, both the overall popular vote and across various demographic groups, this victory demonstrated a campaign that responded to the core concerns and interests of a wide range of Americans.

President Trump threatens to ask allies to build military ships if our country cannot build them

Mr. Trump's great skill as a political activist is to tap into parts of the electorate that it feels like no one is listening to. Having been at the heart of three successful elections in the UK, I know very well that the ability to build coalitions like this across the country is the Holy Grail and the key to political success. .

His victory can be seen as representative of many Americans who work hard but for whom life is a struggle. Communities fearing prices at the cash register, seeing illegal immigration accelerate and opportunities for their children diminished. Workers with their concerns are ignored, or worse, stigmatized by traditional politics.

In my 50 years as a politician and then a businessman, I have been taught to always listen to my constituents and my customers. Alliances between foreign countries need to do the same. Foreign actors must rapidly evolve to hear these messages and deliver them to their citizens. The Atlantic Alliance must not only enjoy a glorious past, but also adapt to new threats and technological challenges.

I am listening intently to the message that millions of Americans shared in November. Our party won a comprehensive victory last July, aligning with similar concerns of the majority of British people, including tackling the rising cost of living and making our streets safe again.

As I prepare to begin my role as steward of the decades-long “special relationship,” I am reflecting on my work with multiple US administrations, Republican and Democratic, across the close US-UK relationship. I believe there are three main areas where there is potential for greater partnership between the UK and today's US: economic growth, national security and foreign policy pragmatism.

It is taken for granted that the UK and US are the world's closest defense and intelligence partners. This work is invaluable and keeps millions of Americans and Brits safe every day. But the national security partnership must be clearer in how it keeps people safe.

Smart European governments will think seriously about a defense partnership with the United States, even though Europe has made a significant contribution to Ukraine's defense against an aggressive and reckless Russia at hand, spending more than $150 billion. , it is natural for Americans to ask their NATO partners if they can make further efforts to reduce the excessive burden on the United States.

The UK has been at the forefront of encouraging NATO allies to increase defense spending and will continue to insist that our partners pay for it.

Growing the economy and improving living standards are top priorities for the UK Government. The United States and the United Kingdom are the largest single investors, with mutual investments exceeding $960 billion. Our businesses create over one million jobs in each other's countries, and US statistics show a trade surplus with the UK, with a strong and balanced trade value of over $375 billion. Building relationships.

The United States and Britain have long been allies in war and peace. File: London, England, home to the famous landmark Big Ben. (St. Petersburg)

Having co-founded a global business in the US and hired Americans in London, I have seen first-hand the synergies that these connections can create. We are a nation of innovators and traders. And since only two Western countries on earth have multitrillion-dollar technology sectors, we must work together even more to invent, develop, and industrialize the technologies of tomorrow.

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We aspire to trade more and innovate more with America, but we need to do it in a way that creates good, high-wage jobs for all of our citizens and gives us a competitive advantage globally.

Finally, we must operate in a world that turns out to be not the one we ideally desire. Many of our adversaries have become emboldened since I last took office. Although Iran has made serious setbacks in recent months, it remains a wholly negative influence in the region. Nuclear weapons must never be allowed.

It is taken for granted that the UK and US are the world's closest defense and intelligence partners. This work is invaluable and keeps millions of Americans and Brits safe every day. But the national security partnership must be clearer in how it keeps people safe.

The Chinese government that I have observed intensively over the past two decades has become more aggressive abroad, more dominant at home and in many areas, and is now directly challenging Western governments and our values. I am.

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Mr. Trump has won big victories in his own country by being outspoken. His outspokenness and deal-making instincts abroad should be seen by allies as an important opportunity to bring entrepreneurial thinking and urgency to foreign policy solutions that require real-world solutions.

The Trump administration will naturally put the needs of the American people first. But in our closest allies, we will find old partners open to new ways of dealing with today's world to protect, enrich, and build opportunities for Americans and their own people alike.