Everybody in the UK benefits from the international system – from laws that govern trade and protect our rights, to institutions that deal with shared challenges.

But the proceeds of globalisation have not been evenly distributed. Many perceive a Britain that is more ‘global’ as more dangerous, more foreign, and more ‘other’.

In some countries, embracing this trend has led to electoral advantage, at least in the short-term. But this is not a strategy for the future. Britain’s long-term interests require a different approach. Increasingly, our prosperity and security depend on factors that we cannot control alone. Now, more than ever, Britain’s national interest and the UN Charter’s vision of a peaceful and more just world are one and the same.

We now find ourselves in the middle of a general election. But these issues should be bigger than party politics. We seek to establish a cross party consensus on the value of the United Nations, and the need for a globally engaged Britain.

You can read our report here, and read more about the campaign here.

When the new government is formed on the 9th of June, we will be there to evaluate its performance. Our evaluation will be based on those areas where we believe the UK can make a useful contribution at a global level, and where we feel Britain’s willingness to take action will provide a fair and appropriate test of Britain’s support for the rules-based international order. We have identified five such areas, and you can read about them below.

Ahead of the General Election, UNA-UK has also published exclusive statements from political parties detailing their approaches to the UN, a manifesto and a General Election Pack including a hustings guide.

NB: UNA-UK has released a statement on its work ahead of the General Election in the context of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014.

Find out about the Five Key Areas