King's College London

The drop-in session, hosted by Richard Foord MP, gave the MA National Security Studies students the opportunity to raise awareness of the areas they consider most pressing in defence and national security, ahead of the student-led final day of the conference this Saturday. Subjects raised included the growing influence of China, the impact of drones and technological advancements, the need for increased defence investment, rising tensions within traditional alliances and the key role Africa will play in the future. The students, who are all members of the Future Leaders’ Day organising committee, engaged with lawmakers to share their views and to better understand the role of Parliament in directing the UK’s national security priorities. Throughout the meeting, Members highlighted the importance of young people as the next generation of leaders in strengthening national security and defence.

MPs present included: Shadow Secretary of State for Defence James Cartlidge; former Chair of the Defence Select Committee the Rt Hon Sir Julian Lewis and former Minister for Security the Rt Hon Tom Tugendhat. Members had various questions for the students about Saturday’s Future Leaders' Day, its goals and its programme, which will cover a wide range of topics, including the public-private partnerships required to deliver on allied space defence, and the role of political leadership in alliances. It was an invaluable session for highlighting the importance of elevating young professionals in defence.

Created in 2022 in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the London Defence Conference is a high-profile summit convening leading voices in defence and security. This year’s theme is Alliances, reflecting on both enduring and evolving security partnerships in an age of growing strategic competition – from the rising axis of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, to challenges in rearmament, defence industrial transformation, and new domains such as space and cyber. The Future Leaders’ Day, Saturday 10 May, is dedicated to the next generation of defence and security professionals, bringing together young professionals and postgraduate students from 30 institutions across the UK and allied nations for a full day of expert panels and regional and thematic break-out sessions. The Future Leaders’ Day ensures that early career scholars and practitioners in the field are not only included in, but given the opportunity to help shape, the critical conversations about the alliances that will define our security environment.