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Lord Howell of Guildford (Con)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 2 February 2026

Debate

China: Human Rights and UK National Security

Contribution

My Lords, did the Minister notice the comments the other day by Mr Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, about the role of the middle powers in this digital age of connectivity, which, he argued, could—if we work together—be much more effective than it is now? The role of the superpowers of the past is much less, and they do not hold all the cards, as Mr Trump and Mr Xi sometimes think they do. Is it not time to think along those lines? When we rebuild the international institutions which were started in 1945 and now more or less have run down to nothing, as we must, will she urge her ministerial colleagues to keep that aspect in mind—that in this new age, the middle powers have much more influence and should take a much stronger line than we usually do?

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