Upheaval in UK: the sobering challenges facing new PM Truss & new King Charles III

Tony Blair on the UK's troubled present and uncertain future | GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

In early September, in just 48 hours the UK got a new prime minister (Liz Truss) and a new king (Charles III, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II).

Both take over at a turbulent time in British politics, with no shortage of current and future challenges. To name just a few: a stagnant economy, sky-high energy prices, more Brexit fallout with the EU, and Scots demanding a fresh independence vote.

On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer speaks to former British PM Tony Blair (1997-2007), who believes there will be a lot of uncertainty over the next year or two if Truss insists on big tax cuts and big borrowing.

Blair also looks back at the queen's legacy and the future of the monarchy, explains why Brexit will hurt but probably not fragment the UK, and defends why we need to return to his comfort zone of the political center to fix today's problems.

More from GZERO Media

- YouTube

The 7th annual Paris Peace Forum is getting underway, convening diplomats, academics, and private sector leaders tasked with finding solutions to mounting global crises before conflicts erupt. GZERO’s Tony Maciulis interviewed Justin Vaisse, the organization’s founder and Director General. Top of mind for Vaisse, of course, was Trump’s election and what it means for Europe.

Donald Trump is seen here at a Jets football game next to his campaign manager Susie Wiles, on Oct. 20, 2024. The president-elect has just named Wiles his White House chief of staff.
Evan Vucci/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

At last count — yep, they’re still counting ballots from last week’s US election — Republicans looked set for a clean sweep: taking not only the White House and Senate but possibly the House too. Attention now turns to the president-elect’s naming of names for the first cabinet of “Trump 2.0.”

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian meets with Hamas leader Khaled Mashal, in Doha, Qatar, on Oct. 2, 2024.
West Asia News Agency via Reuters

The Gulf Arab emirate announced this weekend it would stop mediating efforts to broker a cease-fire and hostage release deal between Hamas and Israel until “the parties show their willingness and seriousness to end the brutal war.”

- YouTube

Donald Trump’s historic return to office signals a powerful shift in American politics, raising questions about the future of democracy as both major parties grapple with deep divides and an increasingly anti-establishment electorate. Along with Vanderbilt historian Nicole Hemmer and Wall Street Journal correspondent Molly Ball, Ian Bremmer unpacks the wide range of implications of Trump’s decisive election win.

Climate activists project a message onto the Embassy of Azerbaijan ahead of COP29 climate talks, in London, on Nov. 7, 2024.
REUTERS/Chris J. Ratcliffe

Donald Trump’s election victory will loom large in the minds of delegates at this year’s UN climate conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, from Nov. 11-22. We asked Eurasia Group expert Herbert Crowther how this will affect COP29 and UN efforts to mitigate climate change more broadly.

Digital Saksham — saksham translates to “able” in Hindi — is a collaboration between the Confederation of Indian Industry and Mastercard Strive, a global philanthropic initiative to support small businesses. It’s part of a broader effort by the Indian government to unlock the full potential of micro and small enterprises — and part of Mastercard’s efforts to bring 50 million small businesses into the digital economy by 2025, a goal it recently met. Accessing digital tools can help small businesses scale up, reach new customers, and hire more employees. Read more about these efforts to equip small business owners — especially women — with the tools they need to build their businesses and become financially resilient.

- YouTube

Listen: On the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer examines the impact of Donald Trump’s return to office, exploring how his populist victory and the GOP’s control could reshape US governance amid historian Nicole Hemmer’s warning of “accelerating democratic erosion” and journalist Molly Ball's concerns over eroding checks on executive power.

Donald Trump gestures after taking the oath of office during his first inauguration in Washington, DC, in January 2017.

Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM via Reuters

The US Justice Department on Friday charged three men with plotting to assassinate Donald Trump on the orders of the Iranian government.