Hard Choices

A groundbreaking exploration of the difficult decisions Britain faces outside the EU in a fast-changing world.

After decades of peace and prosperity, the international order put in place after World War II is rapidly coming to an end. Disastrous foreign wars, global recession, the meteoric rise of China and India and the COVID pandemic have undermined the power of the West's international institutions and unleashed the forces of nationalism and protectionism.

In this lucid and groundbreaking analysis, one of Britain's most experienced senior diplomats highlights the key dilemmas Britain faces, from trade to security, arguing that international co-operation and solidarity are the surest ways to prosper in a world more dangerous than ever.

“Peter Ricketts has used his experience as one of the best diplomats of his generation to produce a book that is magisterial in its scope and analysis -- and in its recommendations for how the UK can use the realities of the post-Brexit era to its advantage. Essential reading for all who care about Britain's position in the world.” JACK STRAW, former Foreign Secretary

“A clarion call for a post-Brexit national conversation and a new national strategy. Written with grace and clarity, Hard Choices is a book for every informed citizen concerned for Britain's future in a dangerous and unpredictable world.” VERNON BOGDANOR, CBE FBA, Professor of Government, King's College, London