Background 
In June 2008, Cityforum held, with the advice of the then VCDS and with the support of Directorate Media and Communications, MoD, a fascinating forum that looked at the first iteration of the National Security Strategy and what it meant for defence.  The areas chosen for discussion and the contributors, mostly from outside defence, are particularly relevant now in the context of the future for British security as a General Election approaches and a Defence Review set to define the objectives of the UK within which defence will operate in the future.  With this in mind, Cityforum approached RCDS and has secured the support of the Commandant to develop a forum ‘Defence Security and the Long Term UK National Interest’ to discuss some of the most vital issues currently facing the UK.  The aim is to look at policy outputs rather than equipment inputs though inputs feature in the afternoon agenda in a significant discussion of flexibility in the light of a most uncertain future.

Objective
The day seeks to develop ideas on how strategy is to be formulated and implemented in the light of how the UK sees its priorities.

An assessment of British priorities, including views from outside Government could be helpful as the UK moves towards the Election and Review that will follow. US policy will be in the course of formulation under the QDR process and Europe will either be developing its role under Lisbon or negotiating its way ahead if the Treaty fails. This makes the timings of this forum, 24 February 2010, an intriguing one.  Furthermore, a re-evaluation of UK economic / commercial / trading priorities after the collapse of the City and the shattering of the UK economy provides a suitable economic background, eighteen months into a crisis, at a time when the first indications of a possible recovery are becoming visible.

Participants
Speakers will include significant figures from politics, officialdom, academia, political and social analysis communities and from industry.  The European dimension reflects what is likely to follow after the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. Significant US commentators have been invited to participate.  British participation is being sought from the FCO, the Cabinet Office and the MoD.  Officials and serving officers will be invited to comment.

The RCDS participation will include up to 40 members of the current course.  Invitations are, in addition, being extended to government departments, the military, Westminster and a number of foreign diplomatic representatives in London. About 40 subscriptions are available to the private sector.  In all its programmes Cityforum brings together a range of interested parties for a well planned and carefully moderated discussion of issues of importance. 

Costs
Standard Fee: £680 +VAT @ 17.5%  - Total: £799
Public Sector Fee: £340 +VAT @ 17.5%  - Total: £399.50