EMINENT SPEAKER SERIES

“Whither the United Kingdom?”

Guest Speaker

HE E. Antony Phillipson
British High Commissioner

Date: Tuesday, 6 September 2011
Venue: Waterfront II, Level 2, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, 392 Havelock Road Singapore 169663
Time: 12.00 noon till 2.30pm

Britain’s Conservative / Liberal Democrat coalition government is inspired by the values of freedom, fairness and responsibility. This is the first time in over a half a century that two British parties had come together to put forward a programme for partnership government. It’s an experiment in putting aside party differences to work for the common good and national interest. It has been a tumultuous ride for the David Cameron led government since it came to power in May 2010 after a General Election in which Mr Cameron’s Conservative Party won almost 100 additional seats.

With the refreshed and invigorated direction that the UK government has taken, what are the implications for Asia and Singapore, and what can we expect from the UK as it seeks to champion causes in issues such as economics, climate change and security? The new British High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Antony Phillipson, offers his views.

To attend the lunch and talk, please fill in the attached Response Form and send it together with your payment to The Secretariat.

Mr Phillipson joined the Civil Service in 1993 and began his career in the Department of Trade and Industry where his posts included Private Secretary and then Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State. After four years in the British Embassy in Washington, he was the Prime Minister’s Private Secretary for Foreign Affairs and, most recently, Head of the Iran Co-ordination Group in the FCO. He has just taken up his posting in Singapore in April.