Welcome
The Federal Trust is a research institute studying the interactions between regional, national, European and global levels of government. Founded in 1945 on the initiative of Sir William Beveridge, it has long made a powerful contribution to the study of federalism and federal systems. It has always had a particular interest in the European Union and Britain’s place in it.
The Federal Trust has no allegiance to any political party. It is registered as a charity for the purposes of education and research.
Read the Federal Trust’s Statement on Rejoining the European Union.
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FEATURED ARTICLE
VIDEO: Brexit undermines the rule of law in the UK
In this Federal Trust video, our Director Brendan Donnelly discusses the British government's attempt to rewrite the Northern Ireland Protocol; its attempt to deport asylum-seekers to Rwanda; and the resignation of the government's ethics adviser Lord Geidt. He argues that all three episodes show a government indifferent to the rule [...]
RECENTLY PUBLISHED
VIDEO: Brexit undermines the rule of law in the UK
In this Federal Trust video, our Director Brendan Donnelly discusses the British government's attempt to rewrite the Northern Ireland Protocol; its attempt to deport asylum-seekers to Rwanda; and the resignation of the government's ethics adviser [...]
Brexit can be undone. And so it should be.
This article forms part of the Trust's new project Brexit Can Be Undone, for which we are currently fundraising. Please click here to support this project. “There is no case for rejoining. What I want to [...]
VIDEO: Are Boris Johnson & Brexit Finished?
In this video, our Chairman Johns Stevens and Director Brendan Donnelly discuss Boris Johnson’s chances of survival as Prime Minister. They also consider the implications of his current weakened position for Brexit and in particular [...]
Brexit Can Be Undone
The damaging consequences of Brexit become clearer every day. The longer Brexit continues, the more damage it will do. In response, the Federal Trust is launching a new project entitled "Brexit Can Be Undone", looking [...]
VIDEO: Post-Brexit Britain and the Ukraine War
In this Federal Trust video, the Trust’s Director Brendan Donnelly discusses with Professor Richard Rose the impact of the war in Ukraine on the UK’s geopolitical standing. They conclude that the current British government will [...]
A Design for Modern Britain: Confederal Federalism
by Glyndwr Cennydd Jones In recent years, the national borders extant within these isles have been reaffirmed through Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. Further, the trend for significant divergence in policy stances across the various [...]
VIDEO: Brexit – Macron’s Vision and the Northern Ireland Protocol
In this new Federal Trust video Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens discuss the speech of President Macron to the European Parliament and its possible implications for relations between the UK and the European Union. They [...]
Celebrating Europe Day 2022
Against all odds, the Conference on the Future of Europe has shown that it is quite possible for the EU to function as a European democracy of states and citizens. In the process the European [...]
Spinelli, me and my honeymoon
by Dr Alan Hick Dr Hick is a Board Member of New Europeans International and a former senior official at the European Economic and Social Committee 1st May 2022 This article has been reproduced with [...]
WEBINAR: What kind of federation for the European Union?
18th May 2022 WATCH THE RECORDED LIVESTREAM HERE or in the player below: Presentation by Tony Czarnecki - Economist, futurist, and Managing Partner of Sustensis, London Followed by a discussion chaired by Brendan Donnelly, [...]