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 is the Project of a Ruthless Elite
In this video, Federal Trust Director Brendan Donnelly argues that the economic and political problems generated by Brexit are of little concern to its leading sponsors. Their primary interest lies in rupturing the British connection to the European mainland as quickly and thoroughly as possible. The result is a debasement [...]
RECENTLY PUBLISHED
Nationalisms in the UK and their implications for the Westminster System of Governance
by Dr Andrew Black[*], Associate Director, Global Policy Institute, assisted by Luisa Borras “It's not the voting that's democracy; it's the counting.” Tom Stoppard Introduction Amongst many crises affecting the UK currently, there is one [...]
The Macron Obsession – a Very English Virus
What is it about England’s right-wing journalism and France? The obsessive hate against France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, in papers like the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, and Spectator is without precedent. As news arrived of the death of 27 refugees drowned [...]
Webinar: Goldilocks Government – neither too big nor too small
Tuesday, 14th December 2021 17.00 - 19.00 GMT Webinar on Zoom REGISTER HERE The 20th century saw governmental expenditure in the developed world grow from about 10% of GDP to somewhere between a third and half [...]
Video: Brexit Is Dimming the Lights of the City of London
In this Federal Trust video, our Council member Graham Bishop argues that the current controversy over central counterparties (CCPs) is symbolic of the difficulties facing the City of London after Brexit. The City will not [...]
Statement by Federal Trust about Re-joining Europe
For over 75 years, the Federal Trust has studied the interactions between regional, national, European, and global levels of government. It has nurtured a particular interest in the European Union and Britain’s place in it. [...]
Video: Brexit is the Project of a Ruthless Elite
In this video, Federal Trust Director Brendan Donnelly argues that the economic and political problems generated by Brexit are of little concern to its leading sponsors. Their primary interest lies in rupturing the British connection [...]
Webinar: Populism and demagogy in Europe – Causes, consequences and responses
Joint event by The Federal Trust, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and Global Policy Institute 7th December 2021 17.00 – 19.00 (GMT) Panel Discussion on Zoom, followed by Q&A REGISTRATION A wave of populism has shaken Europe in [...]
Webinar: A Citizens’ Senate – Towards Consensual Presidential Democracy
30th November 2021 How to move from adversarial democracy toward consensual democracy? At this event, Tony Czarnecki, author of the recent Federal Trust blog Citizens’ Senate – Towards Consensual Presidential Democracy, discussed his ideas on how [...]
A Definition of the EU as Farewell Present for Chancellor Merkel
During the last meeting of the European Council, which she attended, Angela Merkel raised the perennial question as to what the European Union is. Reflecting on the debate in the Council about the objections of [...]
Citizens’ Senate – Towards Consensual Presidential Democracy
Anyone hoping the US under President Biden will restore its own democracy to the level at which it could be an example for most of the world, must be quite disappointed. Even deeper disappointment must [...]