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.
QUICK LINKS
FEATURED ARTICLE
Brexit and Regulation
by Catherine Barnard and Joël Reland 18th June 2026 In a major new report published by the Federal Trust and The Constitution Society, Professor Catherine Barnard and Joël Reland survey changes in regulation in the ten years since the EU referendum. They argue that in practice the EU and [...]
RECENTLY PUBLISHED
VIDEO: Brexit Doesn’t Work, Federalism Does
Andrew Blick and Brendan Donnelly discuss the need for more international cooperation in the face of the environmental and populist challenges facing the whole planet. WATCH HERE Or in the player below: SPEAKERS: Andrew Blick [...]
PODCAST: Brexit Doesn’t Work, Federalism Does
Andrew Blick and Brendan Donnelly discuss the need for more international cooperation in the face of the environmental and populist challenges facing the whole planet. LISTEN HERE Or in the player below: Brexit doesn’t work, [...]
Prospects for democracy: a new view from the past
In this article, Andrew Blick and Alex Loktionov look to the past to identify precedents, patterns, and differences against which we can assess current concerns about the global prospects for democracy. Authors: Andrew Blick is [...]
VIDEO: Can Brexit Survive Trump?
Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens discuss the disruptive nature of Donald Trump's first weeks as American President. They argue however that this disruption could have positive consequences for Europe and for the UK. WATCH HERE [...]
PODCAST: Can Brexit Survive Trump?
Brendan Donnelly and John Stevens discuss the disruptive nature of Donald Trump's first weeks as American President. They argue however that this disruption could have positive consequences for Europe and for the UK. LISTEN HERE [...]
VIDEO: Is Danger for Ukraine a Danger for Brexit too?
In this new Federal Trust video, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the extraordinary dangers and opportunities created for the UK and the EU by the current volatility of American policy-making. WATCH HERE or in [...]
PODCAST: Is Danger for Ukraine a Danger for Brexit too?
In this new podcast episode, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the extraordinary dangers and opportunities created for the UK and the EU by the current volatility of American policy-making. LISTEN HERE or in the [...]
VIDEO: A New World Order? Trump vs Europe
In this video, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the impact of Donald Trump's first month in power on the security of Europe, and in particular its impact on Germany under the Chancellorship of Friedrich [...]
PODCAST: A New World Order? Trump vs Europe
In this episode of the Federal Trust podcast, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the impact of Donald Trump's first month in power on the security of Europe, and in particular its impact on Germany [...]
VIDEO: Is Trump the End of Brexit?
In this new Federal Trust video, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly mark the fifth anniversary of Brexit by reviewing the arguments of the referendum campaign in 2016. They conclude that the arguments deployed in favour [...]
