Britain enters 2025 facing economic strain, strategic uncertainty, and intensifying global competition. In this hard-hitting year-end special, Dr John Bruni sits down with former Royal Navy submariner and intelligence specialist CDRE Pat Tyrrell OBE (Ret.), and investigative journalist Pete Warren, for an unfiltered assessment of the UK’s political and strategic direction.

We break down the British Budget, stalled growth, defence underfunding, and the question of whether the UK can still project credible power. We explore Britain’s shifting foreign policy, the war in Ukraine, Russian hybrid provocations, cyber intrusions, and the fragility of European security.

The panel also examines Keir Starmer’s political survival, public fatigue, the rise of the Reform Party, and what Britain must do to avoid strategic drift in 2025.

If you care about the UK’s future — its defence, diplomacy, politics and global role — this is your must-watch end-of-year episode.

Show Notes:

Contact Chris

X: @chrismullinexmp

Website: https://www.chrismullinexmp.com/ 

Books by Chris Mullin - 1982 A Very British Coup 1986, Error of Judgement 2009, A View from the Foothills 2010, Decline & Fall 2011, A Walk-On Part 2016, Hinterland 2019, The Friends of Harry Perkins 2023, Didn’t You Used to be Chris Mullin? 

Contact Pat

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/patrick-tyrrell-3479b6

Articles by Pat - AUKUS: A Tale of Politics, Strategy, and Submarines — published 04 Aug 2022, Crash-Diving into Australia’s Submarine Dilemma — published 13 Jul 2022, Adrift and Rudderless – The Sad Story of SS United Kingdom, Monty Python Politics: A Reflection on the Tumultuous Reign of PM Liz Truss, Nov. 2022, Rip van Winkle and the Age of Complacency, Aug. 2022, A Peace that Dares Not Speak its Name — a co-authored piece (with Dr. John Bruni) June 2022

Bruni, John; Jain, Purnendra; Tyrrell, Patrick J. “Why Australia, the UK and Japan need closer security cooperation.” SAGE International Australia Strategic Concept Paper, 12 August 2020.

Bruni, John; Jain, Purnendra; Tyrrell, Patrick J. “A New Strategic Trilateral of the UK, Australia and Japan?” The Naval Review, vol. 108, no. 4 (2020), pp. 362–368. 

Pat also contributed as part of a larger report for SAGE International Australia, writing sections on the UK and France in a 2020 Indo-Pacific strategic assessment. 

Contact Pete

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/petewarren 

Website: https://www.futureintelligence.co.uk/ 

Books by Pete Warren - AI on Trial – with Mark Deem 2025 (2nd edition), Cyber Crime & Warfare: All That Matters – with Michael Streeter 2013, & Cyber Alert: How the World Is Under Attack from a New Form of Crime – with Michael Streeter 2005.

Britain enters 2025 facing economic strain, strategic uncertainty, and intensifying global competition. In this hard-hitting year-end special, Dr John Bruni sits down with former Royal Navy submariner and intelligence specialist&nbsp;CDRE Pat Tyrrell OBE (Ret.), and investigative journalist&nbsp;Pete Warren, for an unfiltered assessment of the UK&rsquo;s political and strategic direction.
We break down the&nbsp;British Budget, stalled growth, defence underfunding, and the question of whether the UK can still project credible power. We explore Britain&rsquo;s shifting foreign policy, the war in&nbsp;Ukraine, Russian hybrid provocations, cyber intrusions, and the fragility of European security.
The panel also examines&nbsp;Keir Starmer&rsquo;s political survival, public fatigue, the rise of the&nbsp;Reform Party, and what Britain must do to avoid strategic drift in 2025.
If you care about the UK&rsquo;s future &mdash; its defence, diplomacy, politics and global role &mdash; this is your must-watch end-of-year episode.
Show Notes:
Contact Chris
X: @chrismullinexmp
Website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbTdhWXY3bUNZWnNIek1sQjhnbnZjOTdxc1NiUXxBQ3Jtc0tsRjlXWU5Gano3TEgzWk9Hc2MyVHZ4YTBMdEUzUE45eW05T0tQUkFRYXJxWWlBU056OHNjcTlTRGl2TWJIYkxWalo2VU1fcWptRVdxbXBhQ3hCNHVSM19Ec0tnMlJUYkY5SnZkV0loRHBOXzFIYy16bw&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chrismullinexmp.com%2F&amp;v=e9dU9m40-DU">https://www.chrismullinexmp.com/</a>&nbsp;
Books by Chris Mullin - 1982 A Very British Coup 1986, Error of Judgement 2009, A View from the Foothills 2010, Decline &amp; Fall 2011, A Walk-On Part 2016, Hinterland 2019, The Friends of Harry Perkins 2023, Didn&rsquo;t You Used to be Chris Mullin?&nbsp;
Contact Pat
LinkedIn:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-tyrrell-3479b6">linkedin.com/in/patrick-tyrrell-3479b6</a>
Articles by Pat -&nbsp;AUKUS: A Tale of Politics, Strategy, and Submarines&nbsp;&mdash; published 04 Aug 2022,&nbsp;Crash-Diving into Australia&rsquo;s Submarine Dilemma&nbsp;&mdash; published 13 Jul 2022,&nbsp;Adrift and Rudderless &ndash; The Sad Story of SS United Kingdom,&nbsp;Monty Python Politics: A Reflection on the Tumultuous Reign of PM Liz Truss, Nov. 2022,&nbsp;Rip van Winkle and the Age of Complacency, Aug. 2022,&nbsp;A Peace that Dares Not Speak its Name&nbsp;&mdash; a co-authored piece (with Dr. John Bruni) June 2022
Bruni, John; Jain, Purnendra; Tyrrell, Patrick J.&nbsp;&ldquo;Why Australia, the UK and Japan need closer security cooperation.&rdquo;&nbsp;SAGE International Australia Strategic Concept Paper, 12 August 2020.
Bruni, John; Jain, Purnendra; Tyrrell, Patrick J. &ldquo;A New Strategic Trilateral of the UK, Australia and Japan?&rdquo;&nbsp;The Naval Review, vol. 108, no. 4 (2020), pp. 362&ndash;368.&nbsp;
Pat also&nbsp;contributed as part of a larger report for SAGE International Australia, writing sections on the UK and France in a 2020 Indo-Pacific strategic assessment.&nbsp;
Contact Pete
LinkedIn:&nbsp;<a href="http://linkedin.com/in/petewarren">linkedin.com/in/petewarren</a>&nbsp;
Website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.futureintelligence.co.uk/">https://www.futureintelligence.co.uk/</a>&nbsp;
Books by Pete Warren -&nbsp;AI on Trial&nbsp;&ndash; with Mark Deem&nbsp;2025 (2nd edition),&nbsp;Cyber Crime &amp; Warfare: All That Matters&nbsp;&ndash; with Michael Streeter&nbsp;2013, &amp;&nbsp;Cyber Alert: How the World Is Under Attack from a New Form of Crime&nbsp;&ndash; with Michael Streeter&nbsp;2005.

The Focus is the flagship current affairs podcast of SAGE International, an independent, Adelaide-based geopolitical  think tank.

Hosted by Dr. John Bruni—a veteran geopolitical commentator with over 24 years in the Australian media—The Focus brings a critical edge to global affairs. John's expertise is built on decades of experience, including time with the Royal United Services Institute of Australia, work as a university lecturer, senatorial foreign affairs adviser, analyst for Jane’s Intelligence Review, and Gulf-based military analyst.

Produced by Neil Smart, The Focus cuts through the noise of biased media to deliver sharp, informed insights into the major issues shaping Australia and the world. In an age of global disruption and complexity, knowing which questions to ask is more vital than ever.

The Focus&nbsp;is the flagship current affairs podcast of&nbsp;SAGE International, an independent, Adelaide-based geopolitical &nbsp;think tank.
Hosted by&nbsp;Dr. John Bruni&mdash;a veteran geopolitical commentator with over 24 years in the Australian media&mdash;The Focus&nbsp;brings a critical edge to global affairs. John's expertise is built on decades of experience, including time with the&nbsp;Royal United Services Institute of Australia, work as a university lecturer, senatorial foreign affairs adviser, analyst for&nbsp;Jane&rsquo;s Intelligence Review, and Gulf-based military analyst.
Produced by&nbsp;Neil Smart,&nbsp;The Focus&nbsp;cuts through the noise of biased media to deliver sharp, informed insights into the major issues shaping Australia and the world. In an age of global disruption and complexity, knowing which questions to ask is more vital than ever.

Advertisement