Securing Britain's future with global action

Liberal Democrats believe that Britain must work together with its partners abroad if we are to have the best hope of meeting the challenges the world faces. We believe in freedom, justice, prosperity and human rights for all and will do all we can to work towards a world where these hopes become reality.

Never has there been such a need for global action. There are only a few years to take action to stop runaway climate change. The global recession proved the need for better international regulation of the financial markets. New security threats are emerging, for which Britain's armed forces are not yet fully equipped, whilst terrorists and organised criminals exploit international networks. The challenge of tackling global poverty remains, with the Millennium Development Goals still far from being achieved. And the battle for human rights remains to be fought in many countries.

Liberal Democrats will work through the European Union to deliver a global deal on climate change. We will transform the armed forces, meeting the nation's obligations under the military covenant, and conducting a full defence review to ensure they are equipped for modern threats. We will push for better global financial regulation. We will strive for global nuclear disarmament, showing leadership by committing not to replace the Trident nuclear weapons system on a like-for-like basis. We will meet the UK's obligations to the developing world by committing to spending 0.7 per cent of GNI on aid. And we will put Britain at the heart of Europe, to ensure we use our influence to achieve prosperity, security and opportunity for Britain.

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