In an increasingly dangerous world Peter believes that a strong US-UK relationship is key to the United Kingdom’s economic and military security.
As an Executive member of the British American Parliamentary Group (BAPG) he recently had the opportunity, as part of a cross-party delegation, to visit the United States as part of a US-State Department funded scheme for British Parliamentarians.
The scheme is designed to build on the ‘special relationship’ between the two nations and to educate legislators on the differences between the political systems and delivery of policy.
As part of the program Peter visited Washington DC where he met with congressmen, non-profits, and think-tanks to understand how policy is developed and implemented in the US.
He then visited Omaha, Nebraska, shadowing Congressman Don Bacon on his District engagements – seeing first hand the work of American Legislators within their respective ‘constituencies’. As part of his visit, he met with Educational Charities, Start-Up Businesses, RAF Personnel at Offutt Airbase, as well as sampling the delights of traditional Mid-West American culture, such as the Wahoo Rodeo and Omaha Zoo!
Concluding his visit in Boston, Massachusetts, Peter visited Tufts University and the State House to learn more about the delivery of services in a Federal System of government.
The Special Relationship between the US and UK is an enduring one, cross-party, and beyond any one Administration. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the American system of government – and how we can learn from aspects of policy delivery at an individual State level
