Tom Tugendhat MP on the AUKUS “ménage à trois”

In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Chair of the British Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Tugendhat joins Rory Medcalf to unpack what the AUKUS arrangement could mean for the future of the Indo-Pacific.


It’s not quite an alliance, it’s not formally a treaty, but AUKUS is certainly a striking alignment of nations. The question is: what impact will it have beyond the initial nuclear submarines arrangement? And can the damage done to Australia’s standing with France – a key Indo-Pacific partner – be repaired? Tom Tugendhat MP joins Professor Rory Medcalf to share a UK perspective on these questions and more. This discussion builds on a recent publication by Mr Tugendhat on Australia-United Kingdom security ties.


Tom Tugendhat is the Conservative MP for Tonbridge and Malling in the United Kingdom and has been Chair of the British Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee since 2017. Before becoming an MP, Tom was in the British Army and served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.


Professor Rory Medcalf is Head of the National Security College at The Australian National University. His professional background involves more than two decades of experience across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, and journalism.


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