In the heat of the 2016 Brexit referendum, Brexiteers sold voters on a bold vision: that the United Kingdom, once free from the shackles of the European Union, would become a global buccaneer-an agile, sovereign power charting an independent course on the world stage. Yet for years after the vote, reality painted a far more muted picture. A succession of governments-rocked by political instability, COVID-19 disruptions, and a lack of coherent foreign policy direction-failed to live up to those early promises.

Fast forward to 2025, however, and there are emerging signs that the UK is finally beginning to realize some of its post-Brexit potential. At the center of this awakening is Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose Labour government has injected a renewed sense of purpose and stability into Britain’s international diplomacy.

One clear demonstration of this shift was the United Kingdom’s co-hosting of a major international conference on energy security with the International Energy Agency (IEA) on April 24-25. Held in London, the summit drew senior figures from across the world – from Africa, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific – just months before the crucial COP30 summit in Brazil. Energy security, once a technical matter, has become an urgent global concern, especially after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine exposed the fragility of energy supplies across Europe and beyond.

That the IEA chose London as the venue for such a high-profile event was no accident. Starmer’s government currently represents one of the most politically stable administrations in Europe. Following Labour’s landslide victory in the 2024 general election-the largest margin in the House of Commons for over 25 years-Starmer enjoys a strong legislative........

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