United Kingdom parliament
George Robertson
Member of the House of Lords · Labour
Transcripts of what George Robertson said in Parliament, sitting by sitting. Only speeches whose speaker is confirmed are shown.
Sittings appear here a month after they are held.
Latest speeches
International Relations and Defence Committee · House of Lords · 16 September 2026
Chair: inquiry scope and first AI governance question
“Good morning and welcome to the International Relations and Defence Committee of the House of Lords. Today we have been looking at the multilateral system and specifically now we are looking at how it relates to artificial intelligence. I've received…”
Watch from 0:00Experts’ introductions and core AI risk categories
“Thank you very much. I should have said at the beginning if you could, when you start speaking, you might care to introduce yourself so that the committee and the wider public outside who might be watching would know who…”
Watch from 5:02Experts’ introductions and core AI risk categories
“Thank you, really that's extremely useful to us and well-structured as well. Lord Ahmad is going to ask a question.”
Watch from 9:53
International Relations and Defence Committee · House of Lords · 2 September 2026
Opening of evidence session and remit
“We are now public and this is the ninth evidence session of our inquiry into the future of the multilateral system and the UK's role in it. So we're welcoming today Professor John Bew, who is Professor of History and…”
Watch from 0:02Resource constraints, power metrics and UK influence
“Given that resources are very tight and have been very tight in the Foreign Office for quite some time, does that not reflect on Britain's influence in multilateral organizations?”
Watch from 18:58WTO, China’s accession and reform priorities
“Thank you very much. Indeed, when we were doing the strategic defense review last year, there was an ongoing China study being done as well, but it never appeared. Why was that?”
Watch from 40:35
International Relations and Defence Committee · House of Lords · 22 July 2026
Chair’s opening and framing question
“Welcome to this, the eighth session of the committee looking at the issue of multilateralism, and welcome to our two expert witnesses here today. And we look forward to this session. It's live on Parliament Television, and I believe that…”
Watch from 0:00Dercon: origins and current crisis of multilateralism
“Thank you very much. And Professor Goldin, if you introduce yourself and as well give your answer to the question.”
Watch from 4:20Financial crisis blind spots and loss of trust
“Can I just follow up? Why did all these clever people with all of that data and that information not foresee the crisis that was coming?”
Watch from 9:00
International Relations and Defence Committee · House of Lords · 15 July 2026
Speech
“Can I say order, order, and start this proceeding and welcome Richard Gowan, Olivia O'Sullivan, and Sir Matthew Rycroft for being available to the committee. This is the seventh evidence session of our inquiry which seeks to explore the multilateral…”
Watch from 0:04Chair: inquiry remit and first question
“And I declare that I was the lead reviewer for the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, which may well be relevant to the discussion that we're having here as well. So, we're very grateful to you for taking the time to…”
Watch from 1:07O’Sullivan and Gowan: assets, constraints and shifting power
“Thanks very much. And Richard Gowan, you're on remote, but I wondered whether you had a view on on what's just been said.”
Watch from 11:06
Industry and Regulators Committee · House of Lords · 14 July 2026
Opening: inquiry focus and witness roles
“Thank you, Madam Chair, and I am Lord Robertson of Port Ellen. I was once upon a time Secretary of State for Defence, then I was Secretary General of, of NATO, and I was asked by the incoming Prime Minister…”
Watch from 1:05Strategic Defence Review: process and procurement focus
“Well, it's an important dimension of what we recommended. I think I should say that the process that led to the SDR as a whole involved various propositions being put out at the beginning of the process to the wider…”
Watch from 5:11Q: Lord Best: procurement in the drone/AI era
“Well, just let me say that I've heard all this before from Richard and it's very, very impressive. But inside the Ministry of Defence, there is a section devoted to helping Ukraine. And they can move very quickly. They have…”
Watch from 16:28
Defence Committee · House of Commons · 7 July 2026
Delay impacts: MOD, industry and Russia 2030 timeline
“I think the delay has caused a degree of confusion inside the Ministry of Defence and considerable disturbance in the industry as well, who had waited for this to take place. But that will be compounded by their disappointment at…”
Watch from 1:23Allied confidence and NATO summit context
“I think our allies are dismayed at how long it has taken to go from the SDR, which they thought was brilliantly done and an ideal model designed to inspire them as well as to intimidate our enemies. And therefore…”
Watch from 5:32Reviewers’ defence, need for faster acceleration and 3% assumption
“No, I don't see why we should in any way be blamed. We produced a prospectus based on what we knew at that time. But we said in the reviewers' preface to the SDR, we said we are confident that…”
Watch from 9:20
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Polyfact records and transcribes the sittings and committee hearings of United Kingdom's parliaments. A passage appears here only once its speaker is confirmed, by the official record or by a person; automatic guesses are left out.