Introduction

There is little doubt that we are living in a precarious, turbulent and uncertain period in our global history. A world where vast inequalities are increasingly opening between and within countries. This phenomenon is in parallel with, and often a significant contributor to, a series of dangerous outbreaks of conflict around the world as countries face down geopolitical threats. We are now living in a constantly changing strategic environment with more conflicts than at any time since 1945 (Wintour, 2025). Added to this, there are widespread concerns that in many countries democracy is severely at risk. At the same time there is a growing global climate emergency of momentous proportions. Mixed into this dangerous scenario, governments and people everywhere are dealing with the outcomes of the unpredictable, unorthodox, authoritarian approach of the world's most powerful elected politician, Donald Trump, the president of the United States.

Almost daily, in the UK, we are confronted with seeing or hearing about the growing real-life difficulties facing millions of people living in poverty and unable to properly feed themselves and their children while struggling to pay for the heating and lighting of their home (JRF, 2024). According to a report from the independent Social Metrics Commission (2024), 24 per cent of the UK population is judged to be in poverty, with more than a third of all children (36 per cent) in poverty in 2022/2023. This is an almost five percentage point increase since 2019/2020.