Eliot Wilson

London

Freelance Columnist at Freelance

Writer & commentator, strategic adviser, historian | Conservative | @CityAM @theipaper @spectator @thehill @CapX @SpearsMagazine | former @HouseofCommons clerk

Articles

Martin Luther's wise protector

1 day ago | engelsbergideas.com | Eliot Wilson

Frederick III, Elector of Saxony, remembered as ‘the Wise’, died 500 years ago this month. He had a supporting role in the history of the early Reformation as the patron and protector of Martin Luther: from 1518 to his death in 1525, the shield Frederick provided was vital, but the man himself tends to be relegated to footnotes, merely a cog in the machine. There was more to him than that. Frederick was 23 when he succeeded his father Ernest as Elector of Saxony in 1486.
How to get Gen Z to fight for Britain

1 day ago | spectator.co.uk | Eliot Wilson

It is easy to despair of young people as self-absorbed, isolated from reality and unwilling to take on the hard tasks that previous generations had to face. I have done it myself, and I suspect humans have been doing it since Adam and Eve worried that Cain seemed to lack dedication and work ethic. It is particularly tempting when we look at the armed forces: serving your country is physically and mentally demanding, inherently dangerous and inadequately rewarded.
What exactly is the point of Starmer’s EU defence pact?

2 days ago | spectator.com.au | Eliot Wilson

Sir Keir Starmer’s cherished agreement on defence with the European Union seems to have been high on the diplomatic agenda for a very long time without ever quite reaching its top. The Labour party’s manifesto for last year’s general election promised an ‘ambitious new UK-EU security pact to strengthen cooperation on the threats we face’.
What exactly is the point of Starmer's EU defence pact?

2 days ago | spectator.co.uk | Eliot Wilson

Sir Keir Starmer’s cherished agreement on defence with the European Union seems to have been high on the diplomatic agenda for a very long time without ever quite reaching its top. The Labour party’s manifesto for last year’s general election promised an ‘ambitious new UK-EU security pact to strengthen cooperation on the threats we face’. We have heard the word ‘reset’ in terms of our relationship with the EU so often that it has lost most of whatever meaning it once had.
US-UK deal is free trade in name only

6 days ago | cityam.com | Alys Denby |Eliot Wilson

Thursday 08 May 2025 4:53 pm US-UK deal is free trade in name only WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 08: A poster board is seen as U.S. President Donald Trump talks with reporters in the Oval Office at the White House on May 08, 2025 in Washington, DC. During his remarks Trump spoke about a trade deal with the United Kingdom that he announced today on Truth Social.
Should Canada join the Joint Expeditionary Force?

1 week ago | spectator.com.au | Eliot Wilson

The narrow victory of Mark Carney’s Liberal party in last month’s federal elections in Canada was an extraordinary reversal of fortune. Before the former governor of the Bank of England became Canada’s 24th prime minister, the opposition Conservative party had regularly enjoyed double-digit leads in the opinion polls. Carney, by placing a defiant and punchy anti-Trump message at the heart of his campaign, turned the election on its head and will remain in office.
Should Canada join the Joint Expeditionary Force?

1 week ago | spectator.co.uk | Eliot Wilson

The narrow victory of Mark Carney’s Liberal party in last month’s federal elections in Canada was an extraordinary reversal of fortune. Before the former governor of the Bank of England became Canada’s 24th prime minister, the opposition Conservative party had regularly enjoyed double-digit leads in the opinion polls. Carney, by placing a defiant and punchy anti-Trump message at the heart of his campaign, turned the election on its head and will remain in office.
Why Britain must prepare for war with Russia

1 week ago | spectator.com.au | Eliot Wilson

I’m old enough to remember the last years of the Cold War. There were definite signs of a thaw by the time of my childhood – there were weary sighs when I wrote about the Reykjavík Summit for my prep school magazine – but the threat of genuine conflict still hovered over West and East, and we all understood that such a conflict could be existential.
Why Britain must prepare for war with Russia

1 week ago | spectator.co.uk | Eliot Wilson

I’m old enough to remember the last years of the Cold War. There were definite signs of a thaw by the time of my childhood – there were weary sighs when I wrote about the Reykjavík Summit for my prep school magazine – but the threat of genuine conflict still hovered over West and East, and we all understood that such a conflict could be existential. If nothing else, it currently provides a tinge of nostalgia to the strategic frostiness with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Amazon row proves Trump's America is an unreliable partner for business

1 week ago | cityam.com | Eliot Wilson

Monday 05 May 2025 10:12 am Amazon row proves Trump’s America is an unreliable partner for business WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 20: Guests including Mark Zuckerberg, Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk attend the Inauguration of Donald J. Trump in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.