A Clifton Club Talk Given by Francis Cornish CMG LVO
UK Ambassador to Israel (1998-2001)
The Changing Balance of Power: Where Does Power Lie in Today’s World?
Saturday 1st August 2026
Arrival from 10.30am, Talk at 11.00am, Brunch to follow at 12pm
This is a FREE event, but tickets must be booked in advance
Places are limited so book asap!
Brunch is booked separately @ £16pp and is NOT included with your event ticket
See below for full details
Following Francis Cornish’s well‑received talk in January, he returns to the elegant surroundings of the Clifton Club, in the heart of Clifton Village, to explore how global power dynamics are evolving and what that means for the future.
For nearly eighty years the democratic West has been the world’s foremost political and economic power. It played a major role in the collapse of communism in Europe and helped foster unprecedented increases in global prosperity.
But today the tectonic plates appear to be shifting. China has emerged as an economic giant and increasingly seeks what it sees as its rightful place as a major - perhaps even dominant - world power. It sees a West facing new uncertainties: destabilised by an aggressive, troublesome Russia, and a distinctly unusual U.S. President.
What might these changes mean for the future global order - and for us?
Francis Cornish CMG LVO
British Ambassador to Israel (1998-2001)
Francis Cornish began his career with the Foreign Office in 1968. After early postings in London, Malaysia, and Indonesia, he returned to London in 1973 to head the Greek desk.
In 1976, he moved to Bonn to manage European Community affairs, before returning to London in 1980 as Assistant Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales. He assumed this role just months before Prince Charles announced his engagement to Lady Diana Spencer and left shortly after accompanying the couple on their first official visits to Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
Francis was appointed High Commissioner to Brunei in 1983, and three years later transferred to Washington, where he oversaw media relations and public diplomacy in both Washington and New York. In 1990, he became spokesman for Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd, before moving to Hong Kong to help prepare for the 1997 Handover. He subsequently became the first British Consul General in Hong Kong. After serving as a Director at the Royal College of Defense Studies, Francis was appointed Ambassador to Israel in 1998, a post he held until his retirement from the Foreign Service in 2002.
Full Details
When: Saturday 1st August 2026
Where:
The Clifton Club, 22 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4DS
Time: 10.30am arrival; talk starts promptly at 11.00am; b
runch from 12pm
Booking for the talk: Contact
Helen Sutton at CCA on: helen@crownchurchandarts.co.uk or 07802 256315
Booking for brunch: if you would like to stay on for the Clifton Club's delicious brunch, then please let Helen Sutton know at the same time as reserving your place for the talk. The talk is free but Brunch is charged at £16pp, payabe to CCA after the event.
NB. places are limited and will be allocated on a strictly first come/first served basis, so book NOW!