It has been a privilege to spend time with a group of future leaders, organised by the Coalition for Global Prosperity. Having just returned from the second of two residential with the group, at Ditchley Park in Oxfordshire, I have been able to build my knowledge on key aspects of defence, diplomacy and development policy. This follows a similar event in Windsor before the summer.
The UK has a major role to play on the world stage - far bigger than some give us credit for - and we should be proud of it. We recognise the responsibility we have to the world community, and how we can be a 'force for good'. These few days have given me a much clearer opportunity to understand how we can achieve this.
With an ever more challenging world, it is incumbent on all in politics to step up and find ways to address these global challenges.