The 1956 Suez Crisis: Seventy Years On
What happened then? What is its meaning now?
To mark the seventieth anniversary of one of the most dramatic episodes in post-war British history, the European Parliament Liaison Office in the United Kingdom and the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation present a special seminar examining the legacy of the 1956 Suez Crisis.
In November 1956, Britain, France and Israel launched a military intervention in Egypt following President Nasser’s nationalisation of the Suez Canal. The operation rapidly unravelled when the United States refused its support, exposing divisions within the Western alliance and reshaping Britain’s role in world affairs.
Seventy years later, this expert panel will explore the causes and consequences of the crisis, its impact on Europe, America and the Middle East, and the lessons that can still be drawn from it today.
Speakers
Alain Lamassoure
Former French Minister for Europe and Budget; former Member of the European Parliament
Sir Vernon Bogdanor
Professor at King’s College London; constitutional historian and author
Lord David Hannay
Former British Ambassador to the European Union and the United Nations
Dr Laura James
Deputy Director and Senior Middle East Analyst, Oxford Analytica
Moderator: Anthony Teasdale
Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and Columbia University; former Treasury and Foreign Office adviser
Event Details
Date: Thursday 5 November 2026
Doors Open: 5.30pm
Discussion Begins: 6.00pm
Reception: 7.30pm
Venue: Europe House, 32 Smith Square, London SW1P 3EU, and online
The discussion will be followed by a reception to which all participants are invited.
Registration: Advance booking required via Eventbrite.
