Retired Brigadier Gerhard Wheeler, CBE, a veteran of Afghanistan, will headline a public talk on national defence in Liphook next week.

The event, UK Defence in Uncertain Times, is organised by the Farnham & Bordon Liberal Democrats and takes place at the Liphook Millennium Centre on Monday, September 29, from 6.30pm to 9.30pm.

Brigadier Wheeler will be in conversation with local Liberal Democrat campaigner Theresa Meredith-Hardy. They will explore the threats posed by Russia’s war in Ukraine, the risk of rising global tensions and the impact of emerging technologies including drones, cyber warfare and AI.

“We are entering an era where global security is less predictable than at any point since the Cold War,” Brigadier Wheeler said. “The public must engage with these issues, as defence and security affect us all.”

Organisers stress the evening is not a party-political event but a chance for residents to hear directly from an expert and take part in a Q&A.

The bar opens at 6.30pm, with the talk beginning at 7.15pm. Tickets cost £10, or £5 for under-30s, and are available online here.

The Liberal Democrats’ previous talk focussed on climate change with The Guardian newspaper’s energy correspondent Jillian Ambrose.