Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Nov 15, 2025

G7 summit: What is it and why is it in Cornwall?

G7 summit: What is it and why is it in Cornwall?

World leaders including US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are expected in a Cornish resort next week.

They will be there to hold face-to-face meetings during a summit of G7 nations.

What is the G7?


The G7 (Group of Seven) is an organisation made up of the world's seven largest so-called advanced economies. They are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the United States.

Russia joined in 1998, creating the "G8", but was excluded in 2014 for its takeover of Crimea.

China has never been a member, despite its large economy and having the world's biggest population. Its relatively low level of wealth per person means it is not seen as an advanced economy in the way the G7 members are.

Representatives from the European Union are usually present and India, South Korea and Australia have been invited this year.

Why is the G7 summit in Cornwall?


The UK holds the G7 presidency for 2021 and announced in January that the meeting would take place at the Carbis Bay Hotel.

The region is seen as central to the UK's green technology sector. Showing off the country's green credentials is important to the government ahead of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow in November.

It is not the first time the world leaders have met on the beach. The last G7 summit in 2019 was held in the French seaside town of Biarritz.

Day-to-day life for locals and tourists in Cornwall will be affected, including road and path closures.

In some areas of nearby St Ives, residents will have to provide proof of address in order to access their homes.

The UK government said it was important for world leaders to meet in person and regular Covid testing would take place.


What does the G7 do?


Throughout the year ministers and officials from the member countries hold meetings, form agreements and publish joint statements on global events.

Finance minsters have been meeting in London, to discuss a possible tax on big tech firms and action on climate change.

The main event is the annual summit where the leaders sit down to talk about the biggest issues of the day.

Last year's summit, which was due to be hosted by President Donald Trump, was cancelled because of the pandemic. It was the first year without a summit since the group first met in 1975.

What will happen at this year's summit?


The main topic of conversation will be Covid recovery, including "a stronger global health system that can protect us all from future pandemics".

The agenda also includes climate change and trade.

Leaders will arrive on Friday 11 June and meetings will get under way the following morning, with guest countries arriving that afternoon.

Leaders are meeting at Carbis Bay Hotel on the Cornish coast

Most of the conversations take place behind closed doors, but there are usually set-piece moments on camera - including the obligatory leaders' photo.

At the end of the summit, the UK - as the host nation - will publish a document called a communique. This outlines what has been agreed by the leaders.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to hold a press conference on Sunday.

Will there be protests and more police?


Protesting and policing are both more difficult this year because of Covid restrictions.

Police have hired a cruise ship to help house officers off nearby Falmouth. More than 5,000 extra officers - on top of 1,500 from Devon and Cornwall - will police the summit.

Extinction Rebellion is planning a string of demonstrations during the summit

Demonstrators have been told they can gather in four approved protesting sites, including one in Exeter - more than 100 miles away.

Police have said they are "not naïve enough to expect that every protest will take place solely in those four sites".

Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion says it expects 1,000 people at its protests in Cornwall.

Does the G7 have any power?


It can't pass any laws because it is made up of separate nations with their own democratic processes.

However, some decisions can have global effects.

For example, the G7 played crucial roles in setting up a global fund to fight malaria and Aids in 2002.

The G7 has been criticised as being out of date, partly because it does not include two of the largest countries in the world: India and China. In 2020 President Trump called it a "very outdated group of countries".

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
UK Upholds Firm Rules on Stablecoins to Shield Financial System
Brussels Divided as UK-EU Reset Stalls Over Budget Access
Prince Harry’s Remembrance Day Essay Expresses Strong Regret at Leaving Britain
UK Unemployment Hits 5% as Wage Growth Slows, Paving Way for Bank of England Rate Cut
Starmer Warns of Resurgent Racism in UK Politics as He Vows Child-Poverty Reforms
UK Grocery Inflation Slows to 4.7% as Supermarkets Launch Pre-Christmas Promotions
UK Government Backs the BBC amid Editing Scandal and Trump Threat of Legal Action
UK Assessment Mis-Estimated Fallout From Palestine Action Ban, Records Reveal
UK Halts Intelligence Sharing with US Amid Lethal Boat-Strike Concerns
King Charles III Leads Britain in Remembrance Sunday Tribute to War Dead
UK Retail Sales Growth Slows as Households Hold Back Ahead of Black Friday and Budget
Shell Pulls Out of Two UK Floating Wind Projects Amid Renewables Retreat
Viagogo Hit With £15 Million Tax Bill After HMRC Transfer-Pricing Inquiry
Jaguar Land Rover Cyberattack Pinches UK GDP, Bank of England Says
UK and Germany Sound Alarm on Russian-Satellite Threat to Critical Infrastructure
Former Prince Andrew Faces U.S. Congressional Request for Testimony Amid Brexit of Royal Title
BBC Director-General Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness Resign Amid Editing Controversy
Tom Cruise Arrives by Helicopter at UK Scientology Fundraiser Amid Local Protests
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Face Fresh UK Probes Amid Royal Fallout
Mothers Link Teen Suicides to AI Chatbots in Growing Legal Battle
UK Government to Mirror Denmark’s Tough Immigration Framework in Major Policy Shift
UK Government Turns to Denmark-Style Immigration Reforms to Overhaul Border Rules
UK Chancellor Warned Against Cutting Insulation Funding as Budget Looms
UK Tenant Complaints Hit Record Levels as Rental Sector Faces Mounting Pressure
Apple to Pay Google About One Billion Dollars Annually for Gemini AI to Power Next-Generation Siri
UK Signals Major Shift as Nuclear Arms Race Looms
BBC’s « Celebrity Traitors UK » Finale Breaks Records with 11.1 Million Viewers
UK Spy Case Collapse Highlights Implications for UK-Taiwan Strategic Alignment
On the Road to the Oscars? Meghan Markle to Star in a New Film
A Vote Worth a Trillion Dollars: Elon Musk’s Defining Day
AI Researchers Claim Human-Level General Intelligence Is Already Here
President Donald Trump Challenges Nigeria with Military Options Over Alleged Christian Killings
Nancy Pelosi Finally Announces She Will Not Seek Re-Election, Signalling End of Long Congressional Career
UK Pre-Budget Blues and Rate-Cut Concerns Pile Pressure on Pound
ITV Warns of Nine-Per-Cent Drop in Q4 Advertising Revenue Amid Budget Uncertainty
National Grid Posts Slightly Stronger-Than-Expected Half-Year Profit as Regulatory Investments Drive Growth
UK Business Lobby Urges Reeves to Break Tax Pledges and Build Fiscal Headroom
UK to Launch Consultation on Stablecoin Regulation on November 10
UK Savers Rush to Withdraw Pension Cash Ahead of Budget Amid Tax-Change Fears
Massive Spoilers Emerge from MAFS UK 2025: Couple Swaps, Dating App Leaks and Reunion Bombshells
Kurdish-led Crime Network Operates UK Mini-Marts to Exploit Migrants and Sell Illicit Goods
UK Income Tax Hike Could Trigger £1 Billion Cut to Scotland’s Budget, Warns Finance Secretary
Tommy Robinson Acquitted of Terror-related Charge After Phone PIN Dispute
Boris Johnson Condemns Western Support for Hamas at Jewish Community Conference
HII Welcomes UK’s Westley Group to Strengthen AUKUS Submarine Supply Chain
Tragedy in Serbia: Coach Mladen Žižović Collapses During Match and Dies at 44
Diplo Says He Dated Katy Perry — and Justin Trudeau
Dick Cheney, Former U.S. Vice President, Dies at 84
Trump Calls Title Removal of Andrew ‘Tragic Situation’ Amid Royal Fallout
UK Bonds Rally as Chancellor Reeves Briefs Markets Ahead of November Budget
×