Hague’s European dilemma
Daniel Korski 5:02pm
William Hague’s conference speech caps a revival in his political fortunes, and it also
showed how far the government has come since the pre-election period, when Tory foreign policy was indistinct. After one year in office, the government’s roster of foreign policy
achievements is noteworthy.
The coalition has overseen institutional innovations in the form of the National Security Council and organisational improvements at the Foreign Office. Embassies are opening, not closing. Diplomats are again being taught traditional skills, not trying to follow the latest foreign policy fad. Cooperation between DfiD and the Foreign Office is also much better than it was under Labour, with Andrew Mitchell and William Hague conferring regularly on key issues.
Policy-wise, the government has also set off in new directions. It has prioritised links with rising powers like India and Brazil and — most crucially — developed a more coherent response to the “Arab Spring” than many EU states. In Libya, Britain showed, in the Foreign Secretary’s words, “resolve” and “prevented a terrible massacre and a humanitarian catastrophe.” Learning the lessons of past wars, David Cameron ensured that the action was legal and had international support.
But, there are a number of foreign policy issues that remain confused. Afghan policy looks no more sensible now than it did before. There is a deadline for British withdrawal, but nobody believes that NATO forces will hand over power to a self-sustaining local force, or that anything new will make the Taliban willing to negotiate. Pakistan, too, has not been a particular focus for the government, despite the country’s importance. While the government was bold in North Africa, it has stuck its head in the sand on the Middle East peace process as the Palestinians sought UN support for their cause. And David Cameron’s visit to Russia did not “reset” relations and was seen by many in Moscow as endorsing Vladimir Putin’s return to power.
But, of the many things Hague mentioned in his conference speech, his references to the EU will likely get the most attention, and criticism. The Foreign Secretary pandered to the anti-EU instincts of the country, but stopped short of doing what Eurosceptics in his party really want: a referendum on Britain’s EU membership. The government’s foreign policy has been more multilateral, more collaborative with a range of countries, more constructive inside the EU and bolder militarily than many people thought it would be. But, the problems inside the Eurozone and the growing chorus of Euroscepticism are threatening to dominate the foreign policy discussion.
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David Lindsay
October 5th, 2011 5:22pm Report this commentI have exactly 1000 or exactly 600 words (the longer version is better) on how Ed Miliband, who with Gordon Brown and Ed Balls successfully held out against the euro during the Blair years, could now position himself within the European popular, political and parliamentary mainstream by proposing legislation with five simple clauses redefining the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union, legislation which, for reasons that I set out, ought to command the support of all parties and would call the bluff of the supposedly numerous backbench Tory Eurosceptics.
My Confessions of an Old Labour High Tory will soon be published by a leading think tank and with a preface by Rod Liddle, and my articles have appeared in The First Post, Comment is Free, The Brussels Journal and elsewhere, including as a regular contributor to The American Conservative’s PostRight blog (to which I was recruited by Freddy Gray, now of this parish), which is currently in abeyance while that magazine pursues other projects.
davidaslindsay@hotmail.com
Dennis Churchill
October 5th, 2011 5:35pm Report this commentIt is ridiculous to deny that a referendum is now virtually inevitable. It is about when rather than if.
You can’t have a situation where at least half the electorate want to leave the EU while the political class pretend it is non-negotiable.
The situation is like an independence movement in one of our former colonies. Nationalism is first condemned then suppressed and finally recognised.
You would think we, of all nations, would have learnt the lessons.
The Continental European legal and political culture is simply alien to our traditions and culture which is why we stagger from one story about the ECHRs to another about a tax on our finance industry that looks like another Zero sum game by our “partners”.
The best tactic would be to force the Lib Dems into a compromise by agreeing to an official Cost Benefit Analyses of our membership.
Dennis Churchill
October 5th, 2011 5:39pm Report this commentIt is ridiculous to deny that a referendum is now virtually inevitable. It is about when rather than if.
You can’t have a situation where at least half the electorate want to leave the EU while the political class pretend it is non-negotiable.
The situation is like an independence movement in one of our former colonies. Nationalism is first condemned then suppressed and finally recognised.
You would think we, of all nations, would have learnt the lessons.
The Continental European legal and political culture is simply alien to our traditions and culture which is why we stagger from one story about the ECHRs to another about a tax on our finance industry that looks like another Zero sum game by our “partners”.
The best tactic would be to force the Lib Dems into a compromise by agreeing to an official Cost Benefit Analyses of our membership.
Boudicca
October 5th, 2011 5:49pm Report this commentI think 2014 and the EU Parliament elections will be the game changer on the EU - if the Commissars don't cancel them for fear of the results.
Even Conservative Party elite expect UKIP to win in the UK and become the largest British Party. It will be very difficult to ignore a resounding demonstration of the peoples' wish for independence from the anti-democratic monstrosity in Brussels.
At that point we will be just one year from the GE, with Cameron detatching himself from the LibDims and desperate to recover what was his core vote.
If he then continues to deny the British people the right to self-determination, in the face of a clear demand to leave the EU, then he will deserve to lose the GE.
Keep supporting and voting UKIP to keep the pressure up.
Hard Heartless Perry
October 5th, 2011 5:57pm Report this commentAs your snap-shot so beautifully portrays ... a little man behind a big dais, - or more significantly, a perplexed little man pandering on a podium.
Hexhamgeezer
October 5th, 2011 6:04pm Report this commentThe fact that DfID remains apart from the FCO and that aid is divorced from domestic economic considerations shows what a soft left bunch dave, william and chums really are.
Dennis Churchill
October 5th, 2011 6:35pm Report this commentThe clash of political cultures between Britain and Continental Europe is the cause of the “European dilemma” and can be summed up by the word “Populism”. It is a term of abuse when used by the Continental European political class but what does it mean?
Well a populist is one who believes in the right and ability of the common people to play a major part in governing themselves (Chambers)
Forcing laws and policies that are unpopular on a population would normally be referred to as Fascism or Communism, both of which have a history on the continent.
Forcing the British people to submit to what is effectively an alien political and legal culture is simply an untenable policy and the sooner our political class accept it the sooner we can move on.
It is unfortunate that their education and limited dealings with people outside politics and the media means they simply do not understand the growing impatience of the electorate. It is not about whether having a cat or even a number of British born children entitle you to a right of residence it is that the majority believe foreign criminals should be deported and their cats and children can join them when and if they care to.
Cynic
October 5th, 2011 7:07pm Report this commentWhy is Hague making the speech on foreign policy? Surely it should be Baroness Ashton of Upholland doing it - after all, the EU dictates virtually everything we do and I believe she gets paid more than he does so she ought to earn her corn.
TrevorsDen
October 5th, 2011 8:10pm Report this commentThe fact that the DfID is part of the FCO shows that it is being used to promote British interests.
We are pulling out of afghanistan - but our involvement will still be a long term one when training and advising is considered.
William Blake's Ghost
October 5th, 2011 9:41pm Report this commentWhen one considers the monstrous subsidies of the benefit scroungers in Brussels is it any wonder that the EU is going to dominate. The may the increases in the ID spend dwindle into insignificance.
Brussels send their dictats over here and demand we pay them for the pleasure! Little wonder the British people are sick of them!
So, Mr Cameron, what's it going to be? Why don't you go ahead and call that referendum? Let the people pass judgement on 40 years of broken promises, let people decide who's really making the arguments about the future of our country. Let people decide who can make the changes that we really need in our country. Call that referendum. We will fight. Britain will win.
COLIN
October 6th, 2011 8:41am Report this commentIn Libya "Britain prevented a terrible massacre....David Cameron ensured the action(actions) was(were)legal...."
You must be joking.
Patricia Shaw
October 6th, 2011 11:36am Report this commentHague gave us woffle and spin on Palestine. Took AIPAC's and the Conservative Friends of Israel's line. Meeting Zipi tonight. I do wonder if this govt, with double agents like Gove and Vaizey, spends more time fighting for Israel or the UK.
Hexhamgeezer
October 6th, 2011 11:43am Report this commentTrevorsDen @ 8:10pm
DFID is not and never was part of the FCO. The old Overseas Development Agency was a section of the FCO and answerable to the Foreign Secretary. DfID is a seperate ministry and isn't.
It was created in 97, with a much more lavish budget, to decouple aid from direct economic interests and motivations. Instead it was intended to pursue the British (i.e New Labour) interest of making the world a nicer place by giving arseholes loads of money in the hope that it would motivate them to celebrate sexual diversity and stop killing women and suchlike. If occasionally those regimes increased trade with us, all well and good but that is a by-product that DfID is not overly concerned with. In the past DfID has made a virtue out of this to aggressively distance itself from the FCO and it's own ODA origins. The FCO at the best of times is culturally pretty wishy washy in pursuing British economic interests but DfID has taken this disengagement much further.
George Laird
October 6th, 2011 4:26pm Report this commentDear All
Are we all waiting with bated breath for the Germans to reintroduce the Deutsche Mark?
The Euro is collapsing as the debt burden is far too great.
Even the 50% off Greek debt isn’t enough.
The Deutsche Mark for 2012?
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
michael
October 6th, 2011 4:34pm Report this commentHague... EU costs Under control
- whopping 5% increase in the EUs mega budget. When will our politicians stop letting the EU dump on them from a great height.
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