Jun 28 2007
What should the US expect from UK foreign policy under PM Brown/ Foreign Secretary Miliband?
Gordon Brown is an admirer of the USA. he holidays there, understands the power of the US economy, and has gone along with Blair’s foreign policy based on a strong US alliance.
However, he is good at political calculation and will not be sentimental. He will reason that Bush is unpopular and is on the way out, and that the Bush/Blair wars were unpopular in the UK. He will not want to go so far as to incur wrathful brieifng against him by the Bush regime, but he will want to signal that lessons are being learned from the invasions, and that he will be well disposed should a Democrat win next time.
Miliband has risen without expressing strong views on foreign affairs. He let people believe he was unhappy about the last Israeli/Lebanon hostilities, and just hinted that Iraq was not the UK’s finest hour without going too far.
Gordon Brown has let people believe he is sceptical about the case for more European integration. He was important in stopping the last government seeking to abolish the pound and put the UK into the Euro. He is unlikely to want to find that many of the things he woudl like to do as Prime Minister are no longer possible without EU agreement, as that will block or slow up his plans for Britain.
He faces an immediate problem. Tony Blair signed up to a wide ranging surrender of powers to the EU at the last Council of Ministers, whilst refusing a referendum which he had promised on the Constitutional Treaty.
Gordon Brown appears to hold the view that he must ram this through?? an unwillling Pwrliament and people, claiming it is not important enough to warrant a referendum. However, as he often thinks politcally there is an outside chance he will see the advantage of seeking a better deal in the IGC that has to ratify this Treaty, and then failing to get it strengthened say he will put it to the British people. The government need not directly take a view, leaving it to umbrella non party organisations to fight for and against the Treaty. This would leave the Conservative party without their Eurosceptic ace of the offer of a referendum on this crucial issue, where more than 80% of the public want such a vote, and would free Gordon Brown either way in the EU.
John Redwood has been the Member of Parliament for Wokingham since 1987. First attending Kent College, Canterbury, he graduated from Magdalen College...
I am more concerned about George Soros’ man Malloch Brown and what that says about British foreign policy. Steinmeier in Berlin is livid about Blair being imposed on The Quartet without Germany even being consulted as EU President…….Miliband’s grandfather fought with the Red Army against Poland in 1920 when the Russians had to be driven out of Warsaw.
If Brown is an historian he seems very insensitive to European history. I do not think Miliband is in the right job but there was a lack of talent. The obvious man for the FCO was Hoon - he is sufficiently insincere and has been an MEP and Europe Minister and Defence Secretary
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