Blairite foreign policy forever
Matthew Jamieson, of whom we last heard proclaiming that "Britain was unquestionably the world’s second strongest power", has a sparkling new idea.Noting that Thatcher's true heir in foreign policy was Blair (which involves a slightly strange argument that Cecil Parkison or Michael Portillo would have ensured her foreign policy legacy if they had become PM), and that David Cameron might "prove a useful tool in entrenching the Blair legacy", he argues that Blair's final foreign policy act should be to persuade Parliament, with Tory backing, to
enshrine the basic tenants of his foreign policy into a legally binding Charter, in the form of an Act of Parliament, setting out basic precepts which future Governments must hold to.In other words, and within the limitations of our constitutional system, it should pass a law to entrench a Blairite foreign policy (of which he lists various suggested points, including a "minimum level of 3.5% of Gross National Income for defence spending").
posted by Matthew @ 3/02/2006 04:14:00 PM
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