1/ "Orban row also highlights the quandary Britain finds itself in as it re-calibrates its interests. It is no longer able to choose who its friends are."
A thread showing depriortiatisation of human rights in UK foreign policy *not* caused by Brexit. It's longstanding policy
A thread showing depriortiatisation of human rights in UK foreign policy *not* caused by Brexit. It's longstanding policy
2/ In April 2016 (pre-Brexit) the Home Affairs Select Committee's annual report was significantly critical of "perception that the FCO has become more hesitant in promoting and defending international human rights" publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cm… 
3/ This Guardian editorial sharply criticised that development, all before the Brexit vote (April 2016) theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
4/ Even before that, in 2015, Britain's most senior Foreign Office official that the Conservatives' "prosperity agenda" was now more high up the list of priorities than human rights data.parliament.uk/writtenevidenc…
5/ And this bit is really important - the European Conservative and Reformists Group, set up by David Cameron in 2009 as a home for Tory MEPs, has become a bit of a cesspit of the European far right movement. Well before Brexit independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi… theguardian.com/politics/2009/…
6/ The Foreign Affairs Committee quietly released its latest report on human rights and the rule of law a couple of weeks ago. The criticisms it made a couple of years ago about deprioritisation (to trade) are still there publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cm…
7/ Nb Lord Ahmed, the human rights minister (no, I didn't know either) had this revealing exchange in evidence. He pulled it round a bit but that long para is revealing, and trade is clearly a huge priority data.parliament.uk/writtenevidenc…
8/ This exchange between Lord Ahmed and Chris Bryant MP is also revealing. Clearly human rights are coming behind trade deals
9/ So Brexit didn't start all this - human rights as a foreign policy aim have been reducing in influence for a while at the expense of trade. But once Brexit came along, it appears to have amplified that effect.
