#Frost The Frost speech doesn’t return UK foreign policy to it’s pre-EC stance, it introduces an alien element that would be unrecognisable to Pitt, Castlereagh, Palmerston, Disraeli, or a Balfour.
All the great figures shaping our foreign policy saw the need for a “balance of powers”, the “comity of nations”, created through alliances and crafted at Congresses in Vienna, Berlin & Versailles.
It was a constant work-in-progress, ultimately failing in 1914
It was a constant work-in-progress, ultimately failing in 1914
The pursuit of naked self interest, “red in tooth & claw”, was seen as Teutonic, and the work of Bismarck.
It led to European wars in 1866 & 1870, and laid the foundation to national rivalries that fuelled the descent into war and chaos of the 20th century.
It led to European wars in 1866 & 1870, and laid the foundation to national rivalries that fuelled the descent into war and chaos of the 20th century.
The Congress of Vienna sought to put into practice the enlightenment principles of Kant, and began addressing customs duties, tariffs and borders.
Castlereagh led this work as Britain could see a direct ALIGNMENT of interests between political consolidation in Germany & UK biz
Castlereagh led this work as Britain could see a direct ALIGNMENT of interests between political consolidation in Germany & UK biz
The idea of deliberating fostering misalignment, or divergence, from European powers would have left any significant Foreign Secretary baffled.
Even Pitt desperately sought to keep European armies fighting against Napoléon through British gold & subterfuge.
Even Pitt desperately sought to keep European armies fighting against Napoléon through British gold & subterfuge.
Brief experiments with “splendid isolation” soon conflicted with the realities of international politics as UK recognised even at the height of its powers it couldn’t, and shouldn’t, act alone
The Entente Cordial of 1904 set the scene signalled our continued engagement in Europe
The Entente Cordial of 1904 set the scene signalled our continued engagement in Europe
After WWI, UK ked the way with the creation of the League of Nations, and the 1925 Locarno Treaty. These attempts at multilateral disarmament and peacekeeping failed. But the attempt was consistent with UK interests
1930s appeasement again saw UK try to isolate and detach itself.
1930s appeasement again saw UK try to isolate and detach itself.
At Munich, Chamberlain realised too late the perilous weakness of UKs position and the failure to secure a meaningful alliance with France & Poland to encircle Germany.
The loss of Poland to the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact showed the folly of UK isolationist foreign policy.
The loss of Poland to the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact showed the folly of UK isolationist foreign policy.
I’ve spent a lifetime studying British foreign policy and the current isolationist direction is a betrayal of our traditional policy, founded on alignment of pragmatic interests.
We’re being driven by an alien ideology, not UK interests. That fact is itself un-British.
We’re being driven by an alien ideology, not UK interests. That fact is itself un-British.
The real myth is the our entry into the European Community in 1975 was a radical departure from British foreign policy.
Far from it. Our European membership was a culmination of pragmatic & deepening engagement in continental alliances, muddy battlefields & gilded ballrooms
Far from it. Our European membership was a culmination of pragmatic & deepening engagement in continental alliances, muddy battlefields & gilded ballrooms
