Foreign policy took center stage this week as three prominent British politicians gave separate speeches addressing Britain’s security and defense in the face of global threats. Former Foreign Secretary David Miliband, current Foreign Secretary David, Lord Cameron, and Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy all shared concerns about an “axis of authoritarian states” including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, that pose dangers to Britain and its allies. They also spoke about the need for Europe to work together to defend itself against these threats.
While there was agreement about the nature of the challenge, ideas for a remedy differed. Lord Cameron called for the West to be more assertive towards defending its interests, whereas Lammy emphasized deeper cooperation with allies on both sides of the Atlantic. Miliband proposed a multi-disciplinary agreement with the EU that spans defense, climate security, food security, health security, and energy security, something that some European leaders may not be ready for.
Regardless of the prescribed solution, all three men warned of a growing threat to Britain’s security, making foreign policy a key issue for the upcoming general election. With the war in Gaza and the Covid-19 pandemic shifting votes in last week’s local elections, politicians will have to balance defense spending and access to foreign markets against education and healthcare funding.
At this time, foreign policy discussions have mainly occurred in speeches given to think tanks and have not been of significant interest to voters. The upcoming election could change that, with the threat posed by authoritarian states, immigration, and climate change increasingly in voters’ minds. No matter the outcome, the discussions raised by these politicians regarding security and defense are sure to be issues to watch in the coming months
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