DRAWING A LINE: Russia, Appeasement and The DNA of The Conservative Party
Denial is the art of attempting to conceal from your self the truth. Families where the father is a violent and abusive alcoholic often desperately pine to be ‘normal and consequently pretend that their domestic life is characterised by harmony. This denial has been likened to placing a tablecloth over an irritable rhino, pretending that it is in fact a coffee table.
In dealing with Putin western European diplomats seem intent to engage in a similar form of denial, treating Putin as if he were just another politician like themselves.
The British government’s current supine position, all the more reprehensible for representing an about face from the previous stance taken by the Labour government, is part of a much older political tradition going back to the 1930’s.
When faced with the murder of a British citizen on the streets of London using highly radioactive material by agents of the Russian state, the previous Labour administration, not unreasonably, thought a line had been crossed. Relations between Britain and Putin’s Kremlin went into the cold freezer. When the Coalition came to power they were determined to put up a sign ‘business as usual.’ The mere murder of a British citizen was going to get in the way of doing business with Putin, especially not someone who had formerly been a Russian citizen and had only sought refuge here.
‘David Clark, chair of the independent Russia Foundation, said Britain's relations with Russia had undergone a "mini-reset" under the Conservative government, involving tacit agreement to draw a line under the Litvinenko affair, greater emphasis on business and commercial ties, and co-operation on matters of shared interest. One result was last week's $5.3bn BP-Rosneft oil deal. Despite this, relations remained "in a bit of a rut", he said.[1]’
After Labour’s ‘ethical foreign policy,’ the Conservatives announced a commercial foreign policy.[2] The murder of a British citizen, Greenpeace activists jailed and threatened with lengthy sentences for ‘piracy,[3] these inconvienient truths must be ignored. Putin is subtly, sometimes not so subtly, given the message, don’t worry about it. Nothing must get in the way of the serious business of commerce.
The Tories of course have form in this area. Such appeasement is in their DNA. They talk tough on human rights to those states that cannot provide a threat, or where commercial interests do not figure. When it comes to the big boys, Russia or China or those states where commercial interests are at stake such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain or Kazakhstan, no amount of grovelling can be too great.
But to repeat my self, the Tories have form. I have just finished reading Lisbon by Neill Lochery,[4] in a chapter on the immediate pre-war period he remarks how Chamberlain offered up the Portuguese colonies to Hitler, as part of an appeasement package. When Hitler enquired as to the Portuguese view of this, he was told that the British would square this with Salazar, the Portuguese dictator, later. As to the hapless African citizen’s who were to be offered up to the tender care of the Nazi’s they simply did not count.
So when you see Cameron firmly grim Putin by the hand, or smile winningly at a Chinese Communist Party goon, or even, as he he at present, attempting to evince compassion in Sri Lanka, remember that the Tories have form. Appeasing dictators is in their DNA.
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In dealing with Putin western European diplomats seem intent to engage in a similar form of denial, treating Putin as if he were just another politician like themselves.The British government’s current supine position, all the more reprehensible for representing an about face from the previous stance taken by the Labour government, is part of a much older political tradition going back to the 1930’s.
‘David Clark, chair of the independent Russia Foundation, said Britain's relations with Russia had undergone a "mini-reset" under the Conservative government, involving tacit agreement to draw a line under the Litvinenko affair, greater emphasis on business and commercial ties, and co-operation on matters of shared interest. One result was last week's $5.3bn BP-Rosneft oil deal. Despite this, relations remained "in a bit of a rut", he said.[1]’
After Labour’s ‘ethical foreign policy,’ the Conservatives announced a commercial foreign policy.[2] The murder of a British citizen, Greenpeace activists jailed and threatened with lengthy sentences for ‘piracy,[3] these inconvienient truths must be ignored. Putin is subtly, sometimes not so subtly, given the message, don’t worry about it. Nothing must get in the way of the serious business of commerce.
The Tories of course have form in this area. Such appeasement is in their DNA. They talk tough on human rights to those states that cannot provide a threat, or where commercial interests do not figure. When it comes to the big boys, Russia or China or those states where commercial interests are at stake such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain or Kazakhstan, no amount of grovelling can be too great.
But to repeat my self, the Tories have form. I have just finished reading Lisbon by Neill Lochery,[4] in a chapter on the immediate pre-war period he remarks how Chamberlain offered up the Portuguese colonies to Hitler, as part of an appeasement package. When Hitler enquired as to the Portuguese view of this, he was told that the British would square this with Salazar, the Portuguese dictator, later. As to the hapless African citizen’s who were to be offered up to the tender care of the Nazi’s they simply did not count.
If you want to annoy a conservative point out to them that Winston Churchill was an imperialist Liberal not a Conservative, joining the Tories only after the Liberals ceased to be a credible political force. He was loathed by the Majority of Conservative MP’s. He only became Prime Minister because he had the support of the Labour party. Neville Chamberlain on the other hand was a Conservative to his core, and enjoyed hitherto unknown degrees of popularity on the Conservative back benches.
So when you see Cameron firmly grim Putin by the hand, or smile winningly at a Chinese Communist Party goon, or even, as he he at present, attempting to evince compassion in Sri Lanka, remember that the Tories have form. Appeasing dictators is in their DNA.
[2] In a speech last year the
Prime Minister called on diplomats to become “Britain
[3] I am aware that the
charges have now been reduced to ‘hooliganism,’ though such a charge carries a
heavy prison sentence. There is something horribly Kafkaesque about launching
an armed attack on a ship in international waters and accusing your victims of
‘piracy.’
[4] Public Affairs Books 2011.
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