In an article for CapX, Policy Exchange’s John Bew discusses British foreign policy and the Prime Minister’s Philadelphia speech

John Bew

Head of Britain in the World

‘As the world becomes a more challenging and uncertain place, it is often said that “realpolitik” has made a comeback in international affairs. The “end of history” turned out to be nothing of the sort.

In truth, a dose of realism is something that British foreign policy has needed for a while; and by being the first leader to visit the new American president, Theresa May has delivered a bucket full to her counterparts in European capitals who stalled before picking up the phone.

The “art of the deal” is something we will have to familiarise ourselves with again, giving our foreign policy an almost nineteenth-century feel to it. We should, however, resist the temptation to push this logic too far. Our values and our ideals should not be abandoned the moment we leave our own shores.’

Click here to read the rest of the article, which appeared on CapX

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