Dear Subscribers,
The UK and the EU have pledged to hold annual summits starting next year to discuss a wide range of areas. The intention, of course, is for closer cooperation on any number of areas of strategic importance. 10 years after voting to extricate themselves from the ever-expanding ambit of EU power, British voters will have the pleasure of seeing their Prime Minister locked in talks with the EU Commission on an annual basis.
Energy giant EDF has warned that attempts by the new government to rush through a transition to green energy risks destabilising the grid. The Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, is under increasing fire from energy experts for his zealous pursuit of unreliable sources of energy on the dishonest premise that they are cheaper and more secure.
Eco-warrior puts grid stability at risk
EU Member States voted by a very narrow majority to approve the imposition of tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China. The proposals from the European Commission have proved controversial, especially in Germany, which stands to lose the most from retaliatory tariffs from China. After pressure from business groups, Chancellor Olaf Scholz voted against the proposals having previously said he would abstain.
The European Court of Justice has declared the EU’s trade agreement with Morocco to be illegal, on the grounds that it does not recognise the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. It is the final ruling after several appeals by the EU Commission, who say they will ‘look very closely’ at the ruling. The future of the deal is now uncertain.
EU Morocco trade deal on the rocks
The Middle East is bracing itself for an Israeli strike on Iran in retaliation against the barrage of ballistic missiles which Iran launched against Israel last week. Iranian oil and nuclear facilities are reportedly under consideration by Israeli generals, though the US is apparently warning against targeting nuclear sites, and Iran have threatened to retaliate against oil facilities across the region (in Arab states).
News
The Battle of Ideas Festival is taking place on 19th and 20th October in Westminster. There will be dozens of public debates on some of the most important issues of the day with an impressive line-up of speakers from all political camps. Open-minded readers will appreciate the festival’s commitment to free speech and are encouraged to attend.
Media
Briefings co-editor Robert Tombs on the need to unite the right
Matt Ridley on Ed Miliband’s Green Energy policies
Yuan Zi Zhu on the Chagos Islands decision
Blog
Russian Roulette by Adrian Hill
Former soldier and diplomat Adrian Hill assesses the military balance of power
in the Ukraine.
More strikes against depots in the Russian rear inevitably could undermine Russia’s
capability to launch long range missile strikes into Ukraine. Furthermore, Ukrainian strikes
against Russian ammunition and missile storage depots could also destroy a decisive portion of Russia’s materiel reserves. That could impact on Russian offensive capability throughout the European theatre and globally, not only their operations in Ukraine if the latter’s
defending forces have the materiel, capabilities, and permission to conduct such a strike
campaign against logistics and supports facilities within Russia and at large scale.
Key Points
The new Foreign Secretary’s first major contribution to British foreign policy will be to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The Chagos Islands are a small archipelago in the Indian Ocean more than 2000 km from Mauritius. Their only significance is strategic: they host an important naval base which, as the FCDO puts it, “plays a vital role in national, regional, and global security”. So why hand them over?
There is no reason in law. Britain’s claim to the islands, though the subject of a reproving and non-binding UN resolution, has not been challenged by any national or international court in the 14 years that Mauritius has been pursuing a claim. The ICJ gave an advisory opinion which encouraged the UK to cede the islands, but the UK is under no obligation as a result. In other words, the decision was completely voluntary.
Mauritius has strong links with Communist China, which the FCDO were just recently describing as “an existential threat”. Though Lammy claims to have secured guarantees on the use of the Chagos Islands as a naval base, ceding sovereignty undoubtedly puts it at risk in the long term, if not of closure then at least of interference or surveillance. US politicians are said to have deep concerns about the decision.
Remarkably, the UK has agreed to pay Mauritius for the pleasure of gifting them the archipelago. A package of ‘financial support’ will accompany legal possession of the islands. It does not fill us with confidence for the long-promised negotiations with the EU that Starmer’s new government has managed to negotiate its way from unconditional sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to handing them over with free money to boot.
So strange is the decision that it makes one wonder if there is an enemy inside the gates. It would be tempting to suspect the new Labour government of being friendlier to China than any of them will admit, but the ‘negotiations’ began under the Conservatives. The motivating factor seems to be a kind of lingering imperial guilt. The Chagos Islands are an embarrassment for diplomats who value feelings of moral self-worth over strategic national interests. The ‘enemy within’ is not foreign influence, it is the lazy self-hatred of the British elite.
