International Affairs
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It is often said that foreign affairs is not a determining issue in UK elections |
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Both at home and abroad trust has been eroded, and Britain’s reputation diminished. It need not have been so. Britain, as a member of the G8, the Security Council of the United Nations, the European Union, NATO and the Commonwealth, has a unique opportunity to be a force for good in the world. British practice has been one of operating through multilateral institutions – and experience shows that when Britain does this, it provides leadership and influence. |
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This must never be allowed to happen again. The work of rebuilding trust and confidence should begin immediately. We can start by committing ourselves to the reforms of the United Nations set out in the High-Level Panel’s sagacious report. |
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We can influence the whole of the Middle East by an unwavering commitment to peace between Israel and the Palestinians. We can sharpen the focus on assistance for the poorest countries in the world through aid, debt relief and trade. We can pursue the cause of human rights wherever they are abused and neglected. |
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I believe that only in this way can we maximise Britain’s influence, and restore Britain’s reputation. Sir Menzies Campbell Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary |
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International Affairs |
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But by invading Iraq the Government has imposed on us a moral obligation to work towards a stable, secure and free Iraq. We welcome the recent elections. We will seek to strengthen and enlarge Iraqi security forces so that they can assume greater responsibility, include Sunni leaders in the political process, and ensure adequate provision of food, water, sanitation and health care for all the Iraqi people. We will support the transition to a fully democratic and legitimate government, aiming to withdraw British troops by the expiry of the UN mandate at the end of the year; the open-ended presence of coalition forces is destabilising and fuels the insurgency. |
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Build security at home and abroadThe best way to achieve security and to tackle the threat from terrorism is through international action. Britain must work through the United Nations, as a committed member of the EU, and with the US to promote international law, democracy and respect for human rights. We will work to reform the UN and the EU to make them more responsive to international challenges. |
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Europe |
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Make Europe more effective and democraticMembership of the EU has been hugely important for British jobs, environmental protection, equality rights, and Britain’s place in the world. But with enlargement to twenty-five member states, the EU needs reform to become more efficient and more accountable. |
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| The new constitution helps to achieve this by improving EU coherence, strengthening the powers of the elected European Parliament compared to the Council of Ministers, allowing proper oversight of the unelected Commission, and enhancing the role of national parliaments. It also more clearly defines and limits the powers of the EU, reflecting diversity and preventing over-centralisation. We are therefore clear in our support for the constitution, which we believe is in Britain’s interest – but ratification must be subject to a referendum of the British people. | |
The other parties like to posture. We think it’s time for common sense. In the modern world, Britain is more prosperous and secure in Europe. But we need to make Europe work more effectively – through more democracy, more openness, less waste, and less bureaucracy. That’s our Liberal Democrat vision for a strong Britain in a strong Europe, a powerful voice in the world Sajjad Karim and Fiona Hall - Liberal Democrat Members of the European Parliament |
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Defence |
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Our troops protect the nation – we must protect themBritain’s armed forces protect the country and are a force for good in the world. But with increasing overseas commitments, they are overstretched. The Government should not be cutting the size of the armed forces while at the same time asking them to take on ever more difficult tasks. New equipment continues to arrive late and over-budget, so we will make military procurement more open and competitive. By switching funding from unnecessary programmes, for example by cutting the third tranche of the Eurofighter programme, we will be able to invest more in protecting the welfare of the armed forces, ensuring that they are well-trained and well-equipped. We will seek new ways of sharing the military burden, by working with allies through NATO and the EU. Liberal Democrats will be realistic about what Britain can, and should, take on, and British forces must always be able to deal with emergencies at home, such as terrorism or natural disasters. |
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Work for the elimination of nuclear weapons and tackle the arms tradeWe will press for a new round of multilateral arms reduction talks, retaining the UK’s current minimum nuclear deterrent for the foreseeable future, until sufficient progress has been made towards the global elimination of such weapons. Arms sales contribute to conflict, so we will establish a cross-party Parliamentary Arms Export Committee to monitor arms exports and scrutinise individual licence applications. We will require arms brokers to register under a code of conduct and revoke the licences of those who break the code. We will support the establishment of an International Arms Trade Treaty. |
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International Development |
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Meet Britain’s promise on aidLiberal Democrats are committed to realising a world free from poverty. In order to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals by 2015 (which include tackling extreme poverty and hunger, providing universal primary education, and combating HIV/AIDS) the UK needs to provide more effective international assistance. Liberal Democrats will increase British aid spending from 0.35 per cent of Gross National Income today to at least 0.5 per cent by 2007/08, and set out detailed plans for it to reach 0.7 per cent by 2011 at the latest. |
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Fair and sustainable trade and investmentWorking through the EU and the World Trade Organisation, we will seek to remove the subsidies and tariff barriers that prevent the poorest countries in the world selling their goods on fair terms. We will work to end the dumping of subsidised agricultural exports by developed economies which is wrecking farming in Africa and other parts of the world. We will work to make sure that agreements to liberalise new sectors proceed on a genuinely voluntary basis, without undue pressure on developing countries. We will require companies benefiting from open markets to behave responsibly, and we will promote a new international agreement to encourage investment, particularly in the poorest countries. |
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Liberal Democrat international development policy is built on two foundations. First, we believe that this country has the wealth to help those much poorer than ourselves, and should do so. Second, we believe that we all benefit from achievement of sustainable development in the poorest countries in the world. |
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This country has never lived up to the promise it made long ago to devote 0.7 per cent of its annual income to aid; it is time that it did. The response of the British people to the Asian tsunami disaster was extraordinarily generous – but every day millions of families around the world are caught up in similar tragedies of famine, drought, war and terrible poverty. So it is time Britain lived up to its promises, to build the sustainable development to end such poverty once and for all. |
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But it is not just about aid. For example, opening European markets to the products of the poorest countries helps their economies and lifts them out of poverty. Stopping subsidised European food being dumped helps their farmers prosper and grow more. Neither policy would cost a penny. |
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We need to reform international institutions to make them more responsive to developing country needs; make aid more productive; make trade fairer; and take action to promote good governance, the rule of law and human rights. |
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The people of this country have an outstanding record of helping those in need around the world. It is time for our government to match their commitment. Tom Brake - Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for International Development |
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Take effective action to protect the global environment |
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Put Britain at the forefront of climate change negotiationsCatastrophic climate change is the major environmental threat to the planet. Urgent action is needed. Liberal Democrat plans will make sure that Britain achieves its targets from the Kyoto Protocol (the international agreement on the pollution that causes climate change) well before the deadline. Britain and the EU must take the lead on negotiations for the next set of targets for greenhouse gas emissions. It is vital that we include the US and Australia but we also need to work with developing countries. Our long-term goal is ‘contraction and convergence’ – which means agreeing for every country a sustainable population-related allowance for emissions. |