UK needs 'radical reassessment' of foreign policy

Thursday, 22 April 2010 12:00 AM

By Sam Dale

The UK needs a "radical reassessment" of its role in the world according to a survey of the defence industry.

The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) survey comes just hours before the leaders' debates on international affairs.

A total of 2,024 defence industry insiders were surveyed and 88% agreed with the statement that "the UK needs a radical reassessment of the position it wants, and is able to play, in the world".
Only seven per cent disagreed with the statement with five per cent undecided.

Five other questions were posed on issues poised to come up in tonight's debate such as Afghanistan, Trident, the 'special relationship' and terrorism.

On Afghanistan, 57% agreed the war was crucial to UK security and a massive 81% branded terrorism as the most important security priority for the next government.

A majority of 58% backed the 'special relationship' with the United States as the most important strategic partnership while 53% backed Conservative and Labour proposals to renew Trident.

And it should make for an interesting debate as 55% thought there were significant differences on the main parties' defence policies.

"The RUSI survey provides welcome support for some party leaders' key positions, but will make uncomfortable reading on others," said RUSI's Director, Professor Michael Clarke.

Mr Clarke has compared the findings with statements from the three party leaders: "The Prime Minister talks about continuity in the way the UK's defence role is conceived and executed.

"Drawing on the UK's 'willingness to change and adapt', Gordon Brown states that the government pays constant close attention to a complex and fast moving security landscape, learning 'hard lessons' from our experiences.

He continued: "The Conservative leader, David Cameron, has nothing to say in this article about the national role the UK should play but leads, instead, on the policy making changes a Conservative government would initiate.

"The Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, may be nearer the view of the survey when he says that this election 'is about Britain's place in the world'".

Tags:
• defence
,
• foreign policy