Extracts from Commons debate on Global Britain and the International Rules-based Order - Sep 6
Friday, 7 September 2018 10:35
Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling) (Con):...We have seen what
happens without such co-ordination. We have seen the lack of
co-ordination in some areas of eastern Europe as well as the
expansion of Russian influence and the spread of corruption. We
have seen the physical reality of that in the energy markets,
with the Russian Government deliberately salami-slicing those
markets in order to salami-slice alliances. That is why I have
spoken out so strongly against the Nord Stream...Request free trial
(Tonbridge and Malling)
(Con):...We have seen what happens without such
co-ordination. We have seen the lack of co-ordination in some areas
of eastern Europe as well as the expansion of Russian influence and
the spread of corruption. We have seen the physical reality of
that in the energy markets, with the Russian Government
deliberately salami-slicing those markets in order to salami-slice
alliances. That is why I have spoken out so strongly against
the Nord
Stream 2 project. But there is more: we have seen that
happening there, but we are also seeing it happening in other parts
of the world, as well as in our own alliance of NATO. In NATO,
however, it is different. The truth is that NATO has not spent
nearly enough on its own defence. Indeed, if every nation were to
achieve the 2% target, rather than just a few, we would be talking
about another $100 billion or so being made available for the
defence of Europe. The fact that some nations are not willing to
carry the burden of their own responsibility shames us all, because
it weakens us all, so when we talk about global Britain we must be
clear that we are actually talking about Britain in a network of
alliances...
Mr (Isle of Wight)
(Con):...Sixthly, the FCO needs to be more active in
seeing Russian influence in the round. My hon. Friend the Member
for Tonbridge and Malling (Tom Tugendhat) made, expertly as ever, a
point about Nord
Stream 2, which is not just a commercial venture; it
is a critical piece of geopolitics that will affect Europe for
years to come. We should have been much more active...
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