Corporatism is not an adequate foreign policy

The events of the last two weeks have demonstrated that David Cameron needs a revamped foreign policy. This is not, in itself, a surprise. Foreign policies sketched out in opposition seldom survive contact with reality. Remember Bush saying he did “not do nation-building”? And who can forget the ignominious fate of Robin Cook’s “ethical foreign policy”? David Cameron sought to distinguish himself from the adventuring, idealistic Blair with what he regarded as a ‘pragmatic’ foreign policy – that is, promoting British exporters.
 
But as I say in my News of the World column (£) today, this rebounded spectacularly last week when his tour of the Arab world was overshadowed by the fact that he had six arms dealers in his 30-strong retinue. It was one of those head-in-your-hands moments: the Arab street protesters already suspect that the West doesn’t care about their freedom, and just wants to flog weapons to dictators and buy cheap oil in return.