Miliband: Stop playing politics
Shadow foreign secretary David Miliband comments on foreign policy:
“William Hague needs to stop playing politics and start getting on with his job. The idea of him lecturing the Labour party about joined-up government, when the defence secretary and prime minister can’t go more than two days without disagreeing about our most important foreign policy objective, is risible.
“The idea that he is going to bring a new dynamic to our relationship with China, when on my last visit as foreign secretary I secured a strategic dialogue without compare, is a non-starter.
“And the idea that this coalition will bring renewed influence to the European Union, when the prime minister is not even in the room with the key decision-makers because of his political alliances, is just plain wrong.
“William Hague made his name with good parliamentary jokes, but he now needs to take responsibility for the foreign office and realise he will be judged by his record, not on the previous government’s.
“There are serious issues facing the foreign secretary, requiring a serious response. Seeking dividing lines with the former government is not his job. It is to stand up for Britain and face those challenges.”
