EU concerns overshadow Hague’s US trip
William Hague’s meeting with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton later is expected to be dominated by private concerns about the Conservatives’ allies in the European parliament.
Tory members of the European parliament vote in a bloc which also features far-right Latvian and Polish politicians, a fact Ms Clinton reportedly fears could undermine Britain’s place in Europe.
She will meet Mr Hague in Washington DC today as the shadow foreign secretary makes one of his most significant visits in opposition.
“Few of the pressing foreign policy challenges we face today can be addressed without US leadership and without strong and effective co-operation between the United States and Great Britain,” Mr Hague said.
“With this in mind, I am visiting the US to reaffirm our historic alliance and underline the Conservative party’s firm commitment to addressing the common global challenges which confront us and to working with the Obama administration to that end.”
Ms Clinton is reportedly concerned a new Conservative government could find itself isolated from Europe because of David Cameron’s Eurosceptic stance.
A European diplomatic source told the Guardian newspaper: “It is clear that this US administration does not believe that Britain’s relations with Europe and the EU are a zero sum game – the wrong-headed idea that if you are close to one you can’t be close to the other. The US wants Britain to be fully engaged in the EU.”
