British Conservatism and Foreign Policy: Traditions and Ideas Shaping Cameron's Global View

Abstract

This article contributes to a debate on prospective Conservative foreign policy initiated by Klaus Dodds and Stuart Elden in this journal. The central argument is that Cameron's global view is being shaped by the traditions and ideas associated with Liberalism as well as Conservatism. Elite interviews with former Conservative foreign secretaries help illustrate the role played by Conservative assumptions between 1979 and 1997. The article examines Conservative attitudes to the ‘special relationship’; to living in the post-9/11 world; and evaluates continuity and change in the Conservative party's approach to foreign policy. It is argued that while Cameron and Hague are part of the Conservative tradition, their speeches and policy statements also reveal a Liberal perspective.