Richard Spring MP
Member of Parliament for West Suffolk

With the political crisis in Lebanon, the deteriorating situation in Gaza and the huge security and political problems in Iraq, Richard has written the following article which also appeared on the Conservative Home blog today.

Ahead of Tony Blair’s speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet, there was much spinning about getting Iran and Syria involved in helping to resolve the situation in Iraq – a very tall order indeed.  Syria, for all its ambiguities, has no interest in radicalised Islamic rivalry and mayhem in Iraq – it is a secular society where even membership of the Moslem Brotherhood is illegal.

Fundamentalist Iran, by contrast, is openly supplying weapons and materiel to fellow Shiite Iraqis with all the terrible consequences.  The frequent bracketing of Syria and Iran together is a complete misjudgement.  Their relationship of over 25 years arose out of their shared fear of Saddam Hussein.   Their latter day support for Hizbollah arises out of entirely different interests – even if the consequences are regrettably the same.

The pre-speech spinning proved to be wrong.  Tony Blair quite correctly called for a “whole Middle East” strategy.  But at least he recognised the distinction between Iran and Syria – it should be a key policy objective to try to separate the two, and have two actively different approaches.  He was quite right to return to the core issue of the Israel/Palestine conflict.

Britain’s role in the region is now so diminished, so for us to orchestrate a “whole Middle East” strategy would be impossible. Equally, there is no Western country, singly or collectively, that in current circumstances can now front such a strategy.  However, there is now real urgency. The daily catalogue of murder and destruction in Iraq needs no elaboration.

The breakdown of relationships in Lebanon between Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah of Hizbollah and Prime Minister Sinoria is now threatening the very stability of the country.  There are even rumours of a possible coup. Equally, the situation in Gaza has become explosive.

The first step to breaking through this terrible impasse is to open a dialogue with Syria.   There is a debate about this in Israel, but in the very difficult post-conflict atmosphere there, it would now be very difficult for Mr Olmert to be engaged directly in such a dialogue.  The main sticking point is Syria’s claim to the Golan Heights, which ultimately has to be resolved.  Syria has called for talks without pre-conditions, but the calls have been quite muted. So proper preparatory work needs to be done.

Any way forward lies with the moderate Arab countries.  King Abdullah of Jordan recently spoke in London very passionately about the appalling consequences of the situation in the region continuing to deteriorate so fast.  He in particular, but with countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt, should be encouraged to lead an urgent exercise to bring the players together.  They should be supported by ourselves and the Americans, and other Europeans. 

Syria is an essential part of this.  At least this is now recognised in London, and by some in Washington and Jerusalem.

We simply have to try.  The consequences of failure in the region are unimaginable, and we too will pay a heavy price. 

I am sure that when the Queen first heard about a film being made about her, surrounding the events at the time of the death of Diana, she must have been rather apprehensive. Instead it has made her even more popular - and set off a fashion for Barbour jackets in Manhattan!

She is with us today at the State Opening. Despite all the difficulties which have beset her family, she has been a totally exemplary Head of State. As one surveys the inadequacies and vanities of many heads of state in republics we can give thanks that we have nothing like that. She has seen prime ministers and presidents come and go over five decades; she has provided astonishing continuity.

Let us hope that there will be many more occasions when she presides over the opening of Parliament. Not for her the lecture circuit, which the current incumbent of 10 Downing Street will be doing from next year. 

Tomorrow we hear the Queen’s Speech amid all the trappings of Parliamentary spectacle and tradition. I have at times felt sorry for the Sovereign who has had to read out cringe-making drivel about how everything is being updated and modernised, New Labour weasel words for lack of action and/or functional incompetence.

Clearly the Government thinks that by talking tough about criminality and terrorism, the electorate will overlook their failings. They only have to look across the Atlantic to see that when credibility is lost, the politics of fear do not work. The electorate will not be fooled; an avalanche of recent criminal justice legislation cannot dispel the public’s view that we have the most dysfunctional Home Office ever. To his great credit, David Davis has set down clear lines of rejection of insupportable invasions of our liberties, while pointing out robustly the catalogue of failures associated with this Government. There have been repeated calls for effective border monitoring, the use of intercept evidence and a specific senior Minister for home security – none of this has happened.

For years, terrorist groupings, to the fury of foreign Governments, operated from here without hindrance. The collapse of our asylum and immigration arrangements has meant we have no idea who is here, let alone be able to deport them.

So if, as I suspect, the Government seek to portray the Conservatives as soft and lily-livered, it will backfire. They will personalise their attacks on David Cameron. It will not work.

We will get a flavour of their folly at the State Opening tomorrow. 

I hugely enjoy my constituency and the events that take place there. One of those is Remembrance Sunday. Enjoyment is not the right word, but I greatly look forward to it. Of course the nation’s concentration tends to be on the service in Whitehall, but up and down the country in our cities, towns and villages there are services of commemoration too. Yesterday there were record crowds at the wreath-laying ceremonies. The Suffolk Regiment had a particularly terrible tour of duty in the Far East in the Second World War. The same local surnames read out from the roll of honour indicate the appalling tragedy of so many being killed from the same family in the First World War especially. It is incredible to think that my children’s great grandfather was the ninth son and thirteenth child, but inherited the family’s farm in Suffolk.

Today our troops are engaged in extremely harsh conditions in Iraq and Afghanistan. We think of them. We also remember with pride and humility those who went before them, to give us the extraordinarily open, free and tolerant country we live in. In 2006 we do not face an enemy as previous generations did, but disaffected fellow citizens who despise the very open, free and tolerant country we inhabit and the way of life we have chosen to lead.

In the end, it is imperative that these characteristics which so many fought and died for, are never ultimately compromised, whatever the pressures to do so may be. 

One of the arguments advanced by the apartheid regime in South Africa was that communists were infiltrating Africa.  It was beyond their understanding that they were creating conditions in South Africa which made communism, as an alternative, relatively attractive for some.

There is therefore a rich irony that the very week after the death of former president F W Botha, who pursued this particular theme, the Chinese were hosting a conference for African leaders in Beijing.   The script is well known.  In exchange for Africa’s resources, transport infrastructure is being created, buildings constructed and increased aid is being given.   I have witnessed this even in quite remote parts of the Continent.   The Chinese do not link their involvement to the West’s demands for good governance.

One of the foreign policy failings of this Government was, at an early stage,  to misunderstand the dangers of the course Robert Mugabe was charting in his country.  By contrast, we immediately foresaw what was happening.  In the Commons, our warnings were regarded as bordering on the hysterical.  At that point, it might have just been possible to make the South Africans alive to what was coming.    They are now paying a huge price, with a flood of impoverished refugees.

When in Beijing, Robert Mugabe said he regarded China as his “second home”.   The Chinese reputation for hospitality would be further enhanced if President Hu Jintao invited him to make it his first home.   It would be an excellent solution to an intractable problem, with all its tragic consequences.
 

In my constituency there are two enormous USAF bases, at Mildenhall and Lakenheath. By and large, community relations are very good, despite the irritations that enhanced security measures have caused to local residents.

Some years ago I went up in a F15E fighter: we flew over Scotland. The flying kit was pretty uncomfortable and many people get sick during such flights. They provide you with a plastic bag just in case. Knowing this I ate nothing the night before, and had no breakfast. At the end of the flight (it was fantastic) there was a real look of disappointment on the face of the sergeant who had kitted me out. Subsequently the pilot, Bill de Maso, and his family came to the Commons, and we have remained in touch.

Similarly I went up in a KC135 to refuel the F15Es over the North Sea. Again it was magnificent boys’ own stuff.

The two bases have been there since WWII. Until a few years ago, veteran pilots of the Battle of Britain were beautifully entertained by our American friends each year at the base.

The Americans will maintain their presence in West Suffolk based upon strategic considerations. But meanwhile we all try hard to make them feel as welcome as possible. One day we may just need them again. 

Yesterday in the Robing room of the House of Lords under murals extolling courtesy, mercy, religion, generosity and hospitality (such old fashioned virtues, so admirably non-New Labour) King Abdullah of Jordan spoke.

When his late father King Hussein wanted to marry an English woman, my late father-in-law, as British Ambassador in Amman, was worried about this.   He was a great admirer of King Hussein and was concerned about the future of the monarchy there.   The King, however, ignored these concerns…… and the result of the marriage is the admirable King Abdullah.   When I told this story to the previous Jordanian Ambassador in London, he commented “we are all very grateful that the King declined to take your father-in-law’s advice.”   Amen to that.

In the most moderate and considered times, the King warned that we now face three civil wars in the region – in Iraq, Lebanon and in Palestine.   He pleaded for movement on resolving, as a priority, the Israel-Palestine conflict.   He reminded us of British historic connections to the area, now so diminished under this Government.

If Tony Blair does attempt once again to play a role, at least this time he will not be sending his emissary Lord Levy, who has other things on his mind at present, for which we can all be grateful.

The irrepressible Michael Ashcroft hosted a party last night in the Imperial War Museum, a perfect backdrop for the launch of his book on Victoria Cross heroes.   He has built up a unique collection of VC medals and admirably will be placing them in one accessible place in London.

In amongst the millions who have fought for this country over the years, has been a small group of British and Commonwealth servicemen who were accorded the highest possible recognition of their valour.   Yesterday evening was beautifully organised, and both memorable and humbling.

All our national institutions, from the Church to Parliament to the Royal Family, have been under sustained criticism in the past few decades.   The one national institution which is still held in the highest esteem is our armed forces.

No Prime Minister has in peace time deployed our service personnel as much as Tony Blair.   They are overstretched, undermanned, and without adequate equipment.   Service chiefs have warned that this situation is not sustainable.

Those who win the Victoria Cross have undertaken unique acts of bravery.   However, let us spare a thought today for our service personnel who are enduring so much in Afghanistan and Iraq in extremely difficult circumstances.  If there are indeed heroes in our contemporary society, it is certainly them.
 

Whatever the outcome of the elections this week in the United States, spare a thought for President Bush as he surveys the lack of steadfastness of some of his neo-conservative supporters. Probably the most unfortunate speech made by this President – the axis of evil peroration – was written by David Frum. It got huge headlines and is certainly memorable: the resulting damage was incalculable. The neo-cons took hold of a wholly legitimate desire to enhance democracy and human rights and invested it with a zeal to control and re-organise humanity that a disciple of Karl Marx would have recognised.

We need the United States as a force for good in the world, with all its generous impulses. The failure of the neo-cons, now so busily rushing for the door, must not be allowed to push Americans away from engaging with the world we live in, warts and all. America’s true friends should not be slavish, as we have appeared to be under Tony Blair.

We may be approaching a moment, however, when the United States will need to be reassured of the friendship and admiration of so many around the world. 

Our supermarkets must surely be the best in the world, offering an astonishing range of products, and usually with convenient car parking – they are central to most people’s way of life.

There are downsides to this. Farm gate prices bear little comparison with check out prices, to the chagrin of farmers, or indeed other suppliers.   The supermarkets are very tough business partners indeed.

The biggest town in my constituency, Haverhill, has been transformed in the past decade.   It is more prosperous, confident, and outward looking.   Tesco wants to build a store very close to the town centre, which is in itself in need of a more diversified retail base, and needs to be more modern and user friendly.   I, like almost everybody else, welcome Tesco’s likely arrival.  They certainly will do well in a town which is growing so fast.   However, there are concerns about their wanting to have 20% of the store’s floor space devoted to non-food items.   This may well adversely impact the smaller town centre retailers.  Also, there are question marks about how the store will be physically linked to the town centre.  In other parts of my constituency, town centre supermarkets are not allowed to sell non-food items for fear of negatively impacting local smaller retailers.

So I have convened a meeting today between the local district and town councils, the Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, retailers and of course Tesco representatives, to see how we can take this matter forward.  Naturally, Tesco must feel its investment will be rewarded, but smaller retailers must not be put out of business.

It is a question of the right balance being struck.  This may not exactly make national headlines, but it really matters in the real life of one of England’s market towns, and very important to the people who live and work there.