Defence Secretary backs Theresa May’s calls for Britain not to intervene militarily abroad unless facing real threats
THE DEFENCE Secretary has backed up Theresa May's calls for an end to "failed" military interventions overseas.
Michael Fallon said Britain shouldn't be embarking "on foreign adventures for the sake of it" and embraced the PM's step-change in foreign policy.
Mrs May told lawmakers in Philadelphia last night that it was in the interests of Britain and America to work together to defend their values.
“This cannot mean a return to the failed policies of the past," she said ahead of talks with Donald Trump today.
“The days of Britain and America intervening in sovereign countries in an attempt to remake the world in our own image are over.”
And today Mr Fallon backed her up - saying that Britain shouldn't commit troops overseas unless there was a "very real threat" to the UK.
He told Radio 4 this morning: "it has to be in the British national interest that we intervene in these countries or an ally that is asking for help."
Mrs May said yesterday that Britain could not "afford to stand idly by when the threat is real and when it is in our own interests to intervene."
RELATED STORIES
The remarks are a huge change from previous UK foreign policy which encouraged liberal interventionism.
The PM's change of stance will be seen as a slap down of her predecessor David Cameron's failed fight in Libya, as well as marking a departure from the policies of Tony Blair and George Bush for their roles in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Mr Fallon insisted that she wasn't ruling out any action in future - but that Britain should not "simply embark on foreign adventures for the sake of it."
The Defence Secretary said that Britain and America share many values - on security, defence and economics - but that there was likely to be differences of opinion.
Yesterday MPs begged the PM to bring up the issue torture with the new US President when she has talks with him later today, after he said in an interview that the controversial method "absolutely works".
Mr Fallon confirmed there would be no change in the UK policy on torture.
"We’ve never condoned the use of torture, we’re not going to change our policy," he said.
"There may well be differences and nuance on some of theses subjects, there always has been."
More on Theresa May's visit to Donald Trump in the US:
- Theresa May lands in Washington ahead of meeting with President Trump after evoking Thatcher and Reagan in historic speech to US lawmakers
- Donald Trump’s bungling White House team misspell Theresa May and accidentally name her after porn actress who starred in Prodigy’s Smack My Bitch up
- Theresa May must be more like Donald Trump if she’s to make Britain great again, says Iain Martin
- Theresa May given THREE standing ovations during speech to top Republicans ahead of Donald Trump meeting
- Theresa May pledges end to ‘failed’ military intervention that aimed to make countries more like UK as she addresses US law makers