The Annual Diplomatic Summer Reception of the Conservative Foreign & Commonwealth Council (CFCC) took place on the Terrace of the House of Lords on a wet Monday July 8th. Ambassadors or senior representatives from over 40 nations and 100 members of the CFCC and their guests enrolled to attend making for an animated evening at which to exchange views and consider the state of the world.
Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones, Chairperson of the CFCC, welcomed the Diplomats present (who would be reporting on the event) and CFCC members with their guests.
She said it is a good time for the CFCC to pursue and promote the life-time values and developments of conservatives; homework and never giving up is needed as well as a strategy. To be intellectually armed, the staging of events with speakers of importance is necessary. It will be all about messaging.
In a dislocated world divided between democracy and autocracy, more activity and interest is needed to be directed towards the nations of the Commonwealth - a number of whom are caught up in the divide. Ministers need to pursue this in the interest of values as well as trade. With this positive introduction to the role of the CFCC, Baroness Pauline handed over to Lord Howell of Guildford, CFCC’s Patron.
Lord Howell, whose recent Mansion House speech had been particularly well received, said that he was overawed by the number of Diplomats present (excluding any from China and Russia). He said that it is always important to be seen “as others see us” and to quote the old investment adage ‘buy on the dip’. In a dangerous world it becomes necessary to begin to develop purposes in particular to support great friends.
He referred to the recent General Election noting that the Conservative Party had mounted a ‘rotten campaign’. No real issues had been raised such as climate, people movements, external policy, international networking and the Commonwealth. The nations of the Commonwealth require friends who, unlike China and the US, are not going to‘boss them around’. A pattern for the future could be the supply of intellectual energy without pushing big ideas. Instead, engagement, for example could be more along the lines of careful guardianship including sharing the experience of public and private partnerships and providing skills enhancement leading to responsible capitalism. Defence sharing is another important activity to be pursued and the need for greater representation on the ground. With these thoughts in mind, Lord Howell re-emphasised ‘buy on the dip’ with regard to Conservative Foreign Policy and handed over to Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, a fellow Patron of the CFCC to propose the Vote of Thanks.
Lady Nicholson warmly thanked Melissa Crawshay-Williams for the energy and effort she had put in to ensure the success of the evening which had been on top of her ‘day job’ as a non partisan civil servant. Democracy meant winners and losers - losses and triumphs and nothing would step into the way of the CFCC’s Annual Diplomatic Summer Reception. Thanks to all attendees who, despite the quirks of an English Summer had turned up in force and to Lord Howell for his superb analysis of the future. Lastly, she thanked the House of Lords catering staff who despite the House not having opened had served the event effectively ‘out of hours’.
A great evening with a full attendance expertly organised.
William Knight
9.07.2024
