28 February 2014

At breakfast with Sir Jeremy Heywood, the Cabinet Secretary, the conversation turns to his concerns about the erosion in Britain’s “political/military” position. Libya was reasonably stable after the allied intervention, led by Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy, toppled Gaddafi; now “it’s a mess”. The Commons vote last year against military action in Syria was “a blow”. The UK is absent from negotiations on the Iran nuclear deal, absent from oversight of Syria’s pledge to destroy its chemical weapons, and missing in action in diplomacy to end Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine.

This is a comprehensive indictment of Cameron’s foreign policy. Heywood, who is usually guarded, confides he is also worried about developments at home, especially the impact of Osborne’s austerity programme. The squeeze on public spending under way since 2010 will be “very hard to maintain” as the economy improves. Welfare cuts – £20bn is apparently under discussion – are “just not possible on this scale”. The problem lies partly in Cameron’s commitment to protect education, foreign aid and health services from cuts. This so-called ring-fencing means that other departments bear a disproportionate burden. Heywood says the impact on the criminal justice system and legal aid is a “huge worry”. As for the Conservative Party, Heywood is dismissive. “They’re out of control. They’ve got no discipline.”

“Then it dawns on me: China’s Premier Wen

appears to have implied America is a ‘pig’. This could spell a major diplomatic incident”