Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

UK will play leading role in 'volatile' world post-Brexit - Johnson

Published 02/12/2016, 12:17
Updated 02/12/2016, 12:20
© Reuters. Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson delivers a speech at Chatham House in London,

© Reuters. Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson delivers a speech at Chatham House in London,

By Kylie MacLellan

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will not play a bit-part on the world stage following its exit from the European Union and must help prevent the emergence of a more brutal world order, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said on Friday.

Making his first major foreign policy speech, Johnson, known for his gaffe-prone and often-outlandish persona, said the June 23 Brexit vote did not mean Britain was turning in on itself.

"The world is not now in good shape. Indeed it is more dangerous and volatile than for several decades," he said.

"We have the cult of the strong man, we have democracy in retreat, we have an arc of instability across the Middle East ... Is it our answer to cower and put our heads under the pillow? Emphatically not," he added in a speech at think-tank Chatham House.

"We need to redouble our resolve to defend and preserve the best of the rules-based international order," he said. "If we fail then we risk reverting to an older and more brutal system where the strong are free to bully or devour the weak."

Britain, he said, was a global player.

"We are not some bit-part or spear-carrier on the world stage. We are a protagonist – a global Britain running a truly global foreign policy."

Johnson said Britain would not block attempts by the EU to forge a common defence policy. Defence minister Michael Fallon has said he would stop the creation of an EU army while Britain remained in the bloc as it would undermine NATO.

"There is a conversation going on now about the EU's desire to build a common security and defence policy, new architecture for that," he said. "If they want to do that fine ... We are not there to block or to impede further steps towards EU integration."

Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman said the government did not agree with the idea of an EU defence force and that any EU defence policy should complement rather than duplicate NATO.

Britain's commitment to fulfil its NATO obligations is "unbreakable", Johnson said, adding that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump was right to point out that the alliance should not rely so heavily on one country's defence spending.

© Reuters. Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson delivers a speech at Chatham House in London,

He also said he would seek to "stress some of the positives" of the Iran nuclear deal, which Trump railed against during his election campaign, to the new U.S. administration.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.