Ministro dos Negócios Estrangeiros

William Hague é o novo Ministro dos Negócios Estrangeiros do Reino Unido, aquele que ocupará o Foreign and Commonwealht Office.

Com 49 anos, Hague teve a sua formação em Oxford e chegou pela primeira vez ao exercício da política em 1989 numa “by-election” que o colocou na Câmara dos Comuns. Um conservador que ocupa esta pasta fundamental da política britânica e que, pessoalmente, não me inspira muita confiança.

Mais uma vez aproveito a Wikipédia para citar algumas informações que me parecem relevantes para este Ministro:

“After a controversial party conference speech in March 2001, Hague was accused of xenophobia and racism by sections of the media[citation needed]. In the speech, Hague said:

We have a Government that has contempt for the views of the people it govern.

There is nothing that the British people can talk about, that this Labour Government doesn't deride.

Talk about Europe and they call you extreme. Talk about tax and they call you greedy. Talk about crime and they call you reactionary. Talk about asylum and they call you racist; talk about your nation and they call you Little Englanders ... This government thinks Britain would be alright if we had a different people. I think Britain would be alright, if only we had a different Government.

A Conservative Government that speaks with the voice of the British people.

A Conservative Government never embarrassed or ashamed of the British people.

A Conservative Government that trusts the people [...] This country must always offer sanctuary to those fleeing from injustice. Conservative Governments always have, and always will. But it's precisely those genuine refugees who are finding themselves elbowed aside.[10]

The speech was criticised in even traditionally Conservative newspapers such as The Sun and The Times[citation needed]. Former Conservative Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine, a prominent One Nation Conservative, was particularly critical of Hague's allegation that Britain was becoming a "foreign land", and confessed in newspaper interviews that he was uncertain as to whether he could support a Hague-led Conservative Party.[11] With hindsight, the speech served to cement the portrayal of the Conservatives' as "the nasty party" in the run-up to the general election.”