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UK Worldwide Interests

My Lords, when I was in Lesotho last month, I visited a small museum in Morija, a village about an hour’s drive south of the capital, Maseru. On display were a whole variety of fascinating artefacts and literature about the country and the Basotho people. In the early 1800s French Protestant missionaries were active among the local tribes-people. Later that century, the Basotho were in danger of losing control of their land to Boer settlers. After several wars, the land became a British protectorate. A letter on display in the museum, written by the Basotho chief, Chief Moshoeshoe, to the Governor of Cape Province in November 1869 caught my eye. Moshoeshoe, who had been unwell, wrote:"““I feel a little better, and I won’t delay any more in sending to our gracious Queen a token of my gratitude for the precious peace we enjoy since we have been proclaimed British subjects. Men, women and children join me in feelings of gratitude, and we pray the Almighty to bless and keep in his love the Great Queen who so kindly received us as her children””." Possessing, he said,"““nothing worthy to be presented to a Great Queen,””" he nevertheless hoped that the gift of a leopard skin destined for Her Majesty would reach her. Seventy years later, over 21,000 Basotho citizens served with the British forces during World War II. Many lost their lives in that conflict. But their commitment to the UK was still as great as in Queen Victoria’s reign. They were proud of it. We were grateful for that support. Fast forward another 60 years. What do we find? At the Armistice service in Maseru which I watched on Sunday 13 November, all the custom and ceremonial of such moving occasions—the remembrance of sacrifice, of human tragedy; respect for the dead and wounded—were rigorously observed. It started with a two-minute silence and a trumpeter playing the ““Last Post””. I spoke about this event two weeks ago in the debate on the Commonwealth. I also wrote to the Minister immediately on my return to London to question why there had been no formal British representative to lay a wreath. The King and Queen, members of the government and several other distinguished citizens all laid a wreath at the foot of the impressive war memorial. Further wreaths were laid by foreign diplomats, but none from Britain. The Americans, the Chinese, the Libyans, the South Africans, the French, the Canadians, the Germans, the Irish and the Dutch were all represented by ambassadors, a high commissioner or consuls, and laid wreaths. What a discouraging and discourteous message to send to a proud, now independent, nation that has given blood and loyalty to this country. One of a large number of World War II veterans present—there were well over 150, some still wearing their old uniforms—laid the final wreath. Flying prominently from his black beret was a small Union Jack flag. I recount this story, not just to highlight the apparently insensitive way in which today’s Government are treating Lesotho, but to draw attention to an even more important general point. Sudden, even small, changes of this nature send an adverse message to a much larger fraternity within the developing nations of the Commonwealth. Many such countries, including Lesotho, have much to offer as they grow—and grow they will. Clearly, with embassies or consular representation in Lesotho, the Chinese, the Americans, the Libyans and others, as well as international organisations such as the UN, the EU and the AU, whose representatives also laid wreaths at the memorial, all feel that there are commercial and other opportunities for the countries that they represent. It surprises me that this Government, presumably entirely for financial reasons, are disengaging and not seeking to promote British interests more strongly in the developing nations of the Commonwealth. As the primus inter pares of the Commonwealth of nations, surely it is right that the Commonwealth interests are strongly espoused by this country. While the loyalties of previous generations are being remembered by those who participated, we should not be retrenching and pouring cold water on the past. In the time available to me, perhaps I may mention one other aspect of our response to foreign events which falls short of what this country should achieve. I know from the horrific personal experiences of two British friends caught up by the tsunami in Thailand that they were offered far speedier and more relevant help from German diplomats than by staff from our own embassy, and that included the immediate offer of free flights back to Germany. Our response to the desperate need for helicopters following the recent earthquake in Pakistan was delayed because decisions to deploy were caught up in an interdepartmental wrangle about which of them should shoulder the costs. Our helicopters stayed for only a month, as the noble Lord, Lord Garden, mentioned, and they have now been withdrawn. We do not seem to have capacity to cope sufficiently with these sorts of disasters and the ongoing demands of Iraq and Afghanistan. It is not fair to blame service and civilian individuals who are trying to cope with the problems on the ground as they arise. It seems more a reflection of a systematic failure to appreciate the equipment and manpower limitations and the need to respond at the pace which such disasters demand. This is not a new problem; I have seen it happen time and again. The cost of sending RAF helicopters to help Mozambique when that country was flooded in 2001 was disputed between the MoD and DfID, and departure was delayed. The public rightly expect the government of the day to respond to disasters. Money is said to be available, but those on the ground or those trying to get help into the area seem to be frustrated by a lack of rapidly delegated financial responsibility and the authority to get on with it. Interdepartmental bickering over which should bear the cost, or delays in authorising those on the spot to provide financial and other assistance, must be handled better. This is an endemic problem, and it does this country, and the many individuals who try to help, little credit. I hope that the Government will deal with it properly and be frank enough to admit to our limitations if they cannot.