b'The memo continues: In effect we areThe comparison between the continually accelerating the existing trend and setting aexpanding European Unions diplomatic clearer objective for where we plan to end upservicethe EEASand the cuts in the in our workforce planning.British Foreign Office is stark. The UK, by paying and paying through the nose for When confronted with the leaked memo, athe lavish costs of another Foreign Policy, Foreign Office spokesman said:determined by unelected bureaucrats, hasreduced its ability to conduct its own foreign The FCO has to find 100m savings overpolicy. It should be pointed out that in the four years and needs to ensure it focusesUKs 2011 intervention in Libya (a disaster for on core frontline activity: diplomacy andeveryone), the initial coalition had just five EU foreign policy.member states in addition to the UK. In Iraq, in the initial phase, only two member states, We will be making these savings in aPoland and the United Kingdom took part. number of areas, including the workforce.The evidence is very clear. There is in fact We are therefore proposing abolishingNO meaningful common EU foreign policy, or localising nearly 400 more junior UK-but we are paying as if there were, and to the based jobs overseas, most of which aredetriment of the UKs national interest. back-officeroles. Savings from this (about 30m pa) will help the FCO make itsAn argument to stay in the EU is that contribution to the Governments overallmembership is a Multiplierfor the UKs priority of reducing the deficit, while alsoposition in the world(Douglas Alexander, allowing it to direct its resources to topthen Labour Shadow Foreign Secretary). priority diplomatic work.The evidence is clear: it is exactly the other way around. The UKs role and position Those in jobs now are being allowed toin international organisations is muted as serve out their tours. We are not looking atbeing one of 28, our permanent seat on compulsory redundancies.the UN Security Council and our veto are under threat, and we have been paying for None of this bodes well for the future of UKsomeone elses foreign policy while cutting to diplomacy.the bone and beyond the infrastructure which enables us to conduct our own affairs.144'