British Diplomacy

The London School of Economics arranged a series of important lectures from five politicians who once held the role of Foreign Secretary. These lectures have now been brought together in this book, edited by Graham Ziegner of the LSE, with an introduction by Professor William Wallace and a conclusion by Professor Christopher Hill, on New Labour's foreign policy. The contributors provide a unique insight into the thoughts and actions of the holders of one of the most difficult and challenging posts within British government, highlighting the problems faced during their time as foreign Secretary, and giving a personal account of how these were tackled. The book covers three decades from the 1970s to the 1990s, a period which included major events, such as Britain's membership of the European Union and the ongoing debate: the Falklands War; the end of the Cold War and the break up of the Soviet Union; the first Gulf War; conflict in the Balkans; and the proliferation of international terrorism. The book provides an exciting overview of how the many challenges to British diplomacy have been addressed in the past and what lessons can be learnt by current policy makers.