Tugendhat accuses Miliband of putting green agenda before UK interests
Tom Tugendhat accused Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband of putting a personal green agenda and political gestures ahead of Britain’s energy security and foreign relationships. Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference, the shadow foreign secretary called for the Foreign Office to focus on projecting British influence and criticised Miliband’s handshake with Iran’s foreign minister at the United Nations.
Tugendhat also condemned UK sanctions on Israel over West Bank settlements, which include restrictions on imports and sanctions on people and firms providing services to settlers. Israel has ordered the UK to close its East Jerusalem consulate by Thursday; reports say Britain may respond by expelling a similar number of Israeli diplomats. Tugendhat said some Israeli government actions were appalling, but rejected the claim that Israel alone was responsible for the failure to achieve a two-state solution.
- Tugendhat says Miliband’s priorities are harming UK interests.
- He criticises sanctions on Israel and a handshake with Iran’s foreign minister.
- Israel has ordered the UK consulate in East Jerusalem to close.
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Tom Tugendhat is the Conservative Party's shadow foreign secretary, the main opposition spokesperson on foreign affairs. Ed Miliband is the Labour government's Foreign Secretary. At the Conservative Party Conference, Tugendhat accused Miliband of prioritising environmental concerns and political gestures over Britain's energy security and diplomatic relationships.
Tugendhat questioned Miliband's recent engagement with Iran's foreign minister at the United Nations. He also objected to UK sanctions on Israeli firms and individuals involved in West Bank settlements. On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Tugendhat said some Israeli government actions were objectionable but rejected the claim that Israel alone was responsible for the failure to achieve a two-state solution.
This dispute has intensified recently when Israel demanded that Britain close its East Jerusalem consulate by Thursday. Reports indicate Britain is considering whether to expel a similar number of Israeli diplomats in response. The disagreement reflects different views on how Britain should approach its Middle East policy.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Tugendhat's position emphasises that foreign policy must prioritise Britain's strategic interests and energy security above ideological commitments. Sanctions on an important ally like Israel over a complex regional dispute, combined with symbolic gestures toward hostile regimes, weaken British influence without achieving tangible results. A Foreign Secretary should focus on projecting power and maintaining stable alliances rather than pursuing activist causes.
The case against
The counter-view holds that values and security are inseparable in modern foreign policy; climate action and human rights constitute genuine national interests, not distractions. Diplomatic engagement with all parties, including outreach to Iran, maintains crucial communication channels. Taking principled positions on settlements, though difficult with an ally, actually strengthens Britain's credibility and soft power on the international stage.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Ed Miliband’s ‘personal agenda’ hurting the UK says Tom Tugendhat in blast at ‘virtue-signalling’ Israel sanctions, handshake with top Iranian and green fixation”.