Sir, The planned closure of nine British embassies and high commissions, and the closure or “localisation” of 21 consulates has received little attention but is a cause for concern. The resulting savings of οΎ£6m a year are minuscule in the context of government finances.
These small diplomatic posts can do much to support our national interests. Our trade will undoubtedly suffer when they close. So will our relations with countries that in some cases have been close to and supportive of Britain for hundreds of years.
The Bahamas for example, peopled by whites of British decent and an Afro-Caribbean majority descended largely from slaves released from slave ships by the Royal Navy, is largely a British creation. It is a nation with no natural resources and soil too poor to support agriculture. Yet it has made a respectable living out of tourism, off-shore financial services and shipping registration.
By closing our already much-reduced high commission we are snubbing a country that has given us much support. We should not be surprised if we pay a price when next we lobby for a vote at the United Nations or seek international support for an Olympic bid, or when they next want to replace their defence force patrol boats.
Similar cases could be made for some of the other targeted posts, particularly the Commonwealth ones such as Swaziland or Togo. Moreover, all the targeted posts in capitals are in developing countries, mostly very poor. Should we be cutting ties when we are renewing claims to be the friend of the very poor nations.
And is it not an odd time to be closing significant European posts such as Frankfurt. Closing the diplomatic post in Miami seems a particularly false saving. Miami is the gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean where much of the trade of those countries is done.
No one would argue that the pattern of Britain’s diplomatic representation should remain static. But comparable savings could be made by taking a few people from the largest missions rather than closing those that have already been reduced to two or three diplomats. Surely this can be looked at again.
By Sir Peter Heap
London SW1P 1HX (Former High Commissioner to the Bahamas and Ambassador to Brazil)
