Anti-American Tories

As part of an article on whether the term "The West" still means anything, Brian Walden discusses European hostility to the United States.

After first identifying the broad swathe of former and current socialists who are opposed to American capitalism, he moves on to a second group of anti-Americans:

These are old-fashioned right-wingers who bear an ancient grudge. The reason for their hostility to America is that traditionally the US has disapproved of European imperialism. This was a great problem for Winston Churchill in President Roosevelt's later years, particularly at the Yalta conference with Stalin.

In the 1950's both France and Britain felt they had reason to be aggrieved by lack of American support as they struggled with the last of their imperial problems. The Suez adventure, which was a reckless attempt to combat the Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, by a temporary alliance between Britain, France and Israel was wrecked by the active disapproval of the USA.

The damage this did to relations with America was hastily covered up and a myth was invented to explain the breach. It was said that poor Anthony Eden was physically ill and wasn't thinking straight. The implication was that few other people fully supported the operation. This version of history is most unjust to Eden. Many notables were strongly opposed to Nasser, including Churchill and Labour's former foreign secretary, Herbert Morrison.

America's lack of sympathy towards the imperial problems of its allies has been swept under the carpet as if everybody is somewhat ashamed of the subject. But it's extremely important. Many people on the political right have never forgiven America.

While the Soviet Union was powerful, mostly they kept silent - though of course President de Gaulle didn't. With the Soviet Union gone these right-wing critics see no reason to support America in anything it does. They are, for instance, virulently opposed to the current campaign in Iraq.

Walden is talking about the right across Europe. What interests me is how much this argument can be said to sum up the anti-American elements in the British Conservative party.

In that party, I would guess there is a spectrum of anti-American feeling. At on end, let us say, the rump of pro-imperial conservatives that Walden is talking about.

At the other end of the spectrum, presumably we have what is simply a grouping of the statist soft left (sometimes referred to as the modernisers).

And while I call this a spectrum of opinion, I wonder whether it really is a spectrum, or a marriage of convenience between disparate groups.

If it is the latter, perhaps a robust brand of Conservatism which was Atlanticist and in favour of economic liberalism could exploit the divide, in order to conquer them.

Walden argues that Conservatives cannot ever be fully at ease with the United States because Conservatives can never renounce the heritage of the Empire. But even within the American Right, there is debate about the extent to which their Republic has taken on imperial characteristics.

In any case, the most recent spat between the Tories and the American government was caused by Michael Howard's electoral opportunism, when he tried to be against the Iraq war as well as for it, rather than any ideological differences.