The British Election: Implications for the U.S.-UK Alliance

From Dr. Nile Gardiner of The Heritage Foundation:

Last week’s UK election marked the beginning of the end of the Blair era in British politics, writes Heritage’s Nile Gardiner. Blair’s majority in the House of Commons was cut by almost 100 seats, and his ruling Labour Party received just 36 percent of the popular vote. It is likely that Blair will step down mid-way through his final term of office to be replaced by Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown.

Blair should be given huge credit for his central role in the war on terror and for the courage of his convictions in going to war in Iraq. However, his willingness to surrender British sovereignty in Europe through his support for the European Constitution is a strategic error of judgment, which fundamentally undermines the Anglo-U.S. special relationship.