ConservativeHome's Interviews

Pauline Neville-Jones answers your questions

Pauline Neville-Jones answers all of the questions asked of her here.

Michael Mcgough: Are you in favour of the new constitutional/amending/reform treaty?

Let’s be clear about the Reform Treaty.  It is the Constitution in all but name and almost every European leader has said that 90% of the content is the same.  The Conservative Party promised a referendum on it because of the powers it would transfer to the EU.  Promises should be kept.

As for my own feelings about the Treaty, I am not a eurosceptic. But I am not happy with this document. I do not believe, for instance, that it is in the best interests of the United Kingdom that our ability to represent ourselves in the world, to conduct business directly and to cast votes- and vetoes- in the UN Security Council on fundamental issues of war and peace, should be displaced by a proxy.  These are not rights and duties we should be giving away.

James Burdett: Whilst embroiled in the Cold War and then ecstatic at its conclusion, almost everyone missed the growth of Al-Qaeda based terrorism. Where should we be looking to avoid the danger of repeating the mistake, that with the massive focus on the current Al-Qaeda and associated threats we miss the emerging security threats?

I agree that the threat of terrorism is the most serious threat to the UK now.  But there are other important threats we can clearly identify. Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear is one, exemplified by Iran’s refusal to come clean about her nuclear programme or to honour her commitments under the NPT to allow inspection.

Down the road, one can see the risk of renewed interstate warfare of a more “conventional” kind. Issues disputes over borders or resources could spark war as pressure on natural commodities – such as water - grow.  Climate change, if extreme, leading to loss of landmass and big migrations of people could generate tension and even fighting.  In a globalised economy, even if the location of the conflict is far away, British interests are likely to be involved and our security could be threatened. We need active policies to protect our interests and reduce the likelihood of war.

Any questions for Pauline Neville-Jones?

For over thirty years Pauline Neville-Jones was a career diplomat serving in Rhodesia, Singapore, Washington, Bonn and the European Commission.

In 1991 she was appointed Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Defence and Overseas Secretariat in the Cabinet Office. After a brief stint as Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee she became Political Director in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1994 until her retirement, where she led the British delegation to the Dayton negotiations on the Bosnia peace settlement.

Since then she has held senior positions in NatWest, the BBC and Qinetiq before being  appointed by David Cameron to head the Conservative Party's National and International Security Policy Group. Read its findings here. This summer Pauline was also appointed Shadow Security Minister and National Security Adviser to the Leader of the Opposition.