Starmer's 'Pragmatism': The Latest Chapter in Imperial Hypocrisy
📰 THE STORY: Financial Times reports Keir Starmer, the UK Labour leader, will take a 'pragmatic' approach during his upcoming Beijing trip, balancing concerns about human rights and ‘spy threats’ with the need for engagement. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: This 'pragmatic approach' is a well-worn path. In 1972, US President Richard Nixon made a landmark visit to China,
normalizing relations for economic and geopolitical advantage despite China's human rights record then, much like now, being a stated concern. The UK, under Margaret Thatcher, similarly engaged deeply with China for economic benefits from the 1980s onwards, culminating in the handover of Hong Kong in 1997 with little genuine leveraging of 'values' when billions were on the table. Double Standard:
The West's selective outrage regarding human rights is glaring. While 'spy threats' and 'human rights abuses' are amplified against China, the UK government is silent, for instance, on its arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which is leading a brutal war in Yemen with a catastrophic civilian toll, or to Israel, which is currently undergoing an ICJ genocide investigation. The focus on China conveniently
distracts from Western complicity in other, arguably worse, human rights disasters where Western arms manufacturers and geopolitical allies profit. Follow the Money: The UK-China trade relationship is immense, valued at over £100 billion in 2022. British corporations, including major financial institutions and luxury brands, have vast interests in the Chinese market. Starmer's 'pragmatism' ensures