British Prime Minister David Cameron is
facing a lot of criticism in connection with his recent trip to Asia.
Mr.Cameron
is accused of travelling out of personal vanity and of spending too long out of
the country chasing photo-opportunities while voters face a series of problems
back home. Our observer Sergei Sayenko has more details.
In an
article for The Sunday Telegraph, the Prime Minister says that he was right to
go on a business trip to Asia. Mr.Cameron insists that the UK had ignored key
trading partners such as Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia for too long, and that
he needed to “put things right”. The prime minister commented on this during
his visit to Indonesia.
These
kinds of statements are unlikely to reassure Cameron’s critics at home. Britain
is facing too many problems at the moment. The most recent data from the Office
for National Statistics show that UK unemployment has risen by 28,000 to 2.67
million over the past three months. The UK unemployment rate is currently at
8.4% and is expected to increase further. According to a new report, some
100,000 more people will be without a job before the end of the summer.
The
outlook for the British economy as a whole is as bleak. Britain’s economy is in
the red with overspent balance amounting to 15.2 pounds sterling in February.
Experts from the British Chamber of Commerce predict a total annual economic
growth at 0.6%, against 0.8% officially forecast earlier.
The
social policy of David Cameron’s coalition government has reached a deadlock
too. The government’s pension reform has seen a lot of criticism lately, and
reforms of the national healthcare and education system have been running into
large hurdles. Cameron’s Conservative Party has been marred by scandal,
particularly in connection with the recent resignation of Tory co-treasurer
Peter Cruddas. In a word, a multitude of problems haunt Mr.Cameron at every
step and they all cry for immediate solution.
However,
David Cameron appears to think differently. For him, the number one priority is
to build himself an image on the international scene. Ever since he took office
in May 2010, the British prime minister repeatedly said that he would work to
boost the country’s reputation worldwide. His Asian tour fits in nicely with
this agenda.
Apparently,
Mr.Cameron prides himself in the fact that Britain has become Japan’s second
most important military partner after the US. It’s also flattering to him that
he is the first British prime minister to visit Burma over the past 60 years.
And it’s for the first time in 30 years that a British prime minister has
offered UK-made military equipment to Indonesia.
Most
British taxpayers, however, do not benefit from David Cameron’s moves to
gratify his own ambitions. Evidently, the British prime minister should think
more about voters at home rather than try to join the dubious race for global
leadership.
Sergei
Sayenko
The
Voice of Russia
Business & Investment Opportunities
YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd, Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Strategy, Investment and Management, focusing Healthcare and Life Science with expertise in ASEAN. We also propose Higher Education, as a bridge between educational structures and industries, by supporting international programmes. Many thanks for visiting www.yourvietnamexpert.com and/or contacting us at contact@yourvietnamexpert.com
No comments:
Post a Comment