This is what matters

As I have said before I am profoundly uninterested in William Hague's sexual orientation or interests; I have also said on numerous occasions that Mr Hague is likely to be the most disastrous Foreign Secretary for some time if not ever. The fact that the man has no ability to think his way through a perfectly simple situation does not inspire confidence. The best way of putting it is to say that he made a series of egregious errors of judgement. Another way of putting is to say that he has shown himself to be an arrogant idiot. This does not inspire one with confidence and has not gone unnoted in other countries.

However, let us set the unfortunate saga of Chris Myers aside. The reason I think William Hague should be pilloried is summed up in this article that was published in Europe's World. Undoubtedly it was written by some bod in the Foreign Office but Mr Hague put his name to it and no SpAd of his pointed out the problems with it.

The article is about the "UK's Tory-led government's" EU policy.

The EU is an institution of enormous importance to the United Kingdom and to British foreign policy. And although the Conservative Party has seldom shied away from frank criticism when we have thought the EU has collectively been getting things wrong, we have equally been the foremost champions of the EU’s greatest achievements – the single market and enlargement.

Yet, as is widely recognised, this is no time for the EU to rest on its laurels. Today, its member states need to work together on the new issues we face in the 21st century; combating climate change, fighting global poverty and securing our energy supplies.

Our common economic future poses a fundamental challenge. Europe’s share of the world’s GDP is set to shrink and the world does not owe us a living. With the rise of new economic powers in many industries, Europe has already lost its cost advantage. If we also lose our knowledge advantage our future could be very bleak. Herman Van Rompuy has accurately said, ‘we need more economic growth, now and in the future’ and has rightly identified competitiveness as a key issue.

And so on, and so on. Read the whole thing and remember that this is not simply for show. This is their policy. Here is another taster:

The UK's new Conservative-led government intends to play a leading role in discussion of the European Union's external affairs. While we conservatives have taken a particular view on the utility and purpose of the EU's institutional structures, we have always argued that it is in the common interests of the nations of Europe that we should use our collective weight in the world to mutual advantage and to promote our shared values. We have consistently argued that EU member states have not shown enough determination and consistency in delivering on foreign policy goals. This Conservative-led government will be a strong advocate of the European Union’s collective demonstration of those qualities.

The European Union needs to show unity and purpose in its relations with Russia, where a balanced and constructive partnership would be desirable. And the EU should also prove that we Europeans have the political will to deliver the appropriate response to the Iranian Government’s stance on nuclear proliferation.

The EU's new External Action Service is going to have considerable bearing on the future success of Europe's global role. It is true that we in the Conservative Party were not persuaded of the case for the new EEAS as a service, but its existence is now a fact. Part of our critique of the Lisbon treaty was that rather than making the EU more streamlined and efficient, its new arrangement of the EU’s structures held the potential for inter-institutional confusion and discord. Nevertheless, we now look to the smoothest possible establishment of a service that must play a positive role for the EU and have the confidence of its member states. Britain's Conservative government will work closely with the High Representative, whom we wish well.

Compared to that, the story of Chris Myers is highly unimportant.