Anyone for Gun Boat Diplomacy?

The incarceration and, apparently, callous treatment of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe by Iran is thoroughly regrettable.  Naturally, if any of us found ourselves in similar circumstances we would hope and expect that the UK Government would do their utmost on our behalf. Everyone (that I have read) seems convinced that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe is completely innocent. Except, perhaps, the Foreign Secretary who initially said that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was only teaching Iranians journalism.  Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has both Iranian and UK passports. Happily, we are all on the same page now – Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was only on holiday.  However, the Iranians accused Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe of attempting to topple the Iranian regime and sentenced her to five years in jail.

Apparently, the Prime Minister is considering invoking a 250-year-old legal principle by which her detention is deemed an act of aggression against the UK rather than the individual. This extreme strategy has some inherent diplomatic risks that could easily escalate.  Whilst I am encouraged that the UK Government is doing everything in its power to secure Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release, it is a rather sorry situation that we must rely on some 250-year-old little used diplomatic loophole.

In 1847, by contrast, Don Pacifico, a Portuguese Jew who had been born in Gibraltar (and was, thus, a British Citizen) and had been living in Greece, had his house robbed in an anti-Semitic attack.  The Greek Government refused to compensate Don Pacifico so, in 1850, the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Palmerston, sent British warships to blockade Greek ports until the Greeks paid up.  Many people at the time thought that the British action was a little over the top but, nevertheless, it was successful with Palmerston asserting: “a British subject, in whatever land he may be, shall feel confident that the watchful eye and the strong arm of England will protect him from injustice and wrong.”

In a week when more cuts to the Royal Navy are contemplated, for example, our mine-sweeping presence in the Gulf (on of the few capabilities in our rapidly declining inventory that are valued by the Americans) reduced by half together with the loss of 2 assault ships, we may probably forget the threat of maritime force.  Neither should we expect any help from our pals in the EU who will have both eyes on the mega trade deal for 118 Airbus airliners and 40 ATR (French Italian manufacture) 72-600s and will have no wish to offend the customer.  However, in a few years’ time, the EU Pesco wheeze may be able to provide a field hospital which might come in handy I suppose.