Wrong moment
Labour governments almost invariably show a maladroitness in the pursuit of foreign policy, especially where the curious emotions of their movement are involved, which is entirely characteristic and individual. Only a Labour government, we feel, could conceivably have chosen as the time to begin consideration of the closing of the Simonstown naval base a moment at which the governments of Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique are anxious to open a dialogue with South Africa. Only a Labour politician could have been driven to fury by the spectacle of British sailors enjoying themselves on a South African beach, while ignoring the subsequent visit of the same naval task force to the Kenyan port of Mombasa, where they received an equally enthusiastic welcome. Finally, only Labour politicians could find it in themselves so steadfastly to ignore the mounting Russian naval threat in the Indian Ocean, against the consequences of which the Simonstown agreement, in the absence of any other, is a most important barrier.
Like most British papers The Spectator has the utmost abhorrence 'of the domestic policies of the South African government, and were our continued presence at the Simonstown base deeply to affect the policies of the black countries to the north of South Africa then a most acute dilemma would arise. But there is no such problem, for none of the countries of East Africa have ever raised the slightest protest against the maintenance of Simonstown, even while they were protesting against British plans to sell arms to South Africa. Dr Nyerere, indeed, made that clear to Mr Heath in 1970. The proposed action of the Wilson Government is, therefore, one conceived in the most ludicrous kind of hysteria, and most damaging to the long-term interests not only of Britain, but of all her friends in Africa.
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