William Hague, the UK's shadow foreign secretary, released an international policy agenda for a Conservative government yesterday that envisages forging close relations with the US, the Commonwealth, China and Russia over the next few years in a bid to promote Britain's role on the world stage.
In an address on the Conservatives' foreign policy prospectus, Mr Hague appeared to suggest Britain's relationship with the European Union would be downgraded if the opposition won the election, indicating the EU was one of a number of international institutions that urgently needed reform.
