The Quiet Before the Storm

The tragic events of the humanitarian crisis in Libya and the aftermath of the natural disasters in Japan have captured the attention of the media all around the world. As precarious, devastating and regretable as the situations are of the resident people of these nations it has provided David Cameron with a brief period of rest from the onslaught over his more controversial and devisive plans domestically for the economy and, most pertinent currently, his plans for the NHS.

It has always been a tactic for governments hampered by opposition and tired from exercising large amounts of political will on domestic issues to turn to foreign affairs over which they can achieve a greater degree of consensus. Barack Obama's change in agenda to Nuclear arms reduction talks with Russia after the gruelling battle over healthcare in the US is a perfect example of this. Despite Labour allegations of incompetence for the ditched SAS mission, the Venezuelian persuasion of the foreign secretary and the rather quiet response to initial proposals for a no-fly zone, David Cameron has been vindicated by a UN Security Council Resolution authorising the use of all military force except military occupation to protect civilians. Having achieved consensus on the international stage, Cameron will be glad (at least for a short while) in the political points it gives him over Labour with politcal and strategic allies across the Channel and the Atlantic.

However, more vocal opposition to his NHS reforms not least by grass-roots Liberal Democrats and the BMA gave further weight to Labour's criticism in this weeks PMQ's. Continuing disappointment over growth figures, unemployment and a lack of public affection for the concept of a 'Big Society' racks up pressure on the government as we approach budget time. David Cameron will want to remain emmersed in his success on international issues for as long as possible before the media's attention swiftly returns to more partisan soundbites over our limping economy.