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A Labour Britain, NATO and the Bomb

By Denis Healey
Spring 1987
Article Summary and Author Biography

Urges NATO to re-assess its military strategy in line with changes in the military, economic and political climate. Charts the origins of flexible response, showing that it was concerned (1) with reconciling the USA to its nuclear dilemmas (2) with the conventional balance (3) with giving a sense of security to Western Europe. These factors, together with present progress in arms control, suggest a non-nuclear defensive deterrent strategy for NATO. A Labour Britain would change to this strategy, but not without full consultation with her allies, and allowing all US non-nuclear bases and facilities to remain in Britain, as well as US nuclear naval visits. If Britain improves its conventional defences together with its allies, it will strengthen the alliance and encourage the USA in its nuclear and conventional guarantee to Europe.

The Right Honorable Denis Healey is the Labour Party’s spokesman on foreign affairs. He was Britain’s Defense Secretary 1964-1970 and Chancellor of the Exchequer 1974-1979. Among his recent writings are the Fabian Society pamphlets “Labour and a World Society” (1985) and “Beyond Nuclear Deterrence” (1986), and the Council on Foreign Relations’ Russell C. Leffingwell lectures on “Managing the Economy” (1980). Copyright © 1987 by Denis Healey.

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