Lord Rami Ranger, leader of Britain’s Conservative Party and member of the House of Lords was in conversation with C. A. Swapnil Kothari, Chancellor of Renaissance University and promoter of the iconic YouTube talk show ‘World Matters Show’.
The topic was “Navigating the Complexities of International Politics from a UK Lens.”
In this dialogue, there was a long, serious, and thought-provoking discussion on strategic, diplomatic, and economic topics including Britain’s internal politics, its relations with India, and Britain’s future plans, in addition to the international situation.
Here are the highlights of the conversation.
Question: My first question is about UK politics. The UK government has decided to increase its defense budget to 11 million pounds in the next five years; to be specific, it is going to be increased by 5 billion pounds in the next two years. Is this the effect of Russia-Ukraine, or is it due to some other reason that can be seen from here?
Answer: Of course, it can be seen as a shadow or influence of contemporary events. The Russia-Ukraine war has forced the world to think differently. It is a battle of ideologies. Russia is communist, while we are capitalist. Human freedom is the goal of our governments. Whereas in Communist countries, especially Russia, governance is run on the principle of “Either you are with us or against us”. They are not independent. That’s why they are very backward from the point of view of human freedom. Human freedom is the greatest asset for any nation. If you empower your citizens, you empower your country. In my opinion, money doesn’t make money; hardworking people do.
Finland has become a member of NATO because of the Russian war. And Sweden is soon to be because they are afraid of Russia. That is why, as a precautionary measure, we have increased our defense budget, and I also appeal to the Indian leadership to increase their defense budget in view of their potential threat from China and Pakistan, so that the ability to give a befitting reply to any crisis can be created.
Question: So you consider it appropriate to increase your defense budget by 2 percent of the total GDP?
Answer: A powerful army cannot be made overnight; it takes time, so it would be appropriate that we try for it in time. This step by Britain should be seen in this form.
Question: SNP has demanded another referendum to give full independence to Scotland, while one referendum has already been given. Will your government give approval for a second referendum?
Answer: Scotland is a very small country; its total population is around 50 lakhs, so if we stay united, then it will be fair for all of us here.
They think that it would be fair for them to go with the EU because Europe is economically prosperous, whereas the truth is quite the opposite. Today, Britain is doing major defense deals with Germany, Japan, Australia, and India. In the next five years, you will find Britain in a better place.
You see, the European economy is not growing as fast as the Indian economy.
Britain can’t even imagine the amount of vaccine India produced during Corona. India is the largest buyer of defense equipment from Britain, and the UK economy is gaining momentum from this.
India is the fifth largest economy in the world, and large-scale production is being done to meet the demand of Indian markets.
The UK trades with major economies such as Japan, Australia, and the US, as well as India. This will make it an economic power again.
Our government will not allow a second referendum to be held in Scotland as of now.
Question: Recently, an unfortunate incident took place in Britain in which the Indian flag was removed and another flag was hoisted by some chaotic elements. Did Britain take any action against the chaotic elements?
Answer: Of course, Britain has taken strong action, and we want to send a message to the whole world that any incident like this is not acceptable to us, especially in the context of India. India is a rising power, and our commitment to it is undeniable.
Being a democratic and peaceful country, Britain has never believed in mobocracy or violence and will never do so.
The separatist forces of India also need to understand that when the demand for independence of Kashmir has not been resolved even after four wars, then what will be the fate of an absurd demand like Khalistan? It can be understood that a country like Pakistan is openly standing with the extremists of Kashmir.
Question: Brexit has been a major issue in UK politics in recent years, with the UK officially leaving the European Union in January 2020. What are your thoughts on Brexit, and what challenges do you think the UK will face as it renegotiates trade deals and navigates its new relationship with the EU.
Answer: Brexit is a challenge, and the public often does not accept challenges. People want to live in facilities, and Brexit gives them this facility, but no country can progress if it cannot control its borders.
The illegal refugee problem in Britain is growing at an alarming rate. And refugees are becoming a burden on the country’s infrastructure.
In this era, it has become very easy to become a leader by making false promises and having unemployed and misguided unsuccessful youths follow you. As is happening these days in Pakistan. Achieving short-term success by some people becomes a bias toward permanent loss for the country. By focusing only on religion, attention is diverted from progressive things like science, technology, and innovation, and the country and society go on the path of downfall.
Wherever people gather for wrong things, that country can never progress. See, millions of people in Bangladesh were massacred by Pakistanis because of this regressive trend.
Had this not happened, Bangladesh would have been a part of Pakistan today.
We have 1 million Romanians as illegal refugees, in addition to refugees from many other countries; it is extremely difficult to take people from 30 countries together. That’s why we are satisfied with our decision to leave the EU.
Question: As an Asian member of the Conservative Party, you must feel proud of the rise of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister of UK. What do you think are his biggest strengths as a politician, and how do you think he will lead the country differently than his predecessors?
Answer: The biggest strength of PM Rishi Sunak is being transparent, honest, having high moral values, and being ethical. Rishi Sunak is a sensitive leader who cares a lot for the common man. Under his leadership, our country will not only uphold its democratic values but will also strengthen itself economically and strategically, in which I have full faith.
Swapnil Kothari: Where do you see the UK economy in the next five years? How will inflation affect it?
Lord Ramey: Some things, like war, are not under your control. Britain is a very old country. Answering on how Britain will deal with inflation, Lord Rami said that this problem has increased due to the Ukraine-Russia war and Britain will solve it very soon.
We have to lift the sanctions against Russia. The situation has worsened in the Russia-Ukraine war. Because of this, the problem of inflation is increasing. But in this context, Britain has started looking for new energy options and has started looking towards solar, wind, and nuclear power. Very soon, the British economy will progress. Britain’s situation has improved in terms of fuel and gas.
Question: What message would you like to give to the youth of India on this occasion?
Lord Rami: You are very special because your parents have sacrificed a lot for you; now it is your responsibility not to let your parents, country, and society down. India is an old civilization that you need to learn and follow: Krishna, Ram, and Guru Nanak. Today is the birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, who dedicated his life to India’s religious freedom, and now it is your responsibility to keep it intact. Long live India!
