The Conservatives must never have any part in Farage’s populist extremism

Hitler then made the unbelievable mistake of challenging America’s sovereignty by attacking the convoys upon which we depended before they reached the open sea. I have been privileged to live since then within the safety and security of the Pax Americana that one president after another has sustained since they helped to secure victory in 1945.

The United Nations with its wide spread of social and cultural agencies; Marshall Aid to help fund the post-war rebuilding of Europe; and the Nato alliance to ensure it could not happen again – I gave a speech in tribute to all this in 1986 called An Alliance not an Empire.

There are other uncomfortable memories from the end of the 1930s. The rise of fascism found its followers from the top to the bottom of European societies in Germany, Italy and Spain, while Oswald Mosley marched his followers through London’s East End. It required Churchill’s iron determination to stop his Conservative colleagues seeking peace with Hitler.

When the second world war ended, the abiding view was that it must never be allowed to happen again. Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman – the latter would become French prime minister – were among the most influential Europeans who created the European Coal and Steel Community. Churchill articulated the idea: “We must create a kind of United States of Europe.” Note his words; he said “we” not “they”.

Harold Macmillan set us off on the controversial post-imperial journey; Ted Heath secured our accession to the Treaty of Rome. Margaret Thatcher’s greatest achievement was to help create the European Single Market; John Major secured the Maastricht compromise that prevented free movement and kept us out of the single currency. I worked for them all and remain convinced of the arguments in favour of Europe. Now, if the Conservatives want to return to power, they would do well to remember what our party did then and why.

I am dismayed by the drift of events in world politics. The economic collapse of 2008 and the Covid crisis have seriously unnerved confidence in governments and the rightwing equivalents to the fascists of the 1930s are back on the march – Le Pen in France, AFD in Germany, FDI in Italy, Vox in Spain and, conspicuously, Reform in this country. Much of President Trump’s language in America coincides with words here in Europe. The immigrant has replaced the Jew as the problem that needs a solution, although recent events have cast a dark cloud.

There is no question that we need effective control of our borders, but we must recognise that they are Europe’s as well, and we should join them in creating secure frontiers everywhere. However, first let us understand the nature, motive and scale of what we all face.

The mobile phone is available worldwide. Our living standards, while criticised here, are much higher than in many other parts of the world. That simple reality together with the consequences of global warming, which are threatening coastal communities, will increase pressure on all our borders.

The overwhelming majority of asylum seekers want to share in our standards and escape from persecution or civil war. To describe them as thieves or rapists is not just dishonest but encourages the worst sort of prejudice in our communities. If you want further proof, visit any part of our health services, social services, public and private sector offices or academia.

I have no faith in the present government’s ability to rebuild our economy but expect it will stumble along for the next four years. I want the Conservatives back in power.

There are five broad issues that they must address: the defence of the realm; the restoration of strength and confidence in our economy; the rule of law; the threat to our environment from pollution, global warming and climate change; and the restoration of British influence in the world. This is an agenda that should appeal to the younger electorate that will be in place by the next election. It will require courage; the country is living beyond its means. Many people will not like the necessary changes. We must not abandon the shared laws of Europe – so important to our citizens. The threat from global warming must not be ignored in the hope that it may not happen.

European companies need the same scale of research and development support as available to their competitors in America, China and, increasingly, India. That cannot be done by nation states working alone. We must play a leading part in building a more effective European military capability within Nato and prevent a Russian victory in Ukraine.

Above all, we must make clear that we will never have any part in the populist extremism of Nigel Farage.

We have to deal with president Trump for the next three years. We don’t need his mouthpiece anywhere near No 10.

Michael Heseltine was an MP from 1966 to 2001. He has been a cabinet minister in various departments and deputy prime minister from 1995 to 1997. His new book, From Acorns to Oaks: An Urgent Agenda to Rebuild Britain, is published by Biteback.

Photograph by Steven May/Alamy Live News