Venezuela

Lord Cryer Excerpts

Tuesday 6th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

Noble Lords will understand that we talk all the time to our American friends about security issues, but we would not comment on specifics, as the noble Baroness is encouraging me to do.

[Lord Cryer (Lab)]

My Lords, the idea that this is the end of the world order is fantastical. As we have just heard, previous American Presidents have intervened; for instance, in Grenada and in Panama. The difference is that President Trump does not really mind letting people know that he does not give a monkey’s about world opinion or international law.

The real danger is if this marks a departure from previous policy, in that if Trump sees spheres of influence—which we have heard much talk about—and the reassertion of the Monroe doctrine, would that possibly mean that he would see the Americas as his sphere of influence, eastern Europe as belonging to the Russian sphere of influence, and so on? That is the real danger of what has happened.

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I do not recognise that characterisation of the world, but it is right that we ask ourselves these big strategic questions, because the world is changing. The most significant example of that has been Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and its stated intention to expand Russia. It is legitimate that we concern ourselves with questions of spheres of influence. I do not think it is as simple as the characterisation the noble Lord just put forward, and I do not think that is what he believes either, but it is absolutely right that we continue to ask ourselves these really important geopolitical questions.