Jeremy Corbyn will today insist he is “not a pacifist” as he takes the fight to Theresa May on defence and security.
The Labour leader will launch a furious attack on the “bomb first, talk later” approach he says has dominated UK foreign policy for 20 years.
Conscious he is seen by some of his critics as weak on defence, Mr Corbyn will insist: “I am not a pacifist. I accept that military action, under international law and as a genuine last resort, is in some circumstances necessary.
“But that is very far from the kind of unilateral wars and interventions that have almost become routine in recent times.”
Taking the fight to Mrs May, he will highlight her shameless poodle-like behaviour with Donald Trump in Washington in January and insist under his leadership Britain will have a “robust and independent” foreign policy set in London not the White House.
“Waiting to see which way the wind blows in Washington isn’t strong leadership. And pandering to an erratic Trump administration will not deliver stability,” Mr Corbyn will say.
“Britain deserves better than simply outsourcing our country’s security and prosperity to the whims of the Trump White House.
“So no more hand-holding with Donald Trump – a Labour government will conduct a robust and independent foreign policy made in London.”
Mr Corbyn is a lifelong peace campaigner and has called for Britain to abandon its nuclear weapons.
But under pressure from his party and the trade unions he has agreed to back the renewal of Trident and is now keen to stress he could keep Britain safe.
“If elected Prime Minister, I will do everything necessary to protect the safety and security of our people and our country,” he will say in his speech in London.
The Labour leader will make clear however that if he is elected as PM, it would signal an end to the disastrous foreign wars pursued by leaders like Tony Blair and David Cameron.
His allies believe his opposition to the Iraq War can be a vote-winner and that he has largely been proved right about Britain’s foreign interventions.
General election 2017
“This is the fourth general election in a row to be held while Britain is at war and our armed forces are in action in the Middle East and beyond,” he will say.
“The ‘war on terror’ which lies behind these interventions has failed. They have not increased our security at home – rather the opposite – and they have caused destabilisation and devastation abroad.
“The ‘bomb first, talk later’ approach to security has failed. To persist with it, as the Conservative Government has made clear it is determined to do, is a recipe for increasing not reducing threats and insecurity.”