He’s a member of the cabinet and so should know the government position. He can also state if UK forces acted in any part of the operation (e.g. refilling).
The decision may not be his but he should be enacting the effect of the decision. It’s absolutely reasonable to ask him.
…or count the chirps in 8 seconds and add 4.
Why am I taking 25seconds and dividing by 3? Accuracy?
Alternative headline.
World’s oldest person dies.
You’re Captain Kirk and are exploring a new planet. In the course of your duties you discover that Orion slave traders have been here and the inhabitants are slave owners. You’re horrified by what you’re seeing and feel you must free the slaves above all else.
Do you:
I’d argue that in a lot of situations the second call is better. It guarantees the safety and the freedom of the enslaved person. The first option sounds heroic but the outcome is far from predicable.
The one downside is that the slave owner has now been paid and may use that money to buy more slaves. However if you also get Starfleet to setup a blockade of the planet Orion to stop them moving slaves throughout the galaxy you can cut things off at source.
Regardless. What matters is the freedom of the individuals. No ex-slave was angry at somebody who paid to set them free. I’m sure they were angry with everyone else in the chain, but that last one… They get a pass.
How did this manifest before? You only need to look at the advertising of the time. Take the 1950s America - McCarthyism and the red scare in full force. Most US marketing relied heavily on how buying American made you a good patriotic citizen, living the American dream… even if the product wasn’t 100% American.