The government has pledged to work with European and global partners to create a "safer and fairer world".

On the second day of the Queen's Speech debate, MPs were discussing foreign affairs and defence - with Douglas Alexander opening for the government.

Standing in for foreign secretary Jack Straw, the new Europe minister said Labour had shown a "firm conviction [as a] strong engaged member" of the EU in the general election.

"People have again shown their endorsement for people who share that approach," he said.

Alexander said that the EU has "affirmed its commitment to make its economies more dynamic and flexible" and would reform further.

Reform

"This government came to power determined to restore Britain to its position in a reforming European Union," he said.

Alexander said the new EU constitution, which will be put to the country in a referendum next year, entrenches a framework for a Europe "in which the nations are strong".

He went on to say that the government would "lead support for European Union enlargement" over coming years.

The forthcoming referendum campaign would give the pro-European camp an opportunity to "expose the myths and distortions" of the Euro-sceptics.

Turning to the wider world, Alexander said the government would adopt a "leading role in the fight against terrorism".

He added that ministers would press the United Nations to toughen its response to terrorism through the development of an agreed definition of the problem.

Tactics

But the Tories lambasted Labour over its foreign policy failures.

The new shadow foreign secretary Liam Fox said the government had too often been on the back foot.

"There has been to much tactical thinking and not enough strategic policy," he said.

"The charges we lay against this government is that they are insufficiently ambitious for the United Kingdom."

On the issue of Europe he went on to say his party wanted "a more flexible relationship".

He said the Tories were committed to a "European Union which is in Britain's best interests".

Doctrine

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Sir Menzies Campbell said the government has adopted a "dangerous" doctrine whereby "the ends sought are used to justify the means" in Iraq.

"The objective from the start was to support the US to achieve regime change in Iraq," he said.

"The alleged threat of weapons of mass destruction about which there was little or no evidence and whose existence has now been disproved, the breach of United Nations resolutions... these provided a cloak of legality for an act which is now to be seen as having been plainly in violation of international law."

"I think the doctrine... is a very dangerous doctrine indeed in international affairs and, in history, has been used to justify oppressive practices which have later been the subject of outright condemnation," he added.