To govern is to choose, and the election of the next Conservative party leader presents a series of important questions: what is Britain’s post-Brexit relationship with the rest of the world? How do we enhance it? Are we still a party of internationalists?

For me – foreign secretary for a little under a year but proud to have visited 29 countries and to have met 49 of my counterparts – the answers are clear. We cannot become the party that pulls up the drawbridge or sticks two fingers up to the rest of world. It has never been more important to re-engage.

The current state of the Brexit process presents challenges at home that get noticed abroad. In the Peterborough byelection, no matter which politician tried to convince them to support us, voters saw we had not delivered Brexit, and turned to the fringes. As a result a deeply unpleasant Labour candidate who ought to have been unelectable was able to squeak over the line. Abroad, long-term allies are asking when the Westminster impasse will allow trade talks to begin and when we will start expanding our horizons again.

So what is the way through?

The first step is to deliver Brexit as quickly and cleanly as possible. We have boasted about our democratic credentials for long enough that we cannot duck the challenge the public set us by voting to leave. As an entrepreneur with strong working relationships across Europe, I believe I am the candidate best placed to deliver a deal that can get through parliament and move the country on.

The second is to re-engage with the world, and to recover our position of strength. I am often struck by the immense respect other countries have for our unrivalled set of international links, our UN leadership and our fantastic diplomatic network. But we are rightly expanding our network further, especially in Asia-Pacific and across Africa, to keep up with the fastest-growing parts of the world.

Much of our strength comes from our transatlantic alliance and leadership position in Nato – the crowning international achievement of the postwar Attlee government. But we must ask ourselves if it is truly sustainable for the taxpayers of one country – the United States – to make such a vast contribution to the defence of Europe. So I make no apologies for committing to a substantial increase in defence spending. Combined with our unwavering commitment to the 0.7% aid target, it will keep us relevant overseas and safer at home.

Abroad, long-term allies are asking when we will start expanding our horizons again Jeremy Hunt

Third, we must do more to stand up for our values. Alongside the US, Britain did more than any other country to establish the post-second world war consensus that the international realm should be governed by rules rather than brute force. This world order brought unparalleled peace and prosperity, but is now under threat from Russian aggression, Chinese resurgence and instability in the Middle East. The world is looking to Britain and America to defend it.

At our best, we do amazing things defending democracy. I am proud of the work I have done standing against Maduro the dictator in Venezuela, driving forward the peace process in Yemen, and supporting free and fair elections in Africa and Asia. I do this because I know that Britain’s prosperity and influence is best protected when our values are widely shared.

One particular area of leadership is on climate change. I have spent countless hours working on our bid to host the next international climate change conference, five years on from the Paris COP, which would allow us to use our convening power for good on this most important of issues.

At this critical time, the global picture for liberal, democratic values is getting less attractive. According to Freedom House, 68 countries became less free last year. State actors are using elections as a target for influence while populists are shutting down the scope of public debate. At a time like this we need to re-engage with the world and show credible leadership once again.

Jeremy Hunt is foreign secretary and a frontrunner in the Conservative party leadership election