The Tribune

As a final reflection on our lengthy summer visit to England, I was genuinely puzzled by the degree of negativity, particularly in the media, about Britain and its status in the world. According to some, the nation’s standing and influence as a leading global power has suddenly been severely curtailed or even no longer exists. Such a view is often expressed by those who believe the UK’s departure from the European Union is an act of extreme folly and that it will be unable to prosper on its own.

While the country remains hopelessly divided over the issue, I believe many of the arguments for and against leaving have validity and that people on both sides of the debate have rational and legitimate concerns. But it seems extraordinary that the saga of Brexit since the 2016 referendum has now reached a point that, instead of showing pride in their own country, there are those who are not only talking it down but actually want it to fail. This is the perception that has been created.

Two weeks ago in this column, I warned the existing political turmoil will almost inevitably intensify after MPs return to Westminster in early September after their summer holidays. But, despite all the doom and gloom and predictions of economic turbulence, so far life in the UK seems to be continuing normally with things by and large functioning as they should. Whether that will change following the UK’s exit from the EU by October 31 remains to be seen. Despite the government’s much vaunted preparations that are said to be well advanced, a no-deal departure could still result in damaging disruption if not chaos at the UK’s borders, with the Governor of the Bank of England continuing his doomsday warnings about the pound sterling plummeting, higher inflation and a recession.

Notwithstanding this, clearly the uncertainty that has bedevilled the nation for the last three years cannot be allowed to continue. So, for the wellbeing of Britain’s democracy and despite the divisions of opinion, it now seems the majority view is that the voice of the people expressed in the referendum result has to be honoured without further delay.

At this point, therefore, I believe it has become all the more important to back new Prime Minister Boris Johnson in his commitment to take the nation out of the EU, with or without a deal. He has repeatedly said he wants a deal as much as anyone else. But to achieve this he is insisting the Irish backstop has to be removed in order to secure the approval of the House of Commons which, of course, rejected the existing Withdrawal Agreement on three separate occasions.

But, if he is unable to persuade MPs to back any revised deal that would clearly be in Britain’s best interest, there is no alternative - apart from extending the departure deadline again - to leaving without one. Parliament could still succeed in stopping this, but the odds now are that, with or without a deal, the UK’s exit is going to happen no later than October 31.

Interestingly, the government has signed an order formally to repeal the European Communities Act of 1972. This is a landmark moment because it ends EU jurisdiction and enables the UK to take back control of its laws instead of countless EU directives and regulations being incorporated into domestic law. This surely signifies there is no turning back.

It is against this background that I think people should cease traducing their own country and start supporting the Prime Minister. At this juncture, it is in my view unpatriotic to talk down a Britain that, with the vast resources and expertise at its disposal, remains a formidable presence on the world stage - and to do so also ignores the facts that speak for themselves.

In summary, Britain is the world’s fifth largest economy with global trade links, a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a nuclear power. It has the world’s third largest aid budget and strong military forces with the second largest NATO budget. It possesses a substantial diplomatic network and unprecedented worldwide connections as leader of the Commonwealth comprising about one third of the global population and it has huge so-called ‘soft’ power through, for example, the BBC. It is home to high class educational establishments including some of the world’s top universities. It has several hundred thousand international students while also receiving annually some 40 million tourist visits.

Added to this is the nation’s legacy of the rule of law including an independent judiciary, sound public administration, democracy, free speech and a free press, free trade and an open society. So any suggestion that Britain is unfit for independence from Brussels and could not go it alone in the world - while maintaining close economic, trading and other links with Europe - is clearly wide of the mark.

Furthermore, the most recent evidence shows that, despite the doom-laden predictions and scaremongering, the British economy has remained resilient since the referendum. Unemployment is now at historically low levels, average pay is up, inflation is steady and the UK still seems to be an attractive destination for investment.

The government has shown good stewardship of the economy with fiscal responsibility, lower borrowing, reduced taxes and regulation and a reformed welfare system. Moreover, as a Google search will confirm, while Britain’s GDP is dominated by services – especially financial and business services with London still the world’s largest international financial centre and hub – the country not only has a highly developed agricultural sector but it also remains the world’s ninth largest manufacturing nation; notably, in sectors like oil and gas, construction, vehicles, defence equipment, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and information technology.

Having become Tory party leader and Prime Minister barely a month ago, Mr Johnson has set off like an express train and, through his determination and purpose, has already transformed the political landscape. He has expressed lofty ideals about the UK not retreating from the rest of the world but continuing to stand up for liberty and democracy and to uphold and safeguard the global order on which peace and prosperity depends - and he has made clear his belief that the country thrives on being an open, outward-looking free trading nation. So, although Britain does not want to be part of a future European federal state, it wishes to have a close relationship with Europe in all other respects including, most importantly, trade.

At this advanced stage of Britain’s disentanglement from Brussels, while most agree that tumultuous times are just ahead only a fool would attempt to predict what will happen this autumn – either a new Withdrawal Agreement or an exit from the EU without a deal and perhaps a vote of no-confidence in the Prime Minister followed by a General Election. But it is now widely accepted that the uncertainty since the referendum must be brought to an end to enable the country to prosper and so that national pride and confidence can be restored.

Greenland - what happened to diplomacy?

President Trump’s informal press briefing last week on the White House lawn was viewed by some as reaching a new low benchmark of incoherence. Watching it on TV, I was amazed at his capacity to have ready answers on a range of subjects. But, at the same time, it was a somewhat erratic performance and reached an astonishing point when he looked heavenwards and announced that he was the “chosen one” to bring China to heel over trade.

It was also extraordinary that he should berate publicly the Danish Prime Minister for calling his proposal to buy Greenland “absurd” and labelling her as a “nasty woman” to have disrespected the US by making inappropriate comments. But, evidently, he regarded it as a personal rebuke and an unacceptable response to his supposedly great idea. So, irritated by that, he called off his two-day state visit to Denmark planned for early September.

After Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen then telephoned him – presumably in conciliatory mode – lo and behold, all was sweetness and light again with Mr Trump calling her “wonderful” and now saying the US has a very good relationship with Denmark. Such an episode borders on the childlike and almost beggars belief. Mr Trump himself said the main purpose of his visit was to thank Denmark as a founding member of NATO for its support of US-led missions to Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, so to scrap such the visit in a fit of pique can hardly be justified even by this unconventional president.

Mr Trump’s original announcement that he wanted to purchase Greenland seemed at first to be an outlandish proposal and yet another instance of speaking publicly on impulse instead of preparing the ground through discussion in advance of his visit. The Danish reaction was unsurprising. Greenland - a semi-autonomous Danish territory handling its own domestic affairs but largely reliant financially on Denmark which is also responsible for its national security and foreign relations – was not for sale.

Whatever the initial response, however, it has emerged the idea of the US buying Greenland is not new. In 1946, the then-President Harry Truman tried to do so but was turned down by Denmark. The US already has an airbase there as part of its global radar network. Mr Trump’s interest seems to be in the territory’s potential mineral and energy resources that, with global warming and the ice sheet melting, are becoming more accessible.

Reportedly, Greenland’s strategic value is also growing as new Arctic sea routes and passageways could open up. What is more, the Greenlanders themselves are now saying new US investment would be welcome.

So, perhaps the president’s proposal will turn out not to be as outlandish or as absurd as first thought, despite the significant difference between “purchasing” Greenland and cooperating with Denmark in developing it. But, according to the US media, the way he acts in jumping the gun and speaking prematurely in public – not only in relation to international affairs – continues to cause widespread major concern. His latest action has precipitated yet another avoidable row – not too serious this time and it looks as though this particular one will quickly blow over. But people can only wonder what else is in store for the rest of the world during the remainder of this presidency?