Slowly we move closer to Europe and ultimately that will mean joining the next iteration of what is currently the EU. It wont be rejoing as such but a new organisation where defence and trade take the lead. It may be a decade away but it will happen.
As always an insightful post. The irony is that the US is destroying its leadership role in the name of making America great again, although there is no clear definition of great and it was previously great to measure when this mission is successful. The silver lining here that Europe will add other facets of geopolitical power to its economic heft. On the other hand it appears that Brexit, and all the hot air around sovereignty, may be shown to be a massive strategic error sooner than expected.
I sincerely hope Starmer and the Labour leadership read this after the shocking naivety the PM expressed on an interview with the News Agents podcast yesterday evening.
Clearly, to some extent someone in Starmer's position is forced to sound positive about the "special relationship" but he seemed to argue that because the alliance is as longstanding as it is and our forces are so closely intertwined with the US military, the Americans could never betray it. That flies in the face of all the evidence of the bad faith of the Trump administration in every regard.
And why is the UK bothering to negotiate a trade deal with the US when it won't be worth the paper it's written on? Trump tore up a far bigger, more important deal that Trump 1.0 negotiated for no good reason. Why is the UK wasting its time?
I hope too that Starmer has no illusions. I would add though that Europe would do best if it can sustain some sort of relationship during the long process of building its own capacity....
Excellent summary, as always. But how depressing. My own fear is that Starmer will be so desperate to avoid US tariffs that he will negotiate a trade deal that involves sacrificing (part or all of) our NHS and/or our food standards. Outside the EU, we don't have the power to stand up to Trump.
Slowly we move closer to Europe and ultimately that will mean joining the next iteration of what is currently the EU. It wont be rejoing as such but a new organisation where defence and trade take the lead. It may be a decade away but it will happen.
Having just read the article by David Allen Green in Prospect I see someone better qualified has beaten me to it when discussing Canada and the EU.
I unfortunately wholeheartedly agree.....
As always an insightful post. The irony is that the US is destroying its leadership role in the name of making America great again, although there is no clear definition of great and it was previously great to measure when this mission is successful. The silver lining here that Europe will add other facets of geopolitical power to its economic heft. On the other hand it appears that Brexit, and all the hot air around sovereignty, may be shown to be a massive strategic error sooner than expected.
Right on both points!
I sincerely hope Starmer and the Labour leadership read this after the shocking naivety the PM expressed on an interview with the News Agents podcast yesterday evening.
Clearly, to some extent someone in Starmer's position is forced to sound positive about the "special relationship" but he seemed to argue that because the alliance is as longstanding as it is and our forces are so closely intertwined with the US military, the Americans could never betray it. That flies in the face of all the evidence of the bad faith of the Trump administration in every regard.
And why is the UK bothering to negotiate a trade deal with the US when it won't be worth the paper it's written on? Trump tore up a far bigger, more important deal that Trump 1.0 negotiated for no good reason. Why is the UK wasting its time?
I hope too that Starmer has no illusions. I would add though that Europe would do best if it can sustain some sort of relationship during the long process of building its own capacity....
Excellent summary, as always. But how depressing. My own fear is that Starmer will be so desperate to avoid US tariffs that he will negotiate a trade deal that involves sacrificing (part or all of) our NHS and/or our food standards. Outside the EU, we don't have the power to stand up to Trump.
I think public opinion will contrain Starmer thankfully
Yes
Excellent thank you