Read on Twitter
I think you can make a case that we’re now ‘punching below our weight’. Maybe that doesn’t matter but if it does (and if it is true) how do we improve back at least to par? Serious question. https://twitter.com/chrisdeerin/status/1325893625302167552
Faithfulness. I think. Is part the answer. Being constant, dependable and predictable within a mutual framework.
The framework doesn’t matter so much if it is broken or disintegrating and you can broken field run with other players of a similar sauve qui peut mindset. But the US election result is a dramatic affirmation of the framework.
The framework might also not matter so much if you see life entirely in domestic political terms. You might not even realise the framework exists. But of course it does. And it is impossible to ignore if you are a country like the UK.
The problem isn’t Brexit per se. There’s nothing wrong at all with moving to a different relationship with the EU. But the implementation of it has been very badly handled.
The endpoint, whether there’s a deal or not, will be a wholly unsustainable relationship with our most important economic relationship, out geographic neighbour, our cultural / social partner after years of cross migration.
And the manner of the negotiations has been largely disastrous. The IMB is an unfortunate example. At one casual stroke (entirely motivated by domestic political considerations), relations with the EU and Ireland (an above weight puncher) were severely damaged.
And, at the same time, relations with numerous senior Democrat politicians were damaged. This matter a great deal. Does it mean that there will not continue to be a very strong institutional relationship with the US? Of course not. But will it matter? Oh yes it will.
Unfaithfulness to the framework (like it or not) has always been a bad idea. As of Saturday just passed it became a very bad idea indeed. We need to rebuild our reputation for faithfulness. And that will require actions not words.
/ends
/ends
