Today is significant for Britain but not for the reasons you're thinking

In the late 69s and early 70s, Britain lost the final bits of its empire. They were faced with two questions "Who are we and what is our place in the world?"

Concerned at the potential economic strength of the fledgling European community coming together on its doorstep, rather than coming to terms with the answers to those questions, it sensibly decided to join them.

Today is the moment of reckoning. Britain must come to terms with its new position in the world.

Small.

Alone.

Entirely under the control of whichever large trading bloc it ends up submitting to.

No vetos. No special treatment. No rebates.

Britain has very few, if any, natural resources that cannot be found elsewhere. Its labour isn't that cheap. There are precious few businesses that *need* to be there.

On its doorstep, still, the world's richest market - one that prioritises its own businesses.

The best British labour will move because it can. The banks are moving because they must. The manufacturing jobs are going because the UK won't participate in the single market and so has increased costs.

And so they now have time to answer and come to terms with their post-empire questions:

Who are we?

What is our place in the world?

And, once they have, I doubt they will like it.

Today is the delayed end of empire.