One of the most dispiriting aspects of British politics over the past two years has been the often expressed view that Europe needs us more than we need them. We are the fifth (or sixth, maybe soon seventh) largest economy in the world, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, etc etc. And yes, we have influence, for good or ill. Other countries look to us for support, or for leadership, and we have some of the world’s leading operators in a range of fields.
But it is all too often what is seen to be good for Britain which is presumed to be in the interests of our friends and neighbours. Our relationship with the European Union is solely couched in terms of our needs and our domestic politics, and any suggestion that they might have red lines or domestic audiences to mollify is condemned as showing weakness in, or undermining, our negotiating stance.
The Conservatives have obviously been guilty in this regard, talking up the desire of German car manufacturers for a settlement that allows them to sell their products to us without hinderance, or ignoring the four pillars that underpin the Single Market or even, of late, suggesting that it is in the interests of Ireland to leave the European Union in order to maintain an open border with the United Kingdom. Labour are little better.
I had hoped that the Liberal Democrats were though, but last week’s fiasco over the Party’s press release after the ALDE Party’s European Council pre-summit suggests otherwise. Claiming that eight European Prime Ministers (two of whom weren’t actually present) supported our call for a referendum on the final deal snatched disaster from the jaws of triumph. It was good enough that those present had been willing to say that, should Britain choose to withdraw its Article 50 notice, we would be welcomed back into the family – an offer which provides a means of retreat should the Government need it. But to claim their support for a referendum implied a desire on their part to interfere in British politics, and that was never likely, or even desirable.
What was the likely response to eight Prime Ministers calling for a second referendum? A backlash from the pro-Brexit media and a negative reaction from those capable of being swayed one way or the other.
To be a genuinely internationalist Party means taking into account the needs of the other parties in any negotiation. What are their apparent red lines, why do they exist, what can be safely offered in exchange for some compromise on their part? But even Liberal Democrats seem to look at Brexit through the prism of our own desires and needs.
At last year’s Autumn Federal Conference, a prestigious international Panel was brought together to discuss the external view of Brexit. What did they think about the negotiations thus far, what hurdles did they see ahead, what considerations needed to be made, all of this was there to be discussed. And the first question from the audience? A British civil servant had resigned, what impact did the panel think it would have?
We have a lot of friends out there, but we need to work much harder at maintaining those relationships, either to restore our reputation inside the European Union if we gain the desired “exit from Brexit”, or to develop the best possible relationship from outside the Union. And that means exercising our curiosity as liberals, ascertaining what we have to offer and what we might gain in exchange, and doing it in a way that doesn’t resemble an ultimatum.
If Brexit goes as badly wrong as I fear it might, we will only be able to get by with the help of our friends. And unless we get over our sense of exceptionalism, we may not have that many friends we can rely upon.
* Mark Valladares is a member of the Party’s Federal International Relations Committee and has worked with the ALDE Party’s secretariat for the past seven years.
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12 Comments
Indeed Mark, it is insularity that nurtures Brexit and Brexiters. The general view of EU governments and Parties involved in government is to refrain from passing opinion or comment on matters that are internal to the UK. Why would representatives of Parties from another member states pass comment or opinion? – Particularly when passing comment would quite likely be counter-productive.
It really should be quite easy when it is a matter of finding common Liberal cause and when the drive behind Brexit is so obviously anti-Liberal.
A lot of these claims, I suspect come from the cod psychology of trying to denigrate political opponents, in much the same way as some on the right try to denigrate left wingers by insisting they are a detached elite and so on. If anything the inflated idea of Britain as a global force peaked in the Blair years and had its last stand at the 2012 Olympics. That’s when all the rhetoric was cranked up. Maybe the referendum vote on both sides was to an extent really people rejecting it. I suspect that the general population was more driven by the usual suspects of wages, roads, crime, immigration, debt, VAT and housing than by the obsession the political classes seem to have with finding a big role on the world stage.
“,,,the obsession the political classes seem to have with finding a big role on the world stage.”
I thought that was good old-fashioned imperialism
Martin
But is it. Historically. Historically, liberals have tended to support the right to self-determination within nation states. American independence, the dismantling of empire, home rule for Ireland and so on. To me the internationalist technocratic view often seems like an uncomfortable grafting of Marxist theory onto capitalist utopian triumphalism.
@ Mark Valladares,
“Our relationship with the European Union is solely couched in terms of our needs and our domestic politics….. ”
I totally agree. And, it didn’t just start with the EUref. This British attitude is behind the numerous opt outs that have been negotiated with the EU over the years.
We should really make up our minds if we want ‘in’ or ‘out’. If ‘in’, we should be ‘in’ to the the same extent as everyone else including Germany and France. If we aren’t, and we haven’t been with our refusal to accept the euro and Schengen, then we simply don’t have the influence that we need to help correct the disastrous economic policies which have been imposed on euro using countries.
Remember the famous Dean Acheson quote from the 1960s? As has been said before, the world does NOT owe us a living. I’m proud of this little country of ours, none more so when we occasionally enjoy sporting success on the world stage, either as England (because that’s where I’m from (as in 1966) or as part of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (as in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics). We have in our history consistently punched above our weight; but, to continue the boxing analogy, nowadays, as a middleweight we might be able to mix it with the cruiserweights, not not any more with the superheavyweights! To do that we need friends to help us. It would appear to be a hard lesson to learn.
It is no surprise that we have snatched disaster from the jaws of triumph, we have been doing it since we went into coalition. We have policies and a philosophy that should appeal to some 25% of the population, yet when we start to get off the ground the central party puts a foot wrong. When will they learn.
Completely agree. If we do manage to stop Brexit then future British Governments should adopt a humble & apologetic attitude to fellow Europeans, at a time when Europe is facing several real crises we have invented an imaginary one. We have mucked our friends about & need to show some contrition.
Mark, you raise – quite rightly – serious questions about press coverage of the meeting in Brussels last week. I do hope the party is taking steps to ensure such a situation never happens again. Basic competence is essential in these situations.
Paul, I’m not so sure about the “humble and apologetic” bit. That won’t cut any ice with anyone if we go on posturing the way we have for the last forty years. What our EU colleagues will want to see from us is some businesslike diplomatic professionalism – understanding that sovereignty is shared not lost, understanding that negotiations work best if everyone plays by the same rules, patiently building alliances and cases for what we want, and then getting on with enabling the whole system to function and evolve.
The arrogance, with which the government has approached BREXIT, is breathtaking.
Perhaps a failed Brexit negotiation is the only thing that will allow this country ( and the leave Tories and others ) to realise that we are one of many and to get by in the world we have to be realistic about what we can get. We no longer rule the world or even the waves.