Interesting reading some of the recent responses - I've been away in Europe with work.
I have to agree with a few others. The UK's glory days are behind us. It's time to politely bow out of world affairs. We are not valued or liked, that much comes out from my international network. I was very anti-Brexit, but Europe has France to protect them. Our idiotic government has helped countries like Sweden into NATO when they have kicked large numbers of Brits out post Brexit and take every opportunity to generate upset and aggravation at their border (as has been discussed on here) - what do I gain from any of this? I hate everything done in my name since 2001. No one in UK politics listens...
I really can’t agree with you. My experience is entirely the opposite; the Europeans I know very much value and like the UK, and whilst they may have felt somewhat shunned by Brexit they’ve come to terms with it (and why it happened).
We may be led by idiots, but as a nation we’re there when it really matters.
I agree that the UK's zenith is behind us, but I disagree that we're neither valued nor liked.
We are still a top ten economy, and a leader on a lot of issues globally.
Top ten economy, top ten (probably five) military power, similarly placed in terms of soft power (more difficult to measure admittedly), and top twenty in terms of population… Not bad for an isolated, miserable little island off the coast of France!
Our preference for short-term gains over long-term investment in infrastructure and new technologies is hurting us economically though, and is likely to see us drop out of the top ten in the medium term.
Possibly; I certainly agree with you in regard to short-termism.
I agree that there is still some residual respect for British expertise - and affection for individual British experts on a personal basis - in a limited number of areas, but to be frank, the behaviour of our recent governments and the sheer incompetence displayed in international negotiations on a number of fronts has greatly diminished it.
Again, I don’t entirely disagree. As above, we’re led by idiots…
The opinion of those Europeans that I have kept in contact with, which may reflect the sort of people I tend to know, is more sadness that a country that they had a certain admiration and affection for has come so low. These attitudes still, or at least did until recently, hark back to World War II and the stand we took, and our later generosity in helping to rebuild Europe. Now we are seen as inward-looking country that thinks it should be indulged and given a free ride, and then sulks and behaves with childish spite when it doesn’t get what it wants. Nor do they feel that we can be trusted to ‘play the game’; or just trusted full stop.
More widely, on a world-wide basis economic power is far more important as a way of being seen as influential than willy-waving a couple of aircraft-carriers. We not a major economic power on our own and leaving the EU has further reduced our influence: we could have been one of the countries seen as a leader of one of the major economic blocks, but instead we are just a solitary offshore island.
My (equally anecdotal) experience is the opposite as per my reply above, so this is probably it. I’m not sure what the widely held consensus is, or if there even is one.
Of course they are upset with us. A fairly major (if always a bit awkward) contributing member of a 'friendly' club/society/group decides voluntarily to leave - the other members are bound to have some feelings of rejection - much the same would happen at the cricket club or the railway preservation group or church or wherever. Not sure what the sulks or childish spite really are, but I suspect they may be the result of the club making things more difficult than perhaps necessary in order to discourage or prevent departure (or as a warning to any other members considering same).....? I think we are just as outward looking as ever, just don't want to be in their club because of some of the rules - nothing to do with the relationships between individuals.
I’m inclined to agree.
Quite what all this has to do with conscription, mind......
Indeed, but there’s always time for a little self-denigration!