‘Rule Brittania’ and the EU – The world before Brexit
Like most noble concepts that end up being a bit of a disappointment, the idea of a United Europe was born out of a desire never to blow each other to bits ever again. Initially we refused to sign the Treaty of Rome or sign up to the European Steel and Coal Community. After all we won both wars and surely anyone who didn’t salute the Union Jack would never dare to try and stick its flag in good old Blighty and Britain ‘never, never will be slaves’.
The British notion of Greatness was and has always been based on backwards looking to the 18th and 19th Century. Back then our greatness was built on slavery, Empire and a lingering desire to stick our flag in French soil. Come the revolution, in the 19th Century we had freed the slaves, given up on Empire and the exploitation of labour was home grown. We were the leading financial and industrial power, the world’s largest economy and cash rich.