Martin Kettle is correct: Britain has clung too lengthy to phantasm and lazy imitation of the US (The stunning US election consequence will create a brand new world order – and launch a recent wave of Trump wannabes, 6 November). Each darkish cloud has a silver lining, and the upside of Donald Trump’s election is probably that British politicians will finally study to not use the pathetic phrasing of the “particular relationship”. Trump already is aware of what our prime minister and international secretary actually consider him, and we already know that Trump would favor to cope with the likes of Nigel Farage.
The dumping of this particular relationship nonsense is effectively overdue, and may have occurred as way back as 1956, when President Dwight Eisenhower directed the British authorities to cease its navy adventures round Suez, and to go dwelling without delay and behave. Sarcastically, since then, the particular relationship has extra usually been utilized by the US to pull Britain into unwise navy actions, somewhat than to place a cease to them.
In at present’s harmful instances, Britain can not fulfil the Churchillian pledge to “stand alone”. In a world dominated by the autocratic and narcissistic leaders of Russia, China and a protectionist, inward-looking and xenophobic US, the rational alternative for British politicians is to align as intently as potential with our nearest democratic neighbours. The apparent path to take is in direction of rejoining the European Union.
Dr Charles Smith
Bridgend
I all the time respect Martin Kettle’s considerate items, however I do really feel the evaluation of Donald Trump’s re-election has missed a degree. And I say this having lived within the US within the Nineties, when a Democrat with deep private flaws additionally gained re-election. It’s potential when taking a look at Trump from the left to all the time overthink it. Individuals haven’t thought-about the postwar consensus on rules-based liberal politics and rejected it. They’ve voted for a celebration and an individual they imagine will make them higher off.
Within the rural south or the huge open areas of the west, and even within the internal cities, folks have voted on the price of dwelling and their households’ prospects. We have now simply seen the Tories turfed out on the identical foundation right here. And anybody who is aware of the US will even know that, exterior of some small enclaves, international coverage performs little half in electoral decisions, not to mention the rules underlying it.
Within the US, and to an extent right here in Britain, the centre-left has left its previous constituencies behind and so they have turned to one thing else, not out of conviction however abandonment. That’s the problem for the left within the subsequent years.
It’s time to recognise that we want a unique strategy to taking care of the pursuits of these who’ve been so badly affected by pandemics, power shocks and instability.
Mark Hammond
Chichester
Martin Kettle highlights a number of considerations that these of us with a progressive internationalist worldview worry for the following 4 years. Nevertheless, by questioning the extent of the cultural ties that exist between the peoples of the US and these British Isles, he dangers exacerbating the potential political rift that we now face.
Relatively than pulling again from a “dystrumpian” US, we must always as a substitute be redoubling our efforts to attraction to the hearts and minds of our closest associates with whom we nonetheless share a typical function in making the world a greater place. The democratic course of usually throws up challenges, however we want to embrace them and meet them, not retreat. That manner, tyranny actually lies.
Paul Weatherall
Ballaragh, Isle of Man
Many adjectives have appeared in your articles to explain Donald Trump’s victory, however Martin Kettle’s use of the phrase “unforgivable” is inadmissable. The election was performed correctly, and Trump gained each the electoral school and the favored vote. That’s democracy, so there may be nothing to forgive, although loads to deplore. I agree with him that we should now set up a better relationship with Europe, and regardless of Keir Starmer’s ludicrously bleak forecast of “not in my lifetime”, the Labour social gathering ought to marketing campaign for re-entry to the EU. Rachel Reeves is an economist, so she is going to know that the primary impediment to financial progress, Labour’s main intention, is our absence from the EU. She ought to have the financial frequent sense to set about eradicating it.
Roderick MacFarquhar
Edinburgh
Supply hyperlink
