This is a thoughtful and well-argued piece that unfortunately needs to be rejected out of hand. "Become Canada" cannot be our national strategy. This is a formula for unmanaged decline and truly incredible levels of national rot. No one with a mite of ambition or talent or patriotism will ever go into British politics inspired by such a vision. We need something better and grander. Men of courage do not get up in the morning dreaming of leading their country into a gentle decline bath. With the Psalmist they say "lead me to the Rock that is higher than I".
But the path to being something better than Canda starts by recognising that we are now something like Canda. No nation achieves greatness by being confused into thinking it already has it, or deals with decline by pretending it isn't happening.
Do you mean Edrith's article didn't put the real security challenge of biodiversity loss front and centre, or the Guardian didn't put the real security challenges of the EU front and centre?
Both these options seem farsical, so presumably there's some third meaning I'm completely missing?
Brilliant framing with the Canada analogy. The whole "preserve influence through EU membership" thing always felt like trying to maintain stature through association, when actual sovereignty means making pragmatic, flexible decisions for the national interest. I've been folowing Brexit discussions since the referendum and the Ever Closer Union trajectory is smth people constantly underestimate.
Shame about the poor old hobbits (to respond to the Lord of the Rings reference)! It’s all very well accepting national decline, if you’re already in a privileged position.
As in Galadrial is fine diminishing to retain her selfhood since she's a noble, but the normal elves should complain that she didn't seize the ring and Make Lothlorien Great Again?
Man, your copy of LotR ends way differently from mine. In mine Galadrial understands that if she uses the ring then Mordor would functionally take over the Shire - it doesn't make much difference if the Dark Lord wears Sauron's face or hers. The only victory that is actually a victory is to win without becoming the Dark Lord.
This is a thoughtful and well-argued piece that unfortunately needs to be rejected out of hand. "Become Canada" cannot be our national strategy. This is a formula for unmanaged decline and truly incredible levels of national rot. No one with a mite of ambition or talent or patriotism will ever go into British politics inspired by such a vision. We need something better and grander. Men of courage do not get up in the morning dreaming of leading their country into a gentle decline bath. With the Psalmist they say "lead me to the Rock that is higher than I".
But the path to being something better than Canda starts by recognising that we are now something like Canda. No nation achieves greatness by being confused into thinking it already has it, or deals with decline by pretending it isn't happening.
Yet another article that doesn’t put the real national security challenges front and centre when considering the best path for the UK and the world.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/27/uk-government-report-ecosystem-collapse-foi-national-security
Do you mean Edrith's article didn't put the real security challenge of biodiversity loss front and centre, or the Guardian didn't put the real security challenges of the EU front and centre?
Both these options seem farsical, so presumably there's some third meaning I'm completely missing?
Brilliant framing with the Canada analogy. The whole "preserve influence through EU membership" thing always felt like trying to maintain stature through association, when actual sovereignty means making pragmatic, flexible decisions for the national interest. I've been folowing Brexit discussions since the referendum and the Ever Closer Union trajectory is smth people constantly underestimate.
Shame about the poor old hobbits (to respond to the Lord of the Rings reference)! It’s all very well accepting national decline, if you’re already in a privileged position.
As in Galadrial is fine diminishing to retain her selfhood since she's a noble, but the normal elves should complain that she didn't seize the ring and Make Lothlorien Great Again?
As in you’re happy for Mordor to take over the Shire - I gather the Ukrainians use Lord of the Rings references too.
Man, your copy of LotR ends way differently from mine. In mine Galadrial understands that if she uses the ring then Mordor would functionally take over the Shire - it doesn't make much difference if the Dark Lord wears Sauron's face or hers. The only victory that is actually a victory is to win without becoming the Dark Lord.
"in consort with our allies" is probably supposed to be concert