Here’s why Boris Johnson’s ‘global Britain’ vision is force for good – Bill Carmichael

Indeed the speech was so soaked in 
the values of the centre of British 
politics that if you ignored the premier’s puppyish enthusiasm and typically Johnsonian Rococo flourishes, it could easily have been delivered by Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, or dare I say it, Sir Keir Starmer.

Johnson was determinedly optimistic and internationalist in tone, pointing out that the UK ranks among the biggest donors to the Covax scheme that seeks to deliver a billion doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to 92 mainly developing countries, and pledging in addition to send the majority of surplus doses from the UK immunisation programme to poor nations.

Although the Prime Minister was too diplomatic to point it out, this generous, open-handed approach is in sharp contrast to the insular and ugly nationalism of the EU.

Much of Johnson’s speech was clearly aimed at wooing the US, where the new president, Joe Biden, has made it clear he is no fan of Brexit and, as a result, there has been speculation that his administration would loosen the bonds that form the “special relationship” with the UK.

But Johnson made it clear that this would be a big mistake. Firstly he welcomed the US “back as the leader of the free world” before praising Biden’s decision to re-join the Paris Agreement on climate change.

He pointed out that the UK was the first industrialised nation to adopt the goal of net zero emissions by 2050 and said he would work with US Climate Envoy, John Kerry, to persuade other nations to follow our trailblazing example.

Next he turned to Nato, where he highlighted the fact that behind the US itself, the UK was by far the biggest contributor to Europe’s defence.

Again Johnson was too polite to point out the contrast with our European neighbours. But in reality he didn’t have to. The US is well aware that some of the wealthiest countries in the EU, including Germany, have consistently failed to honour their promise of spending two per cent of GDP on defence, and have instead relied on American taxpayers to fund Europe’s protection.

Johnson was tough on Russia, mentioning the rock-solid trans-Atlantic response to Vladimir Putin’s aggression following the Salisbury Novichok poisoning, and emphasised the UK’s commitment to human rights around the globe, criticising specifically China’s abuses in Hong Kong and against Muslim Uighurs.

Taken as a whole, Johnson’s speech was a powerful vision of a global, newly independent and free country, eager to make new alliances and to take its place in the world as a force for good, and as far away from the silly Remainer caricature of an isolationist, little Englander view of post-Brexit Britain as it possible to imagine.

And the message to Biden was clear. Who is likely to be your most reliable ally on this side of the Atlantic? The UK that is a robust supporter of Nato, a big-hitter in defence terms and a fierce defender of freedom and human rights around the world? Or the crumbling EU empire that won’t spend the money needed to defend itself, and which is increasingly soft towards the growing and very real threat of Putin’s Russia? Let’s face it, that is not going to be a difficult choice, is it?

Johnson ended with a rousing call for international co-operation between free and independent nations: “Let’s build a coalition for openness and innovation, reaching beyond established alliances and the confines of geography, proud of our history, but free of any temptation to turn back the clock, and harnessing the genius of open societies to flourish in an era of renewed competition.”

During the speech, and on many occasions previously, Johnson has mentioned the concept of “Global Britain” – a country liberated from the shackles of the moribund EU, ready to make a positive contribution to a new world. With this approach, it is clear he is determined to turn that slogan into a concrete reality.

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