Dr Denis MacShane, a former Europe minister, has called on Conservative MPs to acknowledge that Brexit has failed the country, warning that without such honesty, Britain faces continued economic and geopolitical decline. Writing in response to Timothy Garton-Ash's recent article on the UK's relationship with the EU, MacShane criticises the Tory party under Kemi Badenoch for its 'monomaniacally anti-European' stance, which he compares to the attitudes of British communists and Trotskyists from 1950 to 1990.
Labour Figures Spoke Truth, Tories Stay Silent
MacShane highlights that senior Labour figures like Roy Hattersley, who recently died, and Shirley Williams were willing to break ranks and defend the European community against critics such as Tony Benn, Arthur Scargill, Barbara Castle, and Jeremy Corbyn. In contrast, he cannot identify a single Conservative MP willing to stand up to Nigel Farage, Rupert Lowe, and Elon Musk over the EU. He argues that Britain, like 18th-century Spain, has chosen 'slow, steady decline into economic weakness and geopolitical irrelevance.'
The Cost of Walking Away from Europe
MacShane asserts that reversing this decline requires reconnecting with trading partners and fellow democracies. However, that will not happen without a Conservative MP able to tell the truth that Brexit has failed and needs to be 'put out of its misery.' He laments that the political class is now monolingual, with little personal contact with EU decision-makers, leaving Britain isolated.
A Chinese Perspective on Britain's Strategic Error
In a separate letter, Zhengli Zhou from Liupanshui, Guizhou, China, offers an external critique. He describes Brexit as 'a man sawing off the branch he is sitting on,' arguing that Britain's greatest leverage was as a leader of Europe, not a lonely island. He warns that no state that makes an enemy of its neighbourhood has ever won, citing 2,000 years of Chinese history. Zhou contends that without Britain at the helm, Europe is a 'ship of technocrats with no captain,' vulnerable to real adversaries. He concludes that either Britain leads Europe or there will be no Britain to speak of.
Reactions and Implications
The letters come amid ongoing debates about the UK's post-Brexit trajectory, with polls showing growing support for closer EU ties. However, the Conservative party remains committed to Brexit, and no senior Tory has publicly admitted failure. The warnings from both MacShane and Zhou underscore the perceived strategic costs of Britain's departure from the EU, including diminished influence and economic challenges.
