My two-penny worth on Brexit.
After the shock result more than three years ago, and the on-and-on-and-ongoing farce of negotiations, this is finally it. The United Kingdom is leaving the European Union today, although many practical implications remain uncertain. Will we see long lines on the borders? Supply shortages? Economic decline? War in Northern Ireland? An independent Scotland? Time will tell.
For now, let’s just say: We’re sorry to see you go, Britain – let’s stay in touch, and don’t be a stranger.
Although I never lived there, I have visited London a dozen times and always felt at home. Furthermore, the cultural impact of England has shaped us, and me, in many ways.
It gave us the world’s lingua franca, but also a shared legacy of popular culture. Yes, so has America, and sometimes we fail to distinguish between the two, but what would the world be without: Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Queen, the Beatles, Monty Python, Inspector Morse, The Office, Hugh Grant, George Orwell, J.K. Rowling, Richard Branson – to name just a few.
The UK joined the EU on the same date as Denmark, in 1973, and our two countries have shared a scepticism towards the project. Like us, they kept their own currency, and they never joined the Schengen agreement. As the odd one out, it might make sense to leave.
But I still believe that both will lose out. The EU will lose a strong member state with global influence, and the UK will lose the backing that could have given it continued relevance on the world scene. The onward decline of the British Empire is inevitable, as stronger players take over on the world scene.
If the Union ends up dissolving, with Scotland leaving, the only thing we’ll have left is a mid-size country that used to host an empire. Not unlike Austria: some pomp and circumstance, and a rich history, but no real power. That may take decades, but it’s not an unlikely scenario.
England has been an ally of Denmark for centuries. Long forgotten and forgiven is the bombing of Copenhagen in 1807 – with a forced hand, Denmark had chosen the wrong ally in Napoleon.
During WW2, the Danish government was in exile in London, and after the war, we naturally looked west for leadership – to the UK and the USA. That we will still do, and the United Kingdom will remain a friend of Denmark. We still need the UK in NATO, and while the political project of the EU has met a setback, friendship across all of Europe is needed now as much as ever.
So long – and thanks for all the fish!
Kenneth Birch 