Brexit has relegated Britain to ‘middle power’ status, says ex-foreign secretary
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Brexit has relegated Britain to ‘middle power’ standing, says ex-foreign secretary

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Brexit has relegated Britain to simply one in every of many “middle powers” on this planet, David Miliband has stated.

The former international secretary, who served underneath Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, stated the UK’s wealth, army belongings and status have all declined relative to different international locations prior to now decade.

And he stated Britain wants to “understand the realities of our power in today’s world” and enter new “structures and commitments” with the European Union on international coverage.

David Miliband was international secretary underneath Tony Blair and Gordon Brown (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Writing in The Observer, Mr Miliband stated: “Britain still has global reach and global power, and retains hard and soft power. We are one of the richer countries and are privileged in our position on the UN security council.

“But we have an imperative to understand the realities of our power in today’s world.”

He added: “We do not have the finance of Saudi Arabia, the EU anchor of France, the regional activism and risk-appetite of Turkey, or the demographic strength of India or Indonesia. We are one among a number of ‘middle powers’ in the global system.

“Our wealth, military assets and reputation have all declined relative to others in the last decade.”

Mr Miliband stated it was a “delusion” of Brexit to suppose Britain “held all the cards” and that the nation’s future depended solely by itself selections, quite than its capacity to “engage, incentivise, bargain with and deter others”.

“The danger for British policymakers was exemplified by the Johnson government, with its wishful thinking about our power and position in a world dominated by increasing global risks and muscular, transactional, adroit – sometimes predatory – nations and non-state actors, all growing in influence by the weakening of the multilateral system,” he added.

And Mr Miliband, who now runs the humanitarian International Rescue Committee (IRC) charity, stated Britain wants to enter new preparations with the EU on shared international coverage, defence, safety and improvement coverage curiosity.

His feedback go additional than Labour’s guarantees on the EU thus far, with the celebration having promised to forge a “closer relationship with our neighbours in the European Union”.

Sir Keir Starmer is searching for to win over disgruntled Brexit voters (PA Wire)

In an attraction to Brexit voters in December, Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer stated: “I voted Remain. There’s no shame or secret in that. But I know the vote to leave was a vote for change. And change at a much deeper level than our trading relationship with the European Union. It was a vote to say our country has got its priorities wrong.

“If you voted for Brexit seven years ago, if you voted for the Conservatives four years ago… you will not get it from a Tory fifth term. Only a change of government can bring change to our country.”

Mr Miliband warned that Britain’s international standing might decline additional underneath a second time period for former president Donald Trump within the US.

And he wrote in The Observer that even when Joe Biden is reelected the “warning signs about American willingness, patience and ability to provide active and continuing strategic global leadership are still there”

“Our position, on critical interests from the economy to the climate crisis, national security and international development, will get worse unless we get our act together. The reason is simple: the world is trending towards an unhealthy disequilibrium, and Britain is on the wrong side of some of the key trends,” Mr Miliband stated.

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