For three centuries all British governments have shared one strategic foreign policy goal: to ensure Britain was never isolated in Europe. That meant wars in the 18th and 19th century against the dominant power, France, two wars against Germany in the 20th century, and the UK’s part in the Cold War until the end of the Soviet threat in 1989.
But in 2020, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has achieved something quite astonishing. He has managed to unite the continent of Europe from Ireland to the Baltic, from Sweden to Spain and Italy, in a European Union which sees Britain as behaving badly.
After failing to achieve a deal to leave the EU – a deal Mr Johnson claimed was “oven ready” – and with disagreements including fishing rights, the Johnson government has sent gunboats to protect “our fish.”
The Times newspaper headline read "Navy to board French boats." A former Conservative MP, now Times newspaper political commentator, Matthew Parris describes Mr Johnson as an English (not a British) nationalist.
He has not only reversed the central element of British foreign policy of 300 years, but he has also undermined the unity of the UK, by reviving competing nationalisms in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
My own book on this resurgent English nationalism How Britain Ends, will be published in February, and concludes that the UK as currently constructed will either boldly have to reinvent itself or risk pulling apart.
More immediately there is still no clarity on whether the UK will leave the EU with a deal or no deal. After four and a half years and countless extensions, talks are yet again extended with a supposedly “final” deadline on December 31. Whatever the outcome, the damage has been done.
The Johnson government has made Britain look incompetent, arrogant and badly led – a terrible combination.
Mr Johnson has alienated Britain's friends in Europe and irritated the incoming Biden administration in Washington.
British newspapers have attacked Emanuel Macron and Angela Merkel in ways which are both unfair and that damage Britain itself. Chancellor Merkel has always been a great ally.
She once told me that as a girl in the former East Germany she listened to BBC radio under her bedclothes, learning English and admiring British culture.
So what happens now? A deal – any likely deal – will make the UK poorer than staying in the EU. But no deal will be even more damaging and will sour relationships for years.
With no deal, Mr Johnson's gunboats can presumably protect "British fish" – a peculiar species unknown to science
Mr Johnson claims no-deal Britain will trade very well with the European union on World Trade Organisation terms, though he often calls them “Australian terms”. This is utterly misleading.
WTO terms mean new tariffs – taxes – on goods, rising prices, onerous form filling, bureaucratic snarl-ups and long queues at ports.
Lorry drivers will struggle with new rules. Britain will need thousands more customs agents. Besides, Australia has no Free Trade Agreement with the EU, but is seeking one.
The former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said that “Australia’s relationship with the EU is not one from a trade point of view that Britain would want.” The Bank of England forecasts “no deal” will be even more damaging to the British economy in the long term than the coronavirus pandemic, which has already cost multiple billions.
But a deal with the EU also has a catch. What would be the point of Brexit if the UK stays aligned with EU standards and rules as a necessary prerequisite of obtaining a deal? This problem has been obvious for years.
Last year former prime minister Tony Blair summed it up snappily by saying no deal would mean “a painful Brexit,” while any deal would – for the Brexit ideologues – be a “pointless Brexit.” For years Mr Johnson has slipped over these obvious problems with glib phrases and impossible promises.
For a flavour of his Brexit delusions, here is a reminder of his Daily Telegraph column just three days after the Brexit referendum, 26 June 2016:
“At home and abroad the negative consequences are being wildly overdone… British people will still be able to go and work in the EU; to live; to travel; to study; to buy homes and to settle down… there will continue to be free trade and access to the single market.
Britain is and always will be a great European power, offering top-table opinions and giving leadership on everything from foreign policy to defence to counter-terrorism and intelligence-sharing – all the things we need to do together to make our world safer.”
With no deal, none of these words will ring true. Reality bites. While a deal is still possible, any deal means some Brexit hardliners will accuse Mr Johnson of “betrayal.”
With no deal, Mr Johnson’s gunboats can presumably protect “British fish” – a peculiar species unknown to science – but only by angering and alienating our closest European friends and valued Nato allies.
Britain has endured four years of Brexit fairytales but is now on the brink of the worst British foreign policy debacle in living memory.
Gavin Esler is a broadcaster and UK columnist for The National
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Sunday's games
All times UAE:
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace, 4pm
Manchester City v Arsenal, 6.15pm
Everton v Watford, 8.30pm
Chelsea v Manchester United, 8.30pm
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
The First Monday in May
Director: Andrew Rossi
Starring: Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld, John Paul Gaultier, Rihanna
Three stars
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
