View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Politics
23 June 2021

How Brexit changed us: Like the Quebecois separatists in Canada, the Leavers campaigned with passion, pride, and no plan for what comes next

The British diplomacy is reminiscent of a playground bully, with name-calling and threats interspersed with protestations that we are all good friends.

By Margaret MacMillan

As a Canadian living in the UK, I watched the referendum campaign with growing pessimism. It reminded me too much of our referendums in Canada over the status of Quebec – in 1980 and 1995 – where Quebecois separatists played on the heartstrings and the rest of the country droned on about the costs of a divorce. Here too, the Leave side had the passion, with its appeals to history and promises of a glorious future with a painless transition to… something. The UK would take back control, but otherwise and in all essentials things would go on much as before. Prosecco would flow in and Stilton cheese roll out while UK citizens, and their pets, could spend as much time on the continent as they pleased.

I have been surprised at how deep the divisions remain in the UK, threatening the Union itself. I have been surprised by how unprepared the winning side was. As has become all too clear since 2016 the Leavers had no plan beyond, as Boris Johnson said, having their cake and eating it. They were not much interested in the tedious business of disentangling the UK from the EU and hadn’t given a thought to what Brexit would mean for Northern Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement or how to negotiate with Brussels.

The vaunted British diplomacy has too often reminded me of a play-ground bully, with name-calling and threats interspersed with unconvincing protestations that we are all just good friends.

I have become tired of the words “world-beating” or the image of a UK poised on the runway ready for take-off. And what does Global Britain mean? So far we have had Singapore in the North Sea, a technological super-hub, or the leader of a rejuvenated Anglosphere. Like many of my fellow Canadians, I find the bombast oddly unsettling. We have disagreed, often, with the UK, but I don’t remember feeling so puzzled and so sorry.

Margaret MacMillan is Professor of History at the University of Toronto

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

This article is from our “How Brexit changed us” series, marking five years since the referendum.

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU