The Telegraph, March 12, Alexander Downer
Between the late 1960s and the 2010s there was a declinist fashion in British foreign and security policy. British governments disengaged from East of Suez, turned their backs on old Commonwealth friends and focused entirely on Europe. It was the triumph of little England over global Britain.
But now, at last, this bleak period has come to an end, with the UK once more taking up a truly global role. In particular, it is re-engaging with Australia – a country with which, politically and intellectually, it has more in common than almost any other combination of countries on Earth. This re-engagement is not just for emotional reasons or commercial gain – though they are not bad reasons to engage – but to contribute to the security of the Indo-Pacific region.
That Rishi Sunak would fly to San Diego to sign an agreement with the United States and Australia to help build a new generation of nuclear submarines for the Royal Australian Navy is an immensely positive signal from London. It comes on top of the recently signed UK-Australia free trade agreement, which is expected to come into force by the end of this year.
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