The ‘special relationship’ is central to how Britain conducts its foreign policy and perceives itself as a country. The argument goes: proximity to Washington allows London to maintain a semblance of its former prestige and power. The media and political class can’t get enough of it.
But what if Britain’s relationship to the United States was, in fact, deeply damaging to its interests – and the living standards of its citizens? What if, rather than a partner, Britain was instead a vassal of the American empire? What if – despite the herd thinking of the establishment – Britain got remarkably little in return?
These arguments aren’t new, indeed they’ve been around since the Second World War, but as the Trump presidency explicitly embraces a different kind of geopolitics – centred around calculation and interest, rather than appealing to values – it’s worth asking: what precisely does the United Kingdom get from its relationship with the world’s greatest power? And is it time to try something different?
And if Britain is losing out in its relationship with America what does that look like? Is it purely economic, or has it compromised our political system too? Does Britain even have a military capable of acting without the consent of the White House?
On this episode of Downstream, Aaron Bastani is joined for the second time by Angus Hanton, businessman and author of ‘Vassal State: How America Runs Britain’.