Global Britain enters the World
After Brexiteers received the Christmas present they wished for above all others, the UK becomes a truly independent sovereign state on January 1st. The transition period has come to end and a comprehensive free trade agreement has been reached between the UK and the EU in record time. What does this mean for Global Britain?
Over the past year, the Conservative Government have made huge strides in signing trade deals with nations from around the world and on every continent. To date, over 60 deals have been signed, safeguarding terms of trade for swathes of the economy. Rather than become isolationist and inward-looking, over the course of 2020, the UK Government have shown that they have no intention of withdrawing from the world stage. The trade deal with the EU secures the relationship with the UK’s biggest trading partner in terms that can be stomached by both sides of the Brexit divide.
In International Politics, the foreign secretary has led the way on several issues including the situation in Hong Kong. The Prime Minister has been instrumental in the global search for not only a vaccine for coronavirus but in securing billions of dollars for GAVIs vaccine programmes at a summit hosted by the UK over the summer. The government have also made it clear that their sustainability agenda is far more than a box ticking exercise and will seek to solidify global commitment to reducing the effects of climate change at the postponed COP 26 summit in the new year.
Crucially for us at Conservatives for CANZUK, comprehensive free trade deals have been agreed with Canada and are expected soon with New Zealand and Australia. Each of these agreements includes provisions for easier travel for business persons in the immediate term. We hope that they will lay the foundations for further opening of dialogue between the CANZUK nations on freedom of movement, closer security and diplomatic cooperation and the eventual formation of a CANZUK wide union in the years to come.
The influence, economic advantage and personal opportunities presented by such a union are indisputable. In an ever changing and less politically secure world, a strong voice for the ideals of liberalism, democracy and free trade is much needed. The UK has shown itself to be this voice in 2020, but a singular voice speaking on behalf of all peoples in CANZUK would be even stronger.
2021 is the year for Global Britain to embrace CANZUK and turn this vision into a reality.
Dom Stanford
Writer for Conservatives for CANZUK