ENGLAND ALONE: Brexit and the Crisis of English Identity

Brexit represents an existential crisis for the British state and people. As Brexit Britain slips its moorings and moves away from the mainstream of European civilisation huge questions remain unanswered. What is Britain’s role in a dangerous world? And what plans are there to stabilise the British islands as separatism grows stronger and stronger in Scotland and Northern Ireland?

In these essays Professor Haseler develops a central theme of his earlier books that the country has ‘auditioned’ for this Brexit crisis over several decades during which its elites have failed to come to terms with Britain’s loss of empire and reduced status – and instead have conveniently blamed Europe for the country’s decline.

Haseler suggests that so profound is our sense of national decline that we now face a deep crisis of identity, indeed of ‘Englishness’ – of what it means to be English today. In his essay ‘The Making and Un-Making of Englishness’ he looks at how this identity was created, and how it is now dissolving.

He further argues that we British need nothing less than a radical culture shift away from childish English nationalism and tabloid bombast. Alongside this cultural change we also need radical constitutional surgery to save the state from disintegration.

In the final essay he argues that Brexit is a dead end. That it will lead to ‘England Alone’ in a dangerous world. And that the time has come for an act of real – rather than phoney – patriotism and courage. Brexit needs to be reversed and Europe re-engaged.

 

 

Professor Stephen Haseler was Emeritus Professor and Director of the Global Policy Institute. He authored fifteen books on British and European Politics. He held a PhD from the LSE, and Visiting Professorships at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown Universities in Washington D.C. His recent books include The English Tribe, The Grand Delusion, Meltdown and Meltdown UK. He was a former Deputy Mayor of Greater London and a founder of the SDP. He appeared regularly on television.