Culture and Polity

Anti-British protectionism is perhaps the deepest of all instincts in both American and Australian politics, predating independence in both cases.

Of course neither of those countries is in any particular hurry to strike a free trade deal with Britain.

Of course they are both far more concerned to strike free trade deals with the EU, which, as they point out, Britain has not left, meaning that it cannot negotiate bilateral trade agreements.

The business of business is business.

"The Anglosphere" is a fantasy devised by a man who grew up between Marlborough and darkest Peru, and who struggles to understand that the British do not hate the National Health Service, such is his grasp of our culture and polity.

As to the means, terms and conditions of the United Kingdom's purely hypothetical withdrawal from the European Union, they are apparently unconnected to any opinion on the subject that may be expressed by the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.

Although he does at least have any such opinion. So far as anyone can discern, the Prime Minister has none.

Still, the decision of the EU referendum by the Old Labour areas has already had the world-changing effect of destroying TTIP, and it has made those areas the focus of political attention.

What matters now is the pressing of that advantage.