PETER OBORNE: Brexit offers us the chance to reunite with our true friends.
For a moment, imagine France is the kingpin of a huge international body made up of 53 sovereign states, containing a third of the world’s population. Imagine, too, that all these countries feel a deep affection for France and share a common history dating back centuries.
In addition, suppose these countries, including many of the most dynamic and fast-growing nations in the world, had adopted the French legal system, and that their business and political elites speak fluent French.
If this were the case, you could be certain the French would make the most of such a brilliant national asset, treating it with respect and continuing to forge the closest possible alliance.
Unfortunately for the French, who over the years cruelly mistreated their colonial subjects, no such organisation exists.
However, the British are part of such a body. It is called the Commonwealth. Yet our leaders are guilty of treating it with scorn and contempt.
Over the past four decades, our governments have shamefully ignored the benefits of the Commonwealth. Successive Prime Ministers from Edward Heath onwards have been blind to its economic, cultural and social value.
It is no coincidence that those decades of disgraceful neglect have coincided with Britain’s membership of the EU.
Part of the reason for this lies with the ridiculous sense of self-loathing felt by British liberals on account of our former Empire. Crippled by a post-imperial cringe, they have idiotically preferred the sclerotic, statist conformity of a German-dominated Europe to the exciting potential of the Commonwealth that shares many of our beliefs.
Only the Queen, as Head of the Commonwealth, has taken the organisation seriously. Indeed, she considers her nurturing of this magnificent institution her greatest achievement.
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