Whichever way Brexit eventually plays out, serious and irreparable damage has been done to Britain.
In terms of lasting reputational damage, it’s hard to find comparison in our modern history. The Suez crisis of 1956 comes closest. Britain and France’s botched attempt to depose Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser and regain control of the Suez Canal resulted in open humiliation as we were forced to pull out under pressure from the United States and United Nations. The Suez Crisis was seen as the end of empire. The end of Britain’s hard power.
Now we see the coming end of our soft power - the disproportionate influence this small island wields globally, our ability to shape events either to our interests, or in the pursuit of some greater goal. That’s all but gone now.
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/brexit-serious-damage-to-britain