The tragic thing is that this is just a re-run of history, with the whole "first time tragedy, second time farce" ring. After the Suez Crisis in 1953 it was cl

The tragic thing is that this is just a re-run of history, with the whole "first time tragedy, second time farce" ring. After the Suez Crisis in 1953 it was clear to the British establishment that the US would put its own interests first over its allies, and the UK was a busted flush as a world power. Without its empire its only future was as a "first among equals" in the European project. It spent the next two decades trying to get into the EU (or EEC as it was then) despite objections from Charles de Gaulle and domestic opposition on both sides of the aisle. But by the early 70s it was clear that Britain was not only no longer a world power, but was unable to keep the lights on. The Common Market - plus North Sea oil - was the lifeline. Now the UK is back where it was in the 70s, only this time the North Sea oil wells are running dry and it is out of the EU with no prospect of joining soon, having trashed relations with its closest neighbours.