Dubai: Leaving the European Union (EU) will “diminish the standing” of Britain in the world, former UK prime minister Tony Blair said during the Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF) in Dubai on Sunday.
Blair was responding to a question from Vikas Pota, CEO of Varkey Foundation (which organises GESF), during a discussion session that included former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, who is editor of the Evening Standard.
Pota had asked Blair “what do you think Brexit is doing to Britain’s standing in the world?” Blair answered: “It’s a big question, but an easy answer. I think it, for sure, diminishes our standing”.
Blair, founder of Institute for Global Change, said: “If you get out of the biggest commercial market and leading political union in the world, which is right on your doorstep, to which you’re physically joined by the channel duct; you’re joined by ties of history and geography which stretch back many, many years; if you get out of that, you will diminish your standing”.
Blair explained that the “geopolitics” of the world was going to experience “a dramatic change … it’s going to shift East” — to China. With America and China as dominant world powers, and other countries forming regional alliances, Blair asked where that leaves Britain, “a medium-sized country”, to retain power and influence to protect its interests.
He said in his father’s generation, the “rationale” of Europe used to be peace, but after the World Wars, “the rationale today is power”.
“No European country, no matter how large or significant within Europe, is going to be able, on its own, to have the effect it wants to have, unless it bands together.”
