‘Brexit is being betrayed by entire Tory Party’

Truss was just a handy scapegoat, the Tories’ failure has been a collective one (Image: GETTY)Speaking in the Commons, Eustice said it was ‘not actually a very good deal for the UK’, while Britain ‘gave away far too much for far too little in return’. But is that really the right way to view the deal? After all, Australia – like Canada and New Zealand – is a sibling country to Britain, countries with which the UK shares its new head of state, King Charles III.Given this – and given the move to shift supply chains away from China – should the UK not be doing everything it can to align with the Commonwealth, especially realm countries like Australia?If that means going the extra mile and giving a few things away then so be it. It was Britain, after all, which turned its back on the Commonwealth decades ago in favour of Europe, forcing the likes of Australia towards China.Now the tide is turning back in the other direction with China, surely the UK ought to be doing everything in its power to ingratiate itself with its old Commonwealth allies.Indeed, the Australia-UK deal went beyond tariffs with long-overdue relaxing of visa rules between the two countries. But the relationship ought to be strengthened further still, in military as well as economic terms.If Australia or New Zealand get full access to the UK market to sell beef, for instance, then that is the price of correcting a historic wrong. That is the kind of access which is needed for sibling countries.Yes, it is unfortunate that Australia still bans the import of British beef, but given how important beef is to the Australian economy, it is hardly surprising. Ultimately, it is the UK which has plenty of making up to do.Look at it this way: if the King of Spain was still the reigning monarch in countries across Latin America, would Madrid view these Latin American countries just as it does any other?Of course not. Chances are Spain would be throwing its lot in with those resource-rich countries rather than tying itself to the sclerotic EU.But then can we really be surprised by the failure to make the most of Brexit or to bring the UK back into the Commonwealth’s good books?Indeed, for all the talk about getting Brexit done the Tories merely succeeded in getting Brexit botched.As for pinning so much blame on Liz Truss of late, frankly the Tories’ failure has been a collective one.More importantly, the UK also has a golden opportunity to build upon its Five Eyes alliance with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US, as Western allies seek to strengthen security links in the Pacific.The AUKUS deal between Australia, the UK and the US was a great start. But then why is the UK at the same time giving China a free hand in the Solomon Islands, a country with which the UK shares a king and commander-in-chief?Just days ago the London Stock Exchange lost its crown as Europe’s most valued stock market to Paris. Yes, the reasons for this were complex, and the situation could well reverse. But it feels symbolic of a country increasingly bereft of ambition and treading water.Brexit was surely not about pulling up the drawbridge, but about blasting out to the world, and enhancing ties first and foremost with the Commonwealth. The UK ought to start getting on with that.Far from giving away too much, the UK has not gone far enough in its charm offensive, making up for years of neglect and squandered opportunities. After all, the UK is already in a union of sorts with Australia and New Zealand.Australia is family to Britain, and Britain turned its back first. Now is the time to correct the mistake. The Commonwealth remains the UK’s best hope in the years ahead. Britain cannot afford to mess this up again.