Britain used to be a serious country

On the lower fringes of the Bayeaux tapestry there are jolly scenes of low-life characters gallivanting and generally enjoying themselves. It must have been like a letting-down hair day in former times at the CBI. Anyway, the great ladies who did the weaving no doubt intended to offer some light relief, while the main attention obviously fell on the depiction of the great events. But the low-lifes’ clowning can still raise a chuckle.

Chuckle? In Britain today, it is more a question of fou rire. The clowning has moved centre-stage. This used to be a serious country: politics, a serious vocation: Parliament, an internationally respected forum for the discussion of the most serious issues of our times. Instead, Boris Johnson has brought everything down to his level.

Yet these are serious times. August is rapidly approaching, that most dangerous of months, when statesmen go on holiday while armies mobilise. Today, the world has never been more unstable. Should we be alarmed by the number of conflicts which could involve nuclear weapons? Or should we be grateful for those weapons, because mutually-assured destruction is all that is saving mankind from civilisation-shattering conventional wars? What a choice.

One reason why the world is so unstable is the challenge to American hegemony. American power brought stability during the Cold War and seemed ready to underwrite continuing stability during the ‘new world order.’ That did not quite work out. Now, leaving the small matter of Russia on one side, there is the challenge from China. On that subject, everyone ought to read ‘China vs America’ by Oliver Letwin. The subject-matter goes far wider than the title. Sir Oliver has produced an outstanding tour d’horizon and an assured historical perspective, around a central argument that we ought to work for a sustainable world order, which must involve a modus vivendi with China.

All this needs hard thinking. There are those who could provide that, but alas, they do not include the President of the United States or his principal challenger for the White House. A few days ago, Biden said: ‘God Save the Queen.’ It seemed more a matter of ‘God Help America.’ America urgently needs a President who could provide unity at home and strength abroad, who could make America’s allies feel confident in its still-indispensable leadership while making Americans feel good about themselves. We wait, more in hope than expectation. Oh my Reagan and my Thatcher long ago.

Apropos Lady Thatcher and Britain, and however highly one thinks of Rishi Sunak, it would be absurd to claim that he could take over the leadership of the Western alliance. But his ventures into foreign affairs have all been successful. Now that he is PM, and even if few people appear to be listening back home, the UK is given a respectful hearing. This could be a serious man for serious times. 

But how does he project that? One can understand his frustration. Every time he tries to address important issues, there is always another outbreak of background noise. Someone else had a party. What on earth happened to Sue Gray’s karaoke machine? Dear Nadine was not given a peerage. At least Nicola Sturgeon is no longer helping the police with their enquiries – though much of her Party wish that her useless successor could be securely detained. The centre of public life seems to have degenerated into a playground squabble. We should almost expect a chorus of liar, liar, pants on fire.

Poor Mr Sunak. Although he has many qualities and formidable qualifications, they do not include herding cats, or taking command of a kindergarten.

So what can he do? Start, perhaps, by remembering Marechal Foch. ‘Ma centre cede, ma droit recule. Situation excellente. J’attaque.’ The attack should take the form of telling us who he is, what he believes, the debt that he feels he owes to this country, the depth of his patriotism – and his commitment to strength and prosperity.. This narrative would entwine hard economic pounding and optimism about the future. Like many other countries, we have problems but we also have immense resources, above all the quality of the British people. He must craft the language to acknowledge the difficulties we face, while also making the British people feel good about themselves. 

He is the man who could do that, much more persuasively than Keir Starmer. Whatever he would like the electorate to believe, the Labour leader is too much of a socialist to be a whole-hearted patriot. Moreover, the country is looking for leadership, and a lot of voters could still be persuaded to respond with its corollary, followership. 

No doubt there will be disruption. Boris Johnson resumed his journalistic career by writing about diets: a useful contribution. But that will not last. It will soon be back to have cake, eat cake and a peerage for Nadine. His morals, her brains: what an impressive combination.  

The PM should respond by striking ahead for high seriousness while the flibbertigibbets find their own way to their own chosen gibbet. Though his seriousness is not certain to work, it is in the national interest that it should work. Sunak ought to press on, and leave the detractors to stew in their own peevish littleness.

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