Stephen Bush (FT) argues (rightly in my view) that the UK is now a middle power in geopolitical terms & as such has less agency over its (our) future that our political class is prepared to admit;
But, (not Bush's words) our political class suffer from sustained nostalgic magical thinking on the UK's ability to be a major play in international relations;
and this then refracts into a mistaken & dangerous misunderstanding of what is needed & possible in domestic politics!
UK and Spain's history is very similar. Both had big empires, they lose them, now are middle powers.
The advantage we have in Spain is it happened to us a century or two before, and we fell even lower.
It takes time to acknowledge the fact you are not a superpower anymore. Brexit made very clear the UK are still digesting the fact.
Since we are poised to have China and probably India as the next two main powers, as Trump is making sure the US drops out, let's hope Russians and the US take it easy. It doesn't look likely, seeing what they are doing now. Well, one can dream...
@jgg
Yes good point about us both following a road trod by Spain & not realising it....