A prominent US media brand has laid bare the harsh realities facing post-Brexit Britain in a scathing critique, highlighting the devastating consequences of political decisions made over the past decade.
The assessment paints a grim picture of a nation grappling with the aftermath of austerity and Brexit, underlining the political motivations that have driven the country to its current state.
James Robins pointed to the political callousness of the 2010-15 coalition government, saying it “did not need to happen that way”.
“Austerity was never the hard logic of dutiful caretakers; it was a political calculation to rescue rich friends and dump the burdensome price on those least able to endure the cost,” the analysis states.
The report highlights several distressing signs of economic and social decline:
On the NHS, the report states that “the precious marvel that is the National Health Service is cracking at the seams,” noting that waiting lists could take 685 years to clear at the current rate.
The union for junior doctors has organized 10 strikes in the past year, fighting for a pay deal that only matches inflation. The city of Birmingham has declared bankruptcy, with more cities expected to follow.
The decision to leave the EU, meanwhile, is seen as an attempt to escape the harshness of austerity.
“Brexit was a retreat from hunger into myth: an embrace of antique fables about British pluck and derring-do,” the analysis contends. This romanticized vision of the past, embodied by the myth of Churchillian resilience, masked the deeper economic struggles facing the nation.
The portrayal of Brexit Britain is a stark reminder of the profound impact of political decisions on a nation’s well-being. As Britain faces a new general election, the critique serves as a sobering reflection on the past decade’s policies and their lasting effects on the country.
